Soccer

Beckham will not play in Colorado on Sunday

David Beckham is taking a break.

Exhausted after playing three games in six days, Beckham won't travel with the Los Angeles Galaxy for Sunday's Major League Soccer game in Colorado.

Coach Frank Yallop decided to rest Beckham after evaluating the star midfielder's condition following a 3-0 loss Thursday to Chivas USA. He's expected to play next in Wednesday's SuperLiga championship against Pachuca at the Home Depot Center.

Galaxy acquires 16-year-old forward in weighted lottery: The Galaxy acquired 16-year-old forward Israel Sesay in a weighted lottery held at MLS offices in New York.

U.S. receives first-round bye in World Cup qualifying: The United States was among 13 nations that will receive a first-round bye in soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Guatemala, Canada, Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines also received first-round byes.

Tennis

Blake reaches final against best friend Fish

James Blake beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2) to set up an all-American final at the Pilot Pen in New Haven, Conn.

Blake will play his best friend on tour, Mardy Fish, for the title.

Fish beat hard-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (3), 6-4 to advance to his first final this year.

Qualifier Agnes Szavay won her seventh match in eight days, beating Eleni Daniilidou 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 to reach the women's final against top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, who won the first women's semifinal after Elena Dementieva retired while trailing 6-4, 3-6, 0-3.

Hockey

Sharks sign Michalek to six-year extension

Milan Michalek agreed to a six-year, $26 million contract extension with the San Jose Sharks, keeping the talented young forward in teal through 2014.

Track and field

Kenya's Kibet wins marathon at worlds

Luke Kibet of Kenya won the marathon in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 58 seconds today, claiming the first gold medal of the 2007 track and field world championships at Osaka, Japan.

Mubarak Hassan Shami of Qatar was second, holding off fast-finishing Viktor Rothlin of Switzerland.

Jurisprudence

Probation for third man in gambling ring

The last of three men who ran an illegal sports gambling ring was sentenced to two-years' probation.

James Ulmer, 42, was charged with conspiracy and promoting gambling and faced six months to a year in county jail under a plea agreement for his role in the bookmaking operation with links to the NHL and the Phoenix Coyotes.