Fulham's Clint Dempsey wants transfer | A.M. Briefing

Soccer

Dempsey wants transfer

United States international Clint Dempsey has refused to play for Fulham and is seeking a transfer to a Champions League team, the Premier League club's coach, Martin Jol, said Friday.

Dempsey was linked to Liverpool last month after Reds coach Brendan Rodgers admitted during a tour of the U.S. and Canada that the Merseyside club had inquired about him.

However, no deal was forthcoming from Liverpool's U.S. owners, the Fenway Sports Group.

Auto racing

Martin takes pole

Mark Martin has 55 career Sprint Cup poles, matching the number on his Toyota.

Martin posted the top qualifying speed of 199.706 mph at Michigan International Speedway's still-new surface. It was the fourth pole of the year for the 53-year-old Martin, who is making only his 15th Cup start this season.

Carl Edwards qualified second, followed by points leader Jimmie Johnson. Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw was fifth and Greg Biffle from Vancouver, Wash., was 13th.

Tagliani wins pole

Montreal native Alex Tagliani, a regular in IndyCar, turned a speed of 96.688 mph around the 15-turn, 2.7-mile Montreal layout to edge Sam Hornish Jr. for the pole to Saturday's Nationwide race. Danica Patrick qualified fourth. Tayler Malsam of Seattle was 32nd.

Tennis

Serena Williams upset

Serena Williams had her 19-match winning streak snapped by Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 at the Western & Southern Open in Mason, Ohio. The defeat marked the first time Williams had even lost a set since her title at Wimbledon.

Venus Williams reached the semifinals of a tournament for the first time this season by beating Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4.

On the men's side, Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro won in straight sets, setting up a rematch of their bronze-medal match at the Olympics won by del Potro.

Baseball

Panama beats Uganda

Uganda, the first team from Africa to advance to the Little League World Series, lost its debut to Panama 9-3 in South Williamsport, Pa.

Outfielder Thomas Neal's lunging catch saved an extra-base hit and helped Vancouver, B.C., beat the team from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, 13-9.

Jordan Cardenas homered and pitched 2-1/3 innings of hitless relief, and San Antonio took advantage of defensive miscues to beat Parsippany, N.J., 5-2.

New Castle, Ind., broke a scoreless tie with Greshem, Ore., in the fifth with the help of a bunt single, two wild pitches and Mason Gillis' check-swing double to win 4-0.

WNBA

Stars win 10th in row

Sophia Young scored 20 points and the San Antonio Silver Stars (14-5) beat the host Tulsa Shock 89-79 for their 10th straight victory. In other games, Seimone Augustus scored 20 points and Maya Moore and Monica Wright added 17 each as the host Minnesota Lynx (16-4) cruised past the Washington Mystics 98-69. Angel McCoughtry scored 25 points to lead the Atlanta Dream (10-10) past the host Chicago Sky 82-76.

Swimming

Agent: Phelps won't lose Olympic medals

Michael Phelps' longtime agent, Peter Carlisle, dismissed any suggestion the retired swimmer may have violated International Olympic Committee rules when provocative pictures for an ad campaign were leaked on the Internet during the London Games.

The IOC prohibits athletes from promoting nonofficial sponsors during a nearly monthlong period around the Games. Among the possible sanctions: stripping medals won by an offending athlete.

Carlisle said there's no issue with the IOC because Phelps did not authorize use of the pictures.

Track and field

Richards-Ross wins race

Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross (49.89) edged Botswana's Amantle Montsho (50.03) to win the women's 400 meters at the DN Gala Diamond League meeting in Stockholm.

American countryman Michael Tinsley (48.50) beat Olympic champion Felix Sanchez (49.33) in the 400-meter hurdles.

Elsewhere

• Tony Schumacher took the Top Fuel lead in qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway. Tim Wilkerson topped the Funny Car field, Erica Enders led in Pro Stock and Hector Arana Sr. in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

• Jess A Zoomin, who recently tested positive for a supercharged painkiller drawn from a type of South American frog, broke down and was euthanized Thursday at a New Mexico racetrack after winning a trial heat for the upcoming All American Futurity, one of the world's richest horse races.

• The New York Red Bulls and defender Babajide Ogunbiyi have agreed to part ways.

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