Tennis

Federer surpasses Sampras

for most weeks at No. 1

Roger Federer of Switzerland surpassed American Pete Sampras to set the record for the most weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

After winning Wimbledon on July 8, Federer returned to the top of the world rankings for the first time since June 2010. Monday marked Federer's 287th week at No. 1, one more than the retired Sampras.

"Great effort," the 40-year-old Sampras said. "The hardest thing to do in sports is the ability to stay on top. Roger has been able to do so by great play and durability."

Federer, 30, has won 17 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any male player. He first was ranked No. 1 in 2004.

"I had set a goal with my team to try and get back to the top of the rankings, but I never thought with the depth in the game this year that I would have been able to get it back so quickly," Federer said. "I am extremely proud and honored to have beaten Pete's record, as he was my childhood hero and I have always looked up to him."

Golf

British Open tee times are set

American Tiger Woods, seeking his 15th major title, gets a familiar face for the first two rounds of the British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in England.

Woods is in the same group with Justin Rose of England and Sergio Garcia of Spain. They tee off at 1:42 a.m. PDT on Thursday. It will be the fourth time in the last nine British Opens that Woods has played alongside Rose.

England's Luke Donald, ranked No. 1 in the world, is in the same group as American Phil Mickelson and Australian Geoff Ogilvy. They start at 6:43 a.m. PDT on Thursday.

Kyle Stanley of Gig Harbor will start at 11:58 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, joined by Stephen Ames of Canada and Robert Rock of England.

Ex-Washington Huskies player Troy Kelly tees off at 8 a.m. PDT Thursday in a group with Morten Orum Madsen of Denmark and Anirban Lahiri of India.

ESPN coverage begins at 2 a.m. PDT Thursday.

College athletics

Syracuse to pay for early exit

The Big East has reached an agreement with Syracuse University, allowing the Orange to leave the conference a year early for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Syracuse announced last fall its intention to join the ACC, but under Big East bylaws the school needed to serve a 27-month exit period. Instead, the Orange will be allowed to leave July 1, 2013, and will pay a fee of $7.5 million to depart. That is $2.5 million more than specified in the conference bylaws.

"Both sides thought the deal was truly reasonable, and it was done in a most collegial way," Syracuse athletic director Daryl Gross said. "We're excited that we were able to negotiate and that sophisticated minds came into play and we were able to get it done."

Pittsburgh is also leaving the Big East for the ACC, but its exit date remains uncertain.

The Big East was formed in 1979, with Syracuse as one of seven original members.

As part of the exit agreement, Big East members will vote to terminate Syracuse's membership.

NHL

Green re-signs with Capitals

The Washington Capitals re-signed defenseman Mike Green, 26, to a three-year contract worth $18.25 million.

Green, who played in the 2011 All-Star Game, was limited to 32 games because of injuries last season.

Elsewhere

• Forward Kenny Miller, captain of Scotland's national team, signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer.

Miller, 32, scored 11 goals in 50 matches last season for Cardiff in the second-tier English League Championship.

Vancouver traded forward Sebastien Le Toux — a former Sounders FC player — to the New York Red Bulls last week for midfielder Dane Richards and allocation money.

• Toronto FC striker Danny Koevermans has a torn left-knee ligament and will be out the rest of the MLS season. He was injured during Saturday's 1-0 victory over New England and will need surgery.

Koevermans, 33, has nine goals this season, tied for fifth in MLS.

• Russia reportedly is set to hire Fabio Capello, 66, as its soccer coach, and the former England coach is expected to be in Moscow soon to sign a contract.

Dick Advocaat, 64, resigned after Russia failed to advance beyond the group stage in Euro 2012.

• Soccer powerhouse Manchester United of the English Premier League is the most valuable franchise in sports at $2.23 billion, according to Forbes magazine's annual survey.

Ranking second is another soccer team, Real Madrid of Spain, at $1.88 billion. Baseball's New York Yankees and the NFL Dallas Cowboys are tied for third place at $1.85 billion.

Seattle Times news services