Sports briefs 5/8/04

Hockey

An American Hockey League player was suspended Friday through the end of next season for a two-handed, stick-swinging attack on an opponent. Hamilton Bulldogs forward Alexander Perezhogin, whose NHL rights belong to the Montreal Canadiens, received the longest suspension on record in AHL history. He'll miss the rest of this year's playoffs. Perezhogin slammed his stick into Cleveland Barons defenseman Garrett Stafford's face during an April 30 playoff game in Hamilton, Ontario. Stafford, on his knees when he was hit, fell to the ice in convulsions, blood gushing from a gash on his face. He needed 20 stitches and had a concussion. The players' fight began when Stafford swung his stick at Perezhogin, striking the back of his helmet. Perezhogin responded with the baseball-like swing to Stafford's face. Stafford was suspended for six games and will serve his suspension at the start of the next season.

Horse racing

Kentucky Derby winning jockey Stewart Elliott pleaded guilty to assault three years ago, but didn't disclose the information when applying for a license to ride at Churchill Downs. His failure to do so is unlikely to affect Elliott's winning ride aboard Smarty Jones in last Saturday's Derby, though the 39-year-old rider could face disciplinary action, the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority said. It also raises questions about his riding status for next Saturday's Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Tennis

Jennifer Capriati beat a top-10 player for the first time this year to reach the German Open semifinals Friday, and Venus Williams won her 14th straight match -- her longest winning streak since 2001. Capriati rolled past No. 5 Anastasia Myskina 6-3, 6-2, and will meet Amelie Mauresmo for a spot in the final at the clay-court tuneup for the French Open. Mauresmo needed nearly two hours to get past Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1. Williams defeated Paola Suarez 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-2. The third-seeded Williams -- who has won two straight tournaments -- will face Karolina Sprem or Fabiola Zuluaga in the semifinals.

Kim Clijsters needs to take five weeks off with a left wrist injury, her coach told a Belgian radio station Friday, suggesting she'll miss the French Open. Clijsters was the runner-up in 2001 and 2003 at Roland Garros, where play starts May 24. The French Tennis Federation said Friday evening it was unaware whether Clijsters' is pulling out. The pain in her wrist flared up after she played her first tour match six weeks Wednesday, struggling past qualifier Marta Marrero 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in the German Open's second round at Berlin. Clijsters' wrist has been in a brace for over a month, and the injury has proved more problematic than expected.

Track and field

Marion Jones won the 100 meters and long jump Friday night at the Jamaica International Invitational. She easily won the dash in 11.04 seconds. Aleen Bailey of Jamaica was a distant second in 11.19. Though it wasn't the fastest time for Jones, this was her first competition outdoors in the 100 since 2002. She traveled 22 feet, 1 1/2 inches in the long jump, easily outdistancing American Brianna Glenn (20-6 1/4).-- From wire reports