Hingis banned for positive cocaine test

Five-time major champion Martina Hingis, who is already retired, was banned from tennis for two years when it was announced yesterday she was found guilty of testing positive for cocaine at the All England Club. A three-person, independent tribunal rejected Hingis's defense, calling it "a simple and straightforward case." Her manager said she won't appeal the ruling. The failed drug test after Hingis's loss to Laura Granville June 29 at Wimbledon came to light Nov. 1 . . . Serena Williams and Mardy Fish beat Jelena Jankovic and Novak Djokovic, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, in Perth, Australia, to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Serbia and its fifth title in the eight-nation, mixed-team Hopman Cup tournament . . . Lindsay Davenport won her third title in four events since returning to play following the birth of her first child, beating Aravane Rezai, 6-2, 6-2, today in the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand . . . China's Li Na won the Australian women's hardcourt championship in Gold Coast today, beating Victoria Azarenka, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 . . . Maria Sharapova beat Anna Chakvetadze, 6-4, 6-2, to advance to the final of the JB Group Classic in Hong Kong against Venus Williams.

The federal judge who will sentence former Olympic champion Marion Jones is considering punishing her twice - once for lying about her steroid use and once for lying about her role in a check-fraud scheme. Judge Kenneth Karas served notice that he might go beyond the six-month maximum prison term suggested in Jones's plea deal, saying he "is not bound by that agreement." Jones pleaded guilty in October and prosecutors said guidelines called for sentencing her to six months at most.

Brad Marchand will be playing for his second straight world junior hockey championships gold medal today as Canada shoots for its fourth in a row. The Bruins' third-round draft pick in 2006 scored and added an assist as Canada derailed the US in the semifinals for the second straight year, winning, 4-1, in Pardubice, Czech Republic, to set up a final with Sweden. University of New Hampshire freshman James vanRiemsdyk scored for the US. Mikael Backlund's overtime goal lifted the Swedes past Russia, 2-1 . . . The NHL's hockey operations department inspected the goalie pads used by Islander Rick DiPietro during the first period of Thursday's loss to Florida and declared them legal, TSN.ca reported. Had DiPietro worn illegal pads he would received a two-game suspension . . . The Carolina Hurricanes sent struggling goalie John Grahame to Albany (AHL).

Hawaii coach June Jones said he would travel to Dallas today to discuss the opening at Southern Methodist University and told The Honolulu Advertiser an official offer was expected to be made during a meeting with SMU officials . . . All charges were dropped against Tnikia Washington, one of three people accused in a sexual offense case involving three North Carolina players, The News & Observer in Raleigh reported . . . Reggie Herring, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Arkansas for the past three seasons, was hired as the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M.

Former Olympic gold medalist Dorothy Hamill is undergoing treatment for breast cancer in Baltimore. The prognosis for the 51-year-old figure skater is favorable . . . Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, Breeders' Cup Classic winner Curlin, and Derby runner-up Hard Spun are Eclipse Award finalists for 3-year-old male of the year honors . . . LA Clippers forward Paul Davis had season-ending surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn lateral meniscus in his right knee . . . Knicks forward Zach Randolph was suspended one game without pay by the NBA for throwing his headband at referee Tony Brothers during New York's loss to Sacramento Wednesday . . . Bernard Hopkins said he expects to fight British world super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in Las Vegas in April.