Nadal gives knee a rest after epic win

One day after winning the Wimbledon title for the first time, Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, Germany, yesterday with muscle pain above his right knee. The second-ranked Spaniard, who said he won't play again until healthy, traveled to the Weissenhof tennis center to tell the promoters of his withdrawal as the clay-court event's defending champion and star attraction. Nadal has played 47 matches since mid-March, winning six titles and reaching another final. He had fought knee problems since before last year's Wimbledon tournament. The 22-year-old Nadal dethroned Roger Federer as Wimbledon champion Sunday, needing 4 hours 48 minutes to hold off the Swiss star's stirring comeback, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7 . . . Jan-Michael Gambill led the way with his 5-3, men's singles victory over Ryler de Heart and the Boston Lobsters (1-2) grabbed their first World TeamTennis victory of the season, beating the Delaware Smash, 23-19, at Ferncroft Country Club . . . In opening-round play at the Hall of Fame tournament in Newport, R.I., Vince Spadea defeated Simon Stadler, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

Dara Torres dropped the 100-meter freestyle from her Beijing schedule, choosing to make the 50 free her only individual event in her record fifth Games. The 41-year-old will be replaced in the 100 by Lacey Nymeyer, who was third at the trials. Torres had expressed concern that competing in two individual events and possibly two relays during the eight-day competition would be too hard on her body.

A California man said Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs kept him from choking to death by performing the Heimlich maneuver. Shipping company manager Ken Hunter said he was dining with his girlfriend at a restaurant in Huntington Beach last Thursday night when a piece of meat stuck in his throat. Diana Martin, a restaurant employee, said no one else seemed to know what to do. "He was so lucky Tony was there," Martin said . . . Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu pleaded guilty to drunken driving and was sentenced to a day in jail and fines totaling $1,255 . . . Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Steve Foley agreed to settle his lawsuit for $5.5 million against a police officer who shot him two years ago, ending his football career . . . Louisville's Trent Guy remained hospitalized but Cardinals coach Steve Kragthorpe said the wide receiver was in good spirits as he recovered from being shot in the back Saturday.

Forward Patrice Bergeron and goalie Manny Fernandez, who counted more than $9 million against last season's salary cap but couldn't be counted on during the Bruins' playoff push because of injuries, will be the first and only players to hit the ice today in Wilmington at the start of the Bruins' development camp. Bergeron, who missed the last 72 games last season with a concussion, and Fernandez, who missed the last 71 with a knee injury, will skate between 10 and 11 a.m. at Ristuccia Arena. Both are expected to be in Wilmington for the rest of the week but will not skate with the prospects, who will undergo medical and fitness training today. Fourth-round draft pick Jamie Arniel, charged with impaired driving June 22, is expected to attend the camp . . . Free agent forward Todd Bertuzzi signed a one-year, $1.95 million contract with the Calgary Flames. Bertuzzi had 14 goals and 26 assists last season for Anaheim . . . Three other NHL players signed contracts: center R.J. Umberger (four years, $15 million) with the Columbus Blue Jackets, forward Matt Stajan (two years, $3.5 million) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and defenseman Dennis Seidenberg (one year, $1.2 million) with the Carolina Hurricanes . . . Philadelphia Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren agreed to a three-year contract extension.

Jeff Francoeur's stay in the minor leagues barely lasted a weekend. Francoeur, hitting only .234 when he was optioned to Double A Mississippi Friday, had four hits in his third game with the team Sunday and was recalled yesterday to the Atlanta Braves. The Braves placed pitchers Jeff Bennett (right arm) and Manny Acosta (hamstring) and infielder Omar Infante (hamstring) on the disabled list. Francoeur didn't play last night against the Dodgers . . . Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez had surgery on his left knee, ending his season before he got to play a game . . . The Milwaukee Brewers placed righthander Jeff Suppan on the 15-day DL because of joint irritation in his pitching elbow . . . Home run leaders Chase Utley and Grady Sizemore, and major league RBI leader Josh Hamilton are among the players who will be in the All-Star home run derby. Lance Berkman and Dan Uggla also will be in the July 14 contest at Yankee Stadium, the commissioner's office said. Utley has a major league-leading 25 homers for Philadelphia, and Sizemore tops the AL with 22 for Cleveland. Three players will be added to the event.

Michael Beasley scored 28 points, lifting the Miami Heat past the Chicago Bulls, 94-70, in the Orlando summer league opener for both teams. Derrick Rose, the only player selected before Beasley in last month's NBA draft, finished with 10 points, 4 assists, and 5 turnovers . . . With players wearing black mesh uniforms with white stripes along the sides, Oklahoma City's latest NBA storyline got off to a simple start in Orlando, the former Seattle SuperSonics franchise taking its first steps along the road of relocation with a 95-78 loss to the Indiana Pacers . . . Former University of Connecticut women's standout Shea Ralph will return to Storrs as an assistant coach.