Agassi Gets Good Start on Year

Andre Agassi won his opening match of the year, 6-4, 6-4, over Ricardo Mello on Monday at the International Tennis Championships at Delray Beach, Fla.

Agassi had played only one match since reaching the U.S. Open final in September. He sprained his left ankle playing racquetball Oct. 12 and aggravated the injury in November during the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, where he was upset by Nikolay Davydenko in the first round.

The top-seeded Agassi started Monday’s match in impressive form, opening his first service game with three aces and an overhead smash. He finished with 10 aces and never faced a break point in 10 service games.

“I didn’t know what I got into there,� said Agassi, of smacking three aces in a row in the second game of the match. “I guess I was excited to get out there.�

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Marin Cilic won his debut match on the ATP tour, defeating seventh-seeded Igor Andreev, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, in the opening round of the Zagreb Indoors at Zagreb, Croatia.

Sixth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen rallied to beat Potito Starace, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. Tim Henman defeated Arnaud Clement, 6-3, 6-3.

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Defending champion Gaston Gaudio beat Felipe Parada, 6-1, 6-4, in the opening round of the Movistar Open at Vina del Mar, Chile. Fourth-seeded Agustin Calleri lost to Daniel Gimeno-Traver, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

PRO FOOTBALL

McCarthy Not Worried About Favre Yet

If Brett Favre had to decide on his future today, he says he’d probably retire. But his interview, aired Sunday on ESPN, didn’t set off any alarm bells for new Green Bay Packer Coach Mike McCarthy.

“Well, he doesn’t have to make a decision today,� McCarthy said Monday.

McCarthy says Favre’s comments, the quarterback’s first since the end of his only losing season with the Packers, are a natural reaction for a veteran coming off a frustrating year.

Favre told ESPN he hadn’t reached a decision on retirement but added, “If I had to pick right now and make a decision, I would say I’m not coming back.�

Favre says he still can play but isn’t sure he wants to.

“The Monday mornings now, they add up,� McCarthy said. “I went through it myself. Definitely. That’s why I think he needs to get away.

“I think he needs to go out in the woods with his chain saw and cut trees down and keep doing what he’s doing. He needs to answer that question, because if it’s not in [his heart], then it’s not going to be right for him and it’s not going to be right for everybody.�

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Cincinnati Bengal receiver Chris Henry was arrested on gun charges in a weekend street altercation in Orlando, Fla.

Henry pulled a pistol on a group of revelers early Saturday, according to a police report.

Henry was charged with felony counts of possession of a concealed firearm, improper exhibition of a firearm and aggravated assault with a firearm.

He posted $3,000 bail and was released.

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The Denver Broncos hired Mike Heimerdinger to replace Gary Kubiak on their coaching staff.

Coach Mike Shanahan hired Heimerdinger as assistant head coach and promoted offensive line coach Rick Dennison to offensive coordinator.

Heimerdinger spent last season as the offensive coordinator of the New York Jets.

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Former Buffalo defensive coordinator Jerry Gray was hired to coach defensive backs for the Washington Redskins. He replaces DeWayne Walker, who left to become defensive coordinator at UCLA. The Redskins also promoted defensive assistant Kirk Olivadotti to defensive line coach and special-teams assistant.... Linebacker Carlos Polk agreed to a one-year contract to remain with the San Diego Chargers.... The Buffalo Bills fired quarterback coach Sam Wyche.... The Dallas Cowboys hired Chris Palmer as quarterback coach.

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Three Arena Football League players were suspended for their roles in a fight during a preseason scrimmage.

Georgia’s Nate Coggins was suspended for four games without pay and fined $1,000, and teammate Prentice Purnell received one game and a $500 fine.

Utah lineman Garrett Smith also was suspended for one game and fined $500.

MISCELLANY

Chivas USA Acquires Razov From MetroStars

Chivas USA acquired forward Ante Razov, the fourth-leading goal scorer in Major League Soccer history, from the MetroStars for forward Thiago Martins.

Razov scored 84 goals in 10 seasons with the Galaxy, Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew and MetroStars. He had seven goals and six assists in 25 games last year with Columbus and the MetroStars.

Martins had three goals and one assist in 22 games last season.

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Vancouver Canuck defenseman Ed Jovanovski will sit out the Olympics because of a lower abdominal injury.

The Olympic hockey tournament starts Feb. 15 in Turin, Italy.

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Right-handed reliever Travis Harper avoided arbitration with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays by agreeing to a one-year, $850,000 contract. Harper finished 4-6 with a 6.75 earned-run average last season.

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Freshman running back J.R. Moore has been dismissed from Wyoming for an undisclosed violation of team rules, Coach Joe Glenn said. Moore rushed 21 times for 55 yards and one touchdown for the Cowboys.