Serena Williams withdrew from the U.S. Open on Friday, saying she still is recovering from surgery to repair cuts on her right foot.

The top-ranked Williams has won three titles at Flushing Meadows, part of her 13 Grand Slam singles championships, the most among active women. Last year, she lost in the U.S. Open semifinals after a tirade at a line judge over a foot-fault call, an outburst that drew a record fine.

“It is with much frustration and deep sadness that I am having to pull out of the U.S. Open,” Williams said in a statement released by her publicist.

She is the first No. 1 woman to miss the U.S. Open since the rankings began in 1975, according to the U.S. Tennis Association.

Williams said doctors advised her not to play so her foot can heal, and she called missing the tournament “one of the most devastating moments of my career.”

Tennis

Baghdatis upsets top-ranked Nadal

Mason, Ohio — An erratic Rafael Nadal was upset by unseeded Marcos Baghdatis, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Masters on Friday night.

The top-ranked and top-seeded Nadal committed 30 unforced errors in the first two sets and double-faulted on break point in the ninth game of the third set.

Clijsters upended at Rogers Cup

Montreal — Vera Zvonareva upset an ailing Kim Clijsters, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, to reach the semifinals of the Rogers Cup on Friday.

Clijsters took a six-minute medical break to have her left leg examined. She returned with her leg wrapped and completed the third set, but clearly lacked her usual mobility.

College football

Conferences plan path to BCS

Colorado Springs, Colo. — The commissioners of the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA have spoken about staging a postseason game between their champions in hopes of securing an automatic berth to the Bowl Championship Series.

C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky issued a statement Friday confirming he had met the previous day in Colorado Springs with MWC chief Craig Thompson to discuss “scheduling, television and postseason football.”

Oklahoma kicker to miss season

Norman, Okla. — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said kickoff specialist Matt Moreland won’t be with the team this season due to academic issues.

College basketball

Ex-Spartan heading to Iowa State

Ames, Iowa — Former Michigan State guard Chris Allen says he plans to enroll at Iowa State this fall and begin playing basketball for the Cyclones starting in the 2011-12 season.

Former ‘Bama guard hospitalized

Former Alabama standout point guard Mikhail Torrance collapsed after a workout in Bradenton, Fla., on Friday and is hospitalized in critical condition, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press.

Torrance said earlier this summer that he was diagnosed in 2009 with an enlarged heart, which is why he believes he went unchosen in this year’s NBA Draft.

NBA

G West suspended 10 games

New York — Free agent guard Delonte West was suspended without pay for 10 games Friday after pleading guilty last month to weapons charges.

Maryland authorities said he was carrying two loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun and an 81/2-inch Bowie knife while speeding on a three-wheel motorcycle on the Capital Beltway last September.

Ex-NBA star pleads guilty

New York — Former NBA star Jayson Williams pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated in the Jan. 5 wreck and was immediately sentenced to one year in prison.

The former New Jersey Nets player will serve it after finishing a five-year prison term in New Jersey for accidentally shooting his limo driver.

Baseball

Clemens speaks on indictment

Boston — In his first public comments in the media since being indicted on federal charges that he lied to Congress in 2008 about being injected with human growth hormone and steroids, former Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens told radio station WEEI in Boston that he is looking forward to having his say in court.

“I’m not going to get into details,” Clemens said. “All I’m going to say is that I learned a lot through what happened, and what did not happen. We’re going to deal with it. I don’t know what else to say. We’re going to deal with it and have our day.”

Golf

Weibring leads Tradition by 2

Sunriver, Ore. — D.A. Weibring has only two top-10 finishes the past two years on the Champions Tour. The second-round leader of the Jeld-Wen Tradition thinks he’ll remember how to handle the pressure of being in a final pairing.

Weibring shot his second straight 5-under par 67 on Friday at Crosswater Club to take a two-stroke lead over Tom Lehman.

The Tradition is the fourth of five majors on the Champions Tour.

Snedeker, Atwal share lead

Greensboro, N.C. — Brandt Snedeker shot a 65 Friday and shared the lead with Arjun Atwal at 12-under 128 after two rounds of the Wyndham Championship.

Auto racing

Danica not giving up on NASCAR

Bristol, Tenn. — JR Motorsports expects to field a Nationwide Series car next season for Danica Patrick, owner Kelley Earnhardt said Friday. Patrick has a career-best finish of 24th at Chicago last month through her six races so far. Her average finish is 30.5.

Jimmie Johnson wins pole

Bristol, Tenn. — Jimmie Johnson turned a lap at 123.475 mph in Friday’s qualifying to put his Chevrolet on the front row for tonight’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

Baseball

MLB suspends C Paulino 50 games

Miami — Florida Marlins catcher Ronny Paulino was suspended 50 games Friday after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance under Major League Baseball’s drug policy.

In a statement released by the team, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Paulino said he took a diet pill. The Marlins have had four players suspended under the minor-league policy this season as well.

NFL

Cable co-op strikes deal with NFLN

New York — NFL Network has agreed to a deal with the National Cable Television Cooperative to add the channel to more cable systems. NCTC members will have the option to add NFL Network under the deal. NCTC represents 17 of the top 20 cable operators in the country. Time Warner, which has feuded with NFL Network, is not a member.

Vikings’ Harvin back with team

Eden Prairie, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin is back with the team after an overnight hospital stay following a scary migraine attack, though his return to the field remains unclear.

Harvin was taken away from Winter Park by ambulance Thursday after getting sick and collapsing on the field.