IN BRIEF

TENNIS
Nadal tumbles to Cilicin China Open semis
Rafael Nadal lost in the semifinals of the China Open on Saturday in Beijing, falling 6-1, 6-3 to Marin Cilic.
The eighth-seeded Croat cruised past the Spaniard, setting up a final against Novak Djokovic, who beat Robin Soderling, 6-3, 6-3.
In women’s play, Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Russian compatriot Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-3 to move into the final against 12th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who downed Marion Bartoli, 6-4, 6-3.
Also: Second-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga coasted into the final of the Japan Open with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Gael Monfils in Tokyo.
Tsonga will face Mikhail Youzhny in the final. Youzhny had 10 aces on his way to beating Lleyton Hewitt, 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.
Las Vegan Andre Agassi reached the final of his first event on the 30-and-older Outback Champions Series, beating Wayne Ferreira 6-3, 6-3 in the Cancer Treatment Centers of America tournament in Surprise, Ariz. Agassi will play Todd Martin in the final.

COLLEGES
Memphis files appealto NCAA over sanctions
The University of Memphis has filed its appeal to the NCAA, criticizing the reasoning behind sanctions that stripped the men’s basketball team of its 38 wins in the 2007-08 season, according to The Commercial Appeal.
The Memphis newspaper reports the 45-page brief argues that the penalties and its reasoning are unprecedented and improper.
The schoo l particularly targets the so-called “strict liability” standard imposed after the NCAA ruled Derrick Rose was retroactively ineligible because of an SAT score that was invalidated by the Educational Testing Service in May 2008.
Under “strict liability,” the NCAA punished Memphis even though it wasn’t accused of being involved in the academic fraud.
Also: The UNLV volleyball team beat Seattle 23-25, 25-15, 25-13, 27-25 at Cox Pavilion.
Cursty Jackson and Erin Greenwood had 23 kills apiece for the Rebels (4-10).
The UNLV women’s soccer team lost to Brigham Young 1-0 at Johann Memorial Field. The Rebels fell to 4-6-4 overall, 0-2 in the Mountain West Conference.

MISCELLANEOUS
Warriors guard Jacksonhit with suspension
Golden State Warriors swingman Stephen Jackson was suspended for two exhibition games for conduct detrimental to the team.
The team said the suspension was for Jackson’s behavior Friday night against the Lakers. He picked up five fouls plus a technical foul in less than 10 minutes of action. He went to the locker room from the bench and never returned.
Also: Sacramento Kings swingman Francisco Garcia will miss at least four months after undergoing surgery on his injured forearm and wrist.
Garcia, who averaged 12.7 points per game last year, has a broken bone in his right forearm and ligament damage to his wrist.
Ross McGowan took the biggest 54-hole lead on the European PGA Tour this year after a 12-under 60 gave him a seven-stroke advantage at the Madrid Masters in Madrid, Spain. The Englishman was at 24-under 192.
Craig Alexander won the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, his second straight title in the event. The 36-year-old Australian completed the 140.6-mile endurance test in 8 hours, 20 minutes, 21 seconds.
Britain’s Chrissie Wellington earned her third straight women’s title, finishing in a course record 8:54:02.
Florida beat New York 35-13 in a United Football League game in Orlando, Fla.