IN BRIEF

TENNIS

United States tumbles to Croatia in Davis Cup

The United States was eliminated by Croatia in the Davis Cup quarterfinals Sunday in Porec, Croatia, when Marin Cilic beat James Blake to clinch the victory.

Cilic won 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 on indoor clay to give Croatia its first semifinal berth since winning the competition in 2005. Croatia won 3-2 after American doubles specialist Bob Bryan beat Roko Karanusic 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the final match.

"I think I played a perfect match against Blake," the 20-year-old Cilic said. "This is one of the most important victories in my career."

The Americans, the 32-time champions, have lost all three meetings against Croatia in the Davis Cup, including defeats in 2003 and 2005. The U.S. won the competition two years ago and was bidding to reach the semifinals for the fourth straight year.

The U.S. was without Andy Roddick, who withdrew because of a hip injury after losing a five-set final to Roger Federer at Wimbledon.

The Croats will take on the Czech Republic at home in September. The Czechs beat Argentina, 3-2.

In other quarterfinal play, Spain advanced 3-2 at home against Germany and will meet Israel in the semifinals. Israel clinched its series against Russia on Saturday and completed a 4-1 victory Sunday.

Also: Rajeev Ram beat third-seeded Sam Querrey, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-3, in the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I., for his first ATP title.

The 25-year old Ram, a lucky loser after top-seeded Mardy Fish withdrew to replace Andy Roddick on the United States Davis Cup team, won the first all-American final on Newport's grass courts in seven years. It was his first ATP final.

MISCELLANEOUS

Heat offer star Wade contract extension

When Dwyane Wade checked his cell phone shortly after midnight Sunday, he got perhaps the most predictable text message of his life.

After all, it hardly classifies as stunning news that the Miami Heat want to keep him.

Wade said Heat president Pat Riley texted those sentiments very early Sunday, in what amounts to a largely ceremonial move. The Heat had to wait until 12:01 a.m. July 12 to formally offer an extension to the reigning NBA scoring champion, and Wade said Riley didn't wait too long before pressing the send button.

"It's no rush," said Wade, who is under contract through next season. "We all know that."

Wade will meet with Riley and Heat owner Micky Arison later this summer, and those talks will surely revolve around a three-year extension that will last through the 2013-14 season.

Also: The United States broke an 18-year gold medal drought by beating Greece 88-80 in Auckland, New Zealand, to win the FIBA under-19 world basketball championships.

Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor had 18 points and five steals to lead the U.S. to its first victory at the world junior tournament since it claimed the gold medal in Canada in 1991.

Track gold medalist Rashid Ramzi's backup sample tested positive for a banned blood-booster, the head of Bahrain's Olympic Committee told The Associated Press.

The 1,500-meter champ and four other athletes tested positive for the blood-boosting drug CERA in April retests of their "A" samples from the Beijing Games.

"I can confirm we have received (Ramzi's) 'B' sample, and it was positive," said Sheik Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the secretary general of Bahrain's Olympic Committee.

Ramzi claims he is innocent. Ahmed said his organization has hired a team of lawyers to assist Ramzi in arguing his case.