IN BRIEF

TENNIS

Roddick beats Djokovic to reach final at Dubai

Andy Roddick served his way past another top-five opponent, beating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (5), 6-3 Friday to advance to the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The sixth-seeded American had 14 aces against the third-ranked Djokovic.

In the other semifinal match, Feliciano Lopez beat Nikolay Davydenko, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

Also: Venus Williams will play sister Serena in the Bangalore (India) Open semifinals after both advanced with easy wins.

Venus Williams cruised past Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-3, and Serena Williams beat Anastasia Rodionova, 6-1, 6-4. Yan Zi of China upset top-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the semifinals.

The Williams sisters will play today in their first match against each other since Venus beat Serena 7-6 (5), 6-2 at the 2005 U.S. Open. The two have split their 14 career meetings.

Roger Federer's agent, Tony Godsick, said the world's No. 1 tennis player was diagnosed with mononucleosis last month after seeing doctors in Switzerland and Dubai.

Federer lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals in January, then didn't play again until this week, when he was upset by Andy Murray in the first round in Dubai.

Godsick said Federer is "over it now" and will play Monday night against Pete Sampras in an exhibition match in New York.

FOOTBALL

UNLV hires Patterson to coach defensive line

UNLV hired former Denver Broncos assistant coach Andre Patterson to coach its defensive line.

Patterson, 47, was a defensive line coach for the Broncos during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. He held similar positions with the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings.

The Rebels open spring practice Monday.

Also: Fernley football coach Mark Hodges is leaving to take a similar job in Oregon, five weeks after one of his players faked his recruitment.

Hodges said his acceptance of the head coaching job at Hermiston (Ore.) High School had nothing to do with an embarrassing hoax involving offensive lineman Kevin Hart.

With Hodges standing next to him at a Feb. 1 assembly, Hart donned a California cap to indicate his choice of schools as the crowd cheered.

Hart later claimed he had been the victim of an impostor posing as a recruiter before he apologized Feb. 6 and admitted he made up the story.

MISCELLANEOUS

Former track star Jones begins prison sentence

Former Olympic track star Marion Jones began her six-month sentence in a Texas federal prison, punishment for lying to investigators about using performance-enhancing drugs and her role in a check-fraud scam.

Jones turned herself in at Federal Medical Center Carswell, located on the Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, said Bureau of Prison spokeswoman Traci Billingsley.

Jones won three gold and two bronze medals in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Also: Patrik Elias scored 4:02 into overtime, lifting the New Jersey Devils into first place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Newark, N.J.

New Jersey jumped over idle Montreal and Pittsburgh.

Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry will be sidelined about six weeks after surgery for a lacerated tendon above his right knee.

Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O'Reilly scored to lead the United States over Italy 2-0 at the Algarve Cup women's soccer tournament in Alvor, Portugal.