Third-seeded Venus Williams, a 2002 finalist at the French Open, was upset on Friday by no. 29 seed Agnes Szavay 6-0, 6-4 at Roland Garros on Friday. Sister Serena Williams is set to meet unseeded Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in the third round tomorrow, and the pair are still in the doubles field at the grand slam tournament.

On the men’s side, no. 1 seed Rafael Nadal made his way into the Round of 16 with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 win over Lleyton Hewitt and extended his clay court win streak to 30 matches. No. 2 seed Roger Federer is set to play no. 32 seed Paul-Henri Mathieu for a spot in the quarterfinals, while no. 6 seed Andy Roddick made the third round for the first time in eight years with a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (2) win over 85th-ranked Ivo Minar.

In a rematch of last year’s finals, the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins are slated to face off for the Stanley Cup. Last week, the NHL said the Cup finals wouldn’t begin until June 5, but the series was moved up six days, after the conference finals lasted only four and five games, respectively. The league hopes to draw in nontraditional viewers and generate excitement about the first Cup rematch in 25 years. Below is the series schedule.

Saturday, May 30: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 31: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, June 2: Detroit at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m.

Thursday, June 4: Detroit at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 6: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m.*

Tuesday, June 9: Detroit at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m.*

Friday, June 12: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m.*

* If necessary

Games 1 and 2 and 5-7 will be broadcast on NBC. Games 3 and 4 will be broadcast on Versus. All games will be broadcast on CBC.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw a football in front of his team and the media at Gillette Stadium yesterday afternoon. It was his first time in front of an audience since tearing his ACL and MCL during the first game of the 2008 season.

Brady, wearing a brace on his surgically-repaired knee, threw five passes in a drill for two completions. He was careful not to give definitive answers about his preparedness for next season.

“Life doesn’t always go how you plan it, and it’s a matter of dealing with it and understanding ‘what do I have to do to get on the right track?’,” Brady told the media. “Talk is cheap. I could sit here and tell you guys I’m going to play until I’m 80, but that doesn’t matter. I’m going to go do the best I can do, and I’m going to try to be the best leader and the best teammate and supporter of the guys on my team.”

Brady developed an infection in his knee a week after undergoing surgery on Oct. 6 of last year. He was treated aggressively for the “very treatable” staph infection and it won’t cause him any long-term problems.

“Part of surgery and rehab is you have setbacks, and you just deal with them,” he said.

The Patriots open their season on Sept. 14 against the Buffalo Bills.

Rachel Alexandra became the first filly to win the Preakness since 1924, finishing in 1:55.08 over Kentucky Derby darling Mine That Bird.

The only filly in the race, Rachel Alexandra went off as the 9-5 favorite with jockey Calvin Borel, who rode Mine That Bird during his Derby win. Aside from bring the first filly winner at the Preakness in 85 years, Rachel Alexandra is the only horse to win from the outside position.

Northeastern University football player Brian Mandeville received devastating news on Friday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis during routine physical examinations. The star tight end, who missed a third of his senior season with knee injuries and even survived a brain tumor while in college, was told by Combine doctors that he has a heart ailment, effectively ending his football career.

Mandewille was diagnosed with an abnormal heart valve, which is not considered life-threatening, but the problem could become dangerous under the strenuous training regimens of the NFL.

“I told him his health and well-being is what’s important” Northeastern coach Rocky Hager told the Boston Herald. “I don’t know if that means he’ll continue in a career in sports, but then everybody’s career in sports eventually comes to an end. But I think he’s so well grounded and his parents have done a great job raising him and he always has the right attitude.”

Mandeville caught 63 passes for 863 yards and seven touchdowns in 33 games, worthy of earning first-team All-New England honors. Northeastern’s I-AA football program went 2-10 last year and hasn’t had a winning season since 2003.

Dream teams, disasters (we mean you, Padres) and Manny being Manny.
Just in time for the start of spring training, it’s time to make quick judgments and hasty generalizations about how the 2009 baseball season will shape up. Today, we bring you a quick National League preview, with just enough names and numbers to impress your Phillies-fanatic coworker. This time, we’re doing things a bit differently, with individual previews for each team. Also, be sure to check out yesterday’s AL preview.

NL EAST PREDICTION

1. Phillies: A defensive powerhouse, the dark horse World Series champs are the most powerful team in their division. That doesn’t mean they can contend with the likes of the Red Sox and Yankees just yet, but for now, they’re safe atop the NL East.

2. Mets: The Mets will forever be overshadowed by their more glamorous and successful sibling across town. Still, adding Francisco Rodriguez and amping up their rotation was a smart move that will make the other New York team a contender.

3. Braves: They’ve got the stellar rotation necessary to keep opponents at bay, but can pitching alone win games? We’ll see what Atlanta is made of now that golden boy John Smoltz has shipped up to Boston.

4. Marlins: When Dan Uggla is your most recognizable player, you know you have a problem. The Marlins are starting to suffer from “Mets Syndrome” to the benefit of that other Florida team. Don’t count them out just yet, but maybe it’s a little soon to call them in, either.

5. Nationals: Almost anything would be an improvement over last year’s abysmal season. Seems nothing can go right for Washington; when you’re essentially a sob story non-contender in your division, fans will start switching allegiances to the nearby Orioles. The only upside? Adam Dunn arriving in the capital. Montreal Expos, we miss you.

NL CENTRAL PREDICTION

1. Cubs: These NL darlings will fare better than their cross-town rivals this season, with names like Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden drawing big expectations. If the past has been any indication, winning the division won’t be a problem for Chicago “" but the postseason will be.

2. Cardinals: A team that definitely benefits from their division. Anywhere else the Cardinals would struggles, but the NL Central is notoriously unpredictable. Pujols is a powerhouse, put who else is worth mentioning in St. Louis?

3. Brewers: C.C. Sabathia gave this team a huge boost down the stretch last season, and his departure, coupled with that of Ben Sheets, will hurt their pitching staff, if not team morale. They won’t plummet without Sheets and Sabathia, but they won’t soar, either.

4. Reds: You can say what you want about the “new and improved” Reds with bigger names and mesmerizing offense, but this year will be just like all the others. Maybe next year will be different. Then again, it probably won’t.

5. Astros: Who plays for the Astros these days? No, really. With the names on this roster, Houston might as well be the International League Toledo Mud Hens. Enough said.

6. Pirates: A short drive west of Philadelphia, home of the defending World Series champs, lies Pittsburgh. The Pirates used to be the state’s premier baseball team, with five World Series titles and nine NL pennants. PNC Park, built in 2001, has been declared by many as the best park in baseball. But after massive executive and management changes a few years ago and no big-name players. things just aren’t how they used to be”¦

NL WEST PREDICTION

1. Dodgers: Much rides on L.A.’s ability (or inability) to nail down that money-grubbing superstar of theirs. Manny Ramirez is still holding out for a better contract, which leaves the Dodgers in a scary place. They haven’t done much in the offseason besides chase after Ramirez, but if they get him, they have a good shot at taking their division.

2. Diamondbacks: They’ve got the pitching many teams only dream of, with Dan Haren poised to prove his worth with another big year. A lot is riding on young players, which could be a good thing “" or prove disastrous for Arizona. But with three mediocre teams in their division, they should be able to scrape a second-place finish even without stellar production from their farm-fresh lineup.

3. Giants: Randy Johnson? Really? They may be relying on solid veteran pitchers, but this team couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. Tough getting to first if you can’t put guys on base. Tough luck, San Francisco.

4. Rockies: Colorado lost their 2007 passion last year, and losing Matt Holliday definitely won’t help. The Rockies are young, inconsistent and in the middle of nowhere. Maybe they can blame the altitude.

5. Padres: A sad team. We’re talking bottom-of-the-barrel, insignificant, not even worth mentioning sad. Just because you can drop a few names from their roster doesn’t mean they have any relevance in the NL West. At least their fans can jump on the A’s, Dodgers or Angels bandwagon.

Is this season locked up, or is it too early to tell?
Just in time for the start of spring training, it’s time to make quick judgments and hasty generalizations about how the 2009 baseball season will shape up. We start with an American League preview, giving you just enough baseball fodder to sound smart around the water cooler. Of course, the beauty of a subjective preview is that it gives way to disagreement, so voice your own opinion by commenting below.

A National League preview is on its way tomorrow.

AL EAST
The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry will live up to the hype this year after big offseason signings by both teams and a disastrous scandal for New York. The Yankees add slugger Mark Teixeira and amp up their rotation with A.J. Burnett and C.C. Sabathia, causing many to beg for a salary cap. But if the Yankees aren’t careful, A-Rod’s steroid admissions could become a bigger story than their big-name roster. The Red Sox add pitchers Takashi Saito, Brad Penny and John Smoltz and seem to be drama-free entering the season; bringing back a healthy David Ortiz and Mike Lowell doesn’t hurt, either. The third-wheel Tampa Bay Rays lost Rocco Baldelli to Boston but also have added Pat Burrell and Matt Joyce, both useful acquisitions. Still, their young superstars need to have another stellar season to pull off the sophomore Cinderella story. Oh, by the way, there’s two other teams in this division. The Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles are playing t-ball compared to the AL East love triangle.

Prediction:
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Blue Jays
5. Orioles

AL CENTRAL
The mediocre AL Central consists of five teams that made little improvement during the offseason. The White Sox are getting old and everyone is tired of manager Ozzie Guillen’s antics, resulting in low expectations for a team whose daily clubhouse fodder typically resembles an episode of Desperate Housewives. The Kansas City Royals put up a good fight last year, but they lack stability and it’s still too soon to put them above the .500 mark. The unpredictable Detroit Tigers, a huge World Series favorite during last year’s preseason, had the opportunity for success but blew their chances during what could only be called an epic meltdown. They are the epitome of “good in theory, bad in practice” with impressive names on their roster, but don’t call it a comeback just yet. The Cleveland Indians struggled after losing Sabathia last season, but this year should fare better for the Tribe; if the individual play of Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner and Fausto Carmona are any indication of what’s to come, they’ve got a shot. But the Minnesota Twins should end up taking this one; even though they lost some big names to teams out east, they retained Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer and Francisco Liriano, all key components of their formula. Still, it’s a “best of the worst” scenario; none of these teams would have a chance in another division.

Prediction:
1. Twins
2. Indians
3. White Sox
4. Tigers
5. Royals

AL WEST
The Angels have little competition in the four-team division, even after losing Teixiera and Francisco Rodriguez during the offseason. The only team close to catching them is the Oakland A’s, who smartly added Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi, but their rotation needs a huge boost before it can catch up to the likes of high-caliber teams. Despite signing houshold name Ken Griffey Jr., the Mariners are destined to stay stuck in a last-place rut “" but at least they haven’t skipped town like Seattle’s NBA franchise. The dark horse Texas Rangers could potentially become an offensive powerhouse, but who can name a decent pitcher in their rotation OR their bullpen? Give this one to Los Angeles and call it a day.

Prediction:
1. Angels
2. A’s
3. Rangers
4. Mariners

A media circus surrounded Patriots quarterback Tom Brady yesterday as he visited the West End House Boys & Girls Club to donate 1,000 laptops through the One Laptop Per Child program. More interesting, however, had to be Brady’s comments on his rehabilitation and expected return to football next season.

“I’m going through as if this was our offseason conditioning program. I’m lifting and running and focusing on strength and working on the game film and those types of things” Brady told the media.

Brady said he’s “doing everything” in his workouts and that “you wouldn’t know that I had surgery if you watched me.”

Brady underwent surgery on Oct. 6, and later contracted an infection. He said he is no longer being treated for anything related to the infection.

“Now it’s about trying to move on with the normal getting ready for the season,” Brady said. He believes he will be ready for the season opener the week of Sept. 10-14.

“There is no reason why I shouldn’t (be),” he said. “It’s just a matter of getting to that time. I wish it was right around the corner. I wish it was here now.”

Truck Day is finally here. The 18-wheeler that transports Red Sox’ spring training equipment from Boston to Fort Myers, Fla. will depart from Gate D at Fenway Park at 1 p.m. today to begin a 1,467-mile trek to the team’s spring training facility.

Along with all of the training gear, a box of e-mails containing well-wishes from fans will also make its way to Fort Myers, hopefully bringing the Red Sox good luck for the 2009 season.

Key spring training dates:

Feb. 12 “" Reporting day for Red Sox pitchers and catchers
Feb. 14 “" First workout for Red Sox pitchers and catchers
Feb. 16 “" Reporting day for Red Sox positional players
Feb. 18 “" First Red Sox full-squad workout
Feb. 25 “" Red Sox spring training games begin

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was suspended from competition for three months by USA Swimming, the latest backlash after a photo surfaced that showed him taking a hit off a bong. USA swimming also cut off its financial support to the swimmer.

“This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero,” the Colorado-based federation said in a statement. “Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust.”

It has also been announced that Kellogg Co. won’t renew its sponsorship contract with Phelps, 23. The company, who featured the swimmer on Wheaties boxes following the Beijing Olympics, said his behavior is “not consistent with the image of Kellogg.”

Phelps hasn’t disputed the authenticity of the photo, taken at a Columbia, S.C. party in November.

When will Manny Ramirez learn we’re in a recession? The former Red Sox outfielder, who spent the second half of last season with the Dodgers, has rejected a one-year offer with the team worth $25 million.

According to the L.A. Times, Manny’s agent Scott Boras said he informed Ramirez of the offer and Ramirez immediately turned it down.

“We still have interest in signing Manny. Right now we don’t have a deadline. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to have a deadline,” Dodgers GM Ned Colletti told ESPN.com.

A two-year, $45 million deal was offered in November, but the deadline set forth by the Dodgers expired before a response from Boras or Ramirez. The 36-year-old is reportedly looking for a longer contract, but no other team has stepped forward to make even a meager offer. With only two weeks left until spring training, will anyone be willing to spend the big bucks Ramirez is looking for?

Next Monday, Boston University and Northeastern will face off in the Beanpot hockey finals.

No, that isn’t a mistake. Northeastern.

The Huskies haven’t won the Beanpot since 1988, but don’t be fooled; this is a much different NU team. Last night the Huskies pulled off a 6-1 beating of Boston College, the defending national champions, when even powerhouse BU struggled against a pathetic Harvard team.

The Beanpot has been held each year since 1952 and features four Boston area college hockey teams: BC, BU, Harvard and Northeastern. The women’s hockey teams from each of the schools compete in their own Beanpot. Their qualifying rounds will take place tonight.

BU (20-5-1) is now ranked first in the nation, with Northeastern ranked third after compiling an 18-6-2 record. Seeing how they didn’t even get 18 wins through all of last season, their record is a vast improvement over their 16-18-3 finish last year. A Beanpot win would be the icing on the cake for a team that has something to prove.

The Beanpot hockey final will be held at T.D. Banknorth Garden on Feb. 9. The consolation game between BC and Harvard will be held at 5 p.m. with the final at 8 p.m.