Hingis Is Beaten in Semifinals

Martina Hingis’ perfect record in her comeback tournament ended today with a 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 loss to fourth-seeded Flavia Pennetta in the semifinals of the Australian women’s hardcourt championships at Gold Coast.

Hingis, who returned from a three-year retirement caused by numerous injuries, had won three straight matches. Afterward, she announced she would pull out of her scheduled semifinal doubles match with partner Tatiana Golovin because of a hip injury.

In the other singles semifinal, Lucie Safarova defeated third-seeded Dinara Safina, 6-4, 6-2.

Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt was knocked out of the Adelaide International in Australia Thursday after a 6-3, 0-6, 7-5 second-round loss to Philipp Kohlschreiber.... Top-ranked Roger Federer advanced to the semifinals of the Qatar Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Marcos Baghdatis at Doha. Federer will meet Tommy Haas, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Mikhail Youzhny.... Top-seeded Ivan Ljubicic needed three sets to beat Jiri Vanek, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, and reach the quarterfinals of the Chennai Open at Madras, India.... Kim Clijsters edged Zheng Jie and Venus Williams overcame an injury to beat Sania Mirza in the Champions Challenge tournament at Hong Kong. Clijsters rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win. Williams, who hurt her back in her first match in four months, won 6-3, 6-3.

Andre Agassi requested a wild card to play in the Delray Beach (Fla.) International Tennis Championships for the first time. The tournament will be Jan. 30-Feb. 5. It would be the first event of the year for Agassi, who pulled out of the Australian Open because of a lingering ankle injury.

OLYMPICS

U.S. Skeleton Coach

to Have Day in Court

U.S. Skeleton Coach Tim Nardiello will get his day in court Monday, when the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation has been ordered to show that it had good reason to suspend him while sexual harassment allegations are investigated.

In an order issued by the New York Supreme Court, Judge James P. Dawson called for the hearing and ordered that U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton President Jim Shea Sr., show cause to keep the court from granting a preliminary injunction that would reinstate Nardiello as coach.

Last Saturday, Nardiello was put on paid administrative leave and earlier this week, the federation decided Nardiello would not be allowed to travel with the team for next weekend’s races in Germany.

Bode Miller knows he puts his life at risk when he skis drunk, but the outspoken Olympic favorite admits he may try the dangerous activity again.

“Talk about a hard challenge right there.... If you ever tried to ski when you’re wasted, it’s not easy,” Miller told “60 Minutes” for a segment that will air Sunday. “Try and ski a slalom when ... you hit a gate less than every one second, so it’s risky. You’re putting your life at risk.... It’s like driving drunk, only there are no rules about it in ski racing.”

Marlies Schild of Austria won a World Cup slalom event and Olympic champion Janica Kostelic fought through pain to finish third in her home event at Zagreb, Croatia.

Schild won her second straight slalom and picked up the sixth win of her career in 1 minute 53.63 seconds amid steady snowfall.

Fellow Austrian Kathrin Zettel was second in 1:54.07, and Kostelic was third in 1:55.08.

GOLF

Browne Takes Lead at

Kapalua Tournament

Olin Browne was the only player to break 70 in blustery conditions at Kapalua, Hawaii, and finished with a four-under-par 69 to take a one-shot lead over Vijay Singh as the PGA Tour season began without some of its biggest stars at the Mercedes Championships.

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen decided to take the week off, leaving a 28-man field to tackle a Plantation course that played long and soft, and deceptive because of its new greens.

Two-time defending champion Stuart Appleby hit his tee shot into the weeds on the 17th and took bogey to settle for a 71, leaving him in a group that included David Toms, Carl Pettersson and Sergio Garcia.

BASEBALL

Phillies Sign Franklin

to Help Bolster Rotation

The Phillies made a move to bolster their starting rotation, agreeing to a $2.6-million, one-year contract with right-hander Ryan Franklin.

Franklin, suspended 10 days after testing positive for a steroids, went 8-15 with a 5.10 earned-run average in 190 2/3 innings with Seattle last season.

Infielder Miguel Cairo, who spent last season with the New York Mets, returned to the New York Yankees after finalizing a $1-million, one-year contract.... Utility infielder Jamey Carroll agreed to a one-year, $700,000 contract to return to the Washington Nationals.... Right-hander Brandon Duckworth, who spent time last season in the Houston Astro rotation, agreed to a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bob Watson, general manager of the U.S. team for the World Baseball Classic, says he expects to find out by next week whether Alex Rodriguez will play for the Americans.

SOCCER

American Hahnemann

Re-Signs in England

American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann has signed a one-year contract extension with Reading of the English first division that will keep him with the Royals until the end of the 2006-07 season when the team likely will play in the Premier League.

Oscar Rojas scored in the 80th minute to lead Veracruz past Pachuca, 3-2, at La Joya, Texas, in an InterLiga tournament game. In the second game of the doubleheader, Morelia and Monterrey tied, 2-2. The tournament will determine the two automatic berths for Mexican clubs in the Copa Libertadores.

MISCELLANY

Canada Routs Russia

in Junior Hockey Final

Michael Blunden scored two power-play goals and Justin Pogge stopped 35 shots to lead Canada to a 5-0 victory over Russia in the gold-medal game of the World Junior Hockey Championships at Vancouver, Canada.

In the bronze-medal game, Lauri Tukonen scored the tiebreaking goal at 13:20 of the third period, and Finland beat the United States, 4-2.

Louisiana State defensive end Claude Wroten Jr. was arrested on a drug charge after police stopped him for speeding and found marijuana in his car, authorities said.

NASCAR has narrowed the sites for its first official Hall of Fame to Atlanta, Charlotte or Daytona Beach, Fla., and expects to pick a winning city by the end of March.

Betsy King was selected as U.S. captain for the Solheim Cup next year in Sweden, where she will try to lead the Americans to only their second win overseas.

Michael Coe of Lompoc Cabrillo High, who won Southern Section Division III and state titles, finished fourth at the Footlocker West Regional and runner-up at the national championships, has been selected The Times’ boys’ cross-country runner of the year.

Shav Glick, The Times’ retiring motorsports writer, was honored by the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series for his contribution to the sport’s growth.

Supercross spokesman Denny Hartwig and seven-time champion Jeremy McGrath presented Glick with a framed autographed jersey Thursday.

The first of three Supercross races this year at Angel Stadium will be held Saturday. Glick covered the first Supercross event, at the Coliseum, on July 8, 1972.