California’s Lynch heads to NFL draft

California running back Marshawn Lynch said Tuesday he will give up his senior season of eligibility and declare himself eligible for April’s NFL draft.

Lynch was the Pacific 10 Conference’s offensive player of the year after rushing for a conference-best 1,356 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading the Golden Bears (10-3) to a league co-championship and a victory over Texas A&M; in last week’s Holiday Bowl with 111 yards and two scores.

As a sophomore in 2005, Lynch became the fourth California tailback in four years to rush for 1,000 yards under Coach Jeff Tedford. The Oakland native rushed for 3,230 yards and 29 touchdowns in three seasons at Cal.

“The opportunity to play in the NFL is something that I have always dreamed of,” Lynch said. “Right now, it is just hitting me that my dreams are going to have the chance to come true.”

Said Tedford: “Marshawn has had an outstanding career here and has been a key part of building this team into a nationally competitive program. We are going to miss him, but support his decision. This has always been a goal and dream for him.”

Justin Forsett, who has rushed for 1,625 yards as Lynch’s backup over the last two seasons, is likely to replace Lynch.

TENNIS

Philippoussis tears

cartilage in right knee

Former U.S. Open and Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis said he will require right knee surgery after tearing cartilage during a Hopman Cup match at Perth, Australia.

Philippoussis had to retire while trailing, 4-1, in the first set against Jerome Haehnel. An MRI scan showed Philippoussis has torn the lateral meniscus cartilage in his right knee.

The injury rules out the 30-year-old Australian as a potential wild-card entry into the Australian Open beginning Jan. 15 in Melbourne.

Philippoussis, who lost the U.S. Open final in 1998 to fellow Australian Patrick Rafter and lost the 2003 Wimbledon final to Roger Federer, has had surgery on his left knee on three occasions.

The United States was eliminated from the Hopman Cup, falling to Russia, 2-1, when Nadia Petrova and Dmitry Tursunov beat Ashley Harkleroad and Mardy Fish, 6-3, 7-5.

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal beat Rainer Schuettler, 6-4, 6-2, and second-seeded David Nalbandian was upset by Kristian Pless, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, in the opening round of the ATP Tour’s Chennai Open at Madras, India.

Fifth-seeded Carlos Moya defeated Alexander Waske, 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Lleyton Hewitt, playing singles for the first time since losing in the Davis Cup last September, beat Janko Tipsarevic at the Adelaide International in Adelaide, Australia after Tipsarevic retired late because of a thigh injury.

The former top-ranked Australian was leading, 6-1, 4-2, when Tipsarevic decided he could not continue.

Martina Hingis needed only 46 minutes to complete a 6-0, 6-1 win over Nicole Pratt at the Australian Women’s Hardcourt Championship in Gold Coast, Australia.

Nikolay Davydenko and Ivan Ljubicic advanced to the second round of the Qatar Open in Doha. Davydenko beat Lee Hyun-Taik, 7-5, 6-4. Ljubicic beat Denis Gremelmayr, 6-1, 6-2.

MISCELLANY

Barbaro continues

to make progress

Barbaro’s right hind leg keeps getting stronger and should eventually be sound enough to allow the Kentucky Derby winner to live a comfortable life.

“The right hind has healed well enough that we are optimistic about that possibility,” said Dean Richardson, chief surgeon at the New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania. “However, Barbaro’s left hind foot, which had laminitis, remains a more formidable long-term challenge. The foot must grow much more for him to have a truly successful outcome.”

PASSINGS

Sisler, son of Hall

of Famer, dies at 89

George Sisler Jr., a former president of the International League and executive of three minor league baseball teams, has died. He was 89. Sisler, the son of Hall of Famer George Sisler, had Alzheimer’s disease and died Sunday at an assisted-living facility in suburban Worthington, Ohio, daughter Nancy Sisler Schools said.

Jim Karvellas, a former broadcaster for the New York Knicks and Baltimore Bullets, died from complications of prostate cancer at his home in Tampa, Fla. He was 71.

Johnny Gibson, who in 1927 set the world record for 400-meter hurdles, died in Newton, N.J. He was 101.