Mired in his worst slump in more than three years, Roger Federer is splitting from coach Tony Roche. The top-ranked Federer announced the change on his Web site Saturday, saying he and Roche mutually decided to end their arrangement. The move leaves Federer without a coach two weeks before the May 27 start of the French Open, the only Grand Slam tournament he hasn’t won.

Defending champion Martina Hingis has withdrawn from next week’s Italian Open due to hip and back injuries. Hingis complained of pain after losing 6-4, 6-0 to Patty Schnyder in the third round of the German Open on Thursday. She had missed the previous six weeks with a variety of ailments. Second-ranked Maria Sharapova has already withdrawn with a right shoulder injury and top-ranked Justine Henin…

Rafael Nadal went to a hospital for a checkup following a dizzy spell Thursday, although he was not planning to withdraw from the Rome Masters. Nadal will attempt to extend his 73-match clay-court winning streak later Thursday against Mikhail Youzhny. “Everything is OK. It was just a routine checkup. He’s playing tonight,” Nadal’s spokesman Benito Barbadillo said.

Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Italian Open due to a right shoulder injury. The second-ranked Russian hasn’t played since losing to Serena Williams in the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami in March. She also pulled out of Rome last year with a foot problem. Organizers made the announcement Wednesday, five days before the tournament is scheduled to start.

Top-seeded Marion Bartoli defeated wild card Kristyna Pliskova 6-1, 6-2 Tuesday to advance to the second round of the Prague Open. Bartoli, ranked No. 24, recovered from an abdominal injury that forced her to retire in the quarterfinals of the Estoril Open last week. She will face Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine, who defeated Alberta Brianti 7-5, 6-3.

The U.S. Open and CBS have agreed to a new six-year deal worth about $145 million for broadcasting the Grand Slam tennis tournament. They tore up the last three years of an agreement that was to run through 2008; the new deal was agreed to last year and runs through 2011, the USTA said Monday. It also gives CBS the rights to events in the U.S.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia won his third ATP title of 2007 on Sunday, beating Richard Gasquet of France 7-6 (7), 0-6, 6-1 in the Estoril Open final. Greta Arn of Germany captured the women’s title, rallying past Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3). Djokovic, seeded third and ranked No. 5, also won at Adelaide, Australia, and Key Biscayne, Fla., this year.

Philipp Kohlschreiber won his first title by beating doubles partner Mikhail Youzhny 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the BMW Open on Sunday. The 23-year-old German needed four match points to close out the match, and denied the third-seeded Russian his fourth title. He became the first German winner of the clay-court event since Michael Stich in 1994.

Kim Clijsters ended her tennis career Sunday, cutting short plans to retire at the end of the season because of chronic injuries. The 23-year-old Belgian, once ranked No. 1 and winner of the 2005 U.S. Open, said on her Web site it was time to stop immediately after playing for 10 years and start a “new life.” She won the 2002 and 2003 WTA Championships as part of her career 34 singles titles.

Pete Sampras advanced to the final in his first competitive tournament start in nearly five years, beating John McEnroe 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday night in the Champions Cup. “I hit the ball better today than I did in my prime because of the bigger racket,” Sampras said. “I think I can still play at a pretty high level.

A South Carolina teaching pro has sued organizers of the recently concluded half-grass, half-clay tennis match between stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Renata Marcinkowska, a former WTA tour player who now lives in Rock Hill, took action against management and marketing giant, IMG, and two advertising firms involved in Wednesday’s exhibition in Palma De Mallorca, Spain.

Pete Sampras took some time away from changing his kids’ diapers this winter to make a playdate of his own. The soon-to-be Hall of Famer, who retired from competitive tennis in 2002, hung out with Roger Federer when the current world No. 1 was in California to play at Indian Wells. On the first day, they had a friendly workout hitting balls back and forth for about three hours.

In the end, Roger Federer’s favorite surface cost him Wednesday. Two-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal beat Federer 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10) in an exhibition match on a half-grass, half-clay court when Federer couldn’t reach Nadal’s forehand as it took an awkward bounce across the green side of the court.

Australian Open champion Serena Williams on Wednesday pulled out of next week’s German Open due to a groin injury. She has played just four tournaments this year. The former top-ranked American withdrew on April 11 from the Charleston event with a strained groin, and then pulled out April 22 from the Fed Cup match against Belgium with a right knee injury.