Off the wire

TENNIS Williams wins first

Top-ranked Serena Williams’ first competitive match of the season, on New Year’s Eve, was by no means perfect, but the 6-4, 6-4 victory over Andrea Petkovic at the Brisbane (Australia) International was a decent start against a player who has been ranked as high as No. 9. Williams made 36 unforced errors, including a big miss on a Petkovic floater in the fifth game of the second set, but hit 35 winners and fired 11 aces including one at 122 mph to bring up set point in the first. Williams is already into the quarterfinals where she’ll meet ninth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova, who overcame 43-year-old Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.Williams had a 78-4 record last season, won the French Open and U.S. Open and spent all but seven weeks atop the rankings. The other featured women’s player in Brisbane, third-seeded Maria Sharapova, received a walkover into the quarterfinals when her Australian opponent, 17-year-old qualifier Ashleigh Barty, withdrew with a left thigh injury on Tuesday evening. Sharapova and Barty were scheduled to play today. In another second-round match, fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic beat Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-1, 6-3. On the men’s side, Lleyton Hewitt beat Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 7-5, sixth-seeded Feliciano Lopez of Spain had a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan and No. 8 Jeremy Chardy beat fellow Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (4) 7-5.

In a major upset Tuesday in the WTA’s ASB Classic at Auckland, New Zealand, top-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy lost 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 to 259th-ranked Ana Konjuh of Croatia. Konjuh, who celebrated her 16th birthday last Friday, is the reigning Australian and U.S. Open girls singles champion. Fourth-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania and former champion Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium both lost to qualifiers, while second-seeded Ana Ivanovic and No. 3 Kirsten Flipkens advanced. Former No. 1-ranked Ivanovic overcame a sore shoulder and saved four set points on serve on her way to a 7-5, 7-6 (2) victory over American Alison Riske.

Flavia Pennetta and Andreas Seppi beat Samantha Stosur and Bernard Tomic 6-3, 6-4 in mixed doubles Tuesday at the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, to give Italy a 2-1 victory over Australia in Group A. Pennetta beat Stosur 6-4, 6-4 in the singles before Tomic leveled with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Seppi. It was Australia’s second loss in the tournament.

BASKETBALL Error acknowledged

The NBA has acknowledged another officiating error, and this one helped the Dallas Mavericks hang on to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves. League President of Basketball Operations Rod Thorn made the announcement Tuesday after reviewing video of the play. The NBA determined that Kevin Love of the Timberwolves was fouled on his right arm by Shawn Marion of the Mavericks while Love attempted a 21-foot shot from the corner at the end of the game Monday. Thorn said Love should have been awarded two free throws with one second left and the Mavericks leading by two points. They won 100-98. Ed Malloy was the official who watched the play and didn’t make a call as Marion hit Love’s arm and caused the ball to sail out of bounds.

The New York Knicks have signed forward Jeremy Tyler and waived guard Chris Smith, whose roster spot had caused some controversy in New York. Tyler had been playing for Erie, the Knicks’ NBA Development League affiliate, after recovering from a broken right foot. The Knicks had originally signed him in August but waived him in October following his injury. Tyler, has appeared in 63 NBA games for Golden State and Atlanta.

HOCKEY Phaneuf signs deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed captain Dion Phaneuf to a $49 million, seven-year deal to keep the three-time All-Star defenseman under contract through the end of the 2020-2021 season. Phaneuf, 28, helped Toronto earn a spot in the 2013 postseason for the first time since 2004. He decided against testing the market as a free agent in the summer, when he potentially could have made as much money - or more - with a consistently winning franchise. Phaneuf has four goals and 11 assists this season.

MOTOR SPORTS Schumacher improved

Michael Schumacher’s condition has slightly improved but remains critical after he underwent another operation overnight to further reduce pressure on his brain, doctors said Tuesday. “He is in a critical condition, but it is not the same as yesterday,” Jean-Francois Payen said at a news conference. Payen is head of the intensive care unit at Grenoble, France’s university hospital, where the Formula One champion is being treated for injuries sustained in a ski accident. “The situation is better controlled than yesterday,” Payen said. “We can’t say he’s out of danger, but we now have a bit more time.” Payen said Schumacher will remain in an induced coma as long as necessary. “He’s in resuscitation and things change really quickly in a good way and a bad way,” Payen said. “We’ve just gained a bit more time.” Schumacher, who won a record seven F1 world titles and retired from the sport for a second time in 2012, fell and hit his head on a rock while skiing off-piste with his son at the Meribel resort Sunday.

BASKETBALL Orr, former Iowa State, Michigan coach, dies

DES MOINES, Iowa - Johnny Orr, the fist-pumping basketball coach who led Michigan to the national title game and Iowa State into national prominence, has died. He was 86.

His death was confirmed Tuesday by Iowa State, where Orr led the Cyclones to a school-record 218 victories in 1980-1994.

Orr spent 29 seasons as a Division I coach. Twelve were at Michigan, where he guided the Wolverines to four NCAA Tournament berths, the national title game in 1976 and 209 victories, the most in the school history.

He also spent three seasons at Massachusetts. He finished with a career record of 466-346 and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Orr left UMass for Michigan and spent one season as an assistant before taking over as head coach in 1968.

He was twice named the Big Ten’s coach of the year. In 1976,he was honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as its national coach of the year, and the Wolverines won the league title the following season.

Orr made the jump to Iowa State before the 1980-1981 season and guided the program to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 41 years in 1985.

A year later, he led the Cyclones in the Sweet Sixteen by beating Michigan. Iowa State would go on to reach the NCAA Tournament four more times under Orr, whose up-tempo style and outgoing personality is viewed as the catalyst for the program’s fervent following.

Orr coached 18 players who went on to the NBA, including Fred Hoiberg and Jeff Hornacek.

Orr, who was born in Taylorville, Ill., is survived by his wife, Romie, and daughters Jennifer, Leslie and Rebecca. Funeral arrangements are pending.