Texas Tech and coach Mike Leach agreed yesterday on a new contract after months of contentious negotiations.

Leach signed the contract shortly after he and Kent Hance, the university's chancellor, met for about two hours yesterday afternoon on the Lubbock, Texas campus to hammer out an agreement.

"Me and my family are thrilled to death that we're going to be in Lubbock for another five years," Leach said at an evening news conference. "I appreciate Chancellor Hance and Gerald (Myers') efforts to allow us to stay here and the opportunity to be here to coach the Red Raiders for many years to come."

Weeks ago, Leach and Tech essentially settled on the financial terms of a five-year, $12.7 million deal. But Leach took issue with several clauses the school added when the sides were trading proposals. The provision that bothered Leach the most would have triggered his firing and a $1.5 million penalty if he interviewed for another job without getting permission from Myers, the athletic director. Leach's existing contract had no such restriction.

He was prepared to keep coaching under the remaining two years of a five-year, $10 million contract.

In the new contract that keeps Leach at Tech through 2013, Leach only needs to notify Myers in writing to interview at another school.

The contract also includes a $250,000 bonus if Leach and Tech win the national championship, a $75,000 bonus if Tech participates in a BCS Bowl and a $50,000 bonus if Leach is picked as national coach of the year.

If Tech terminates the contract, the school must pay Leach $400,000 for each year remaining on the agreement. And there is no buyout amount.

TENNIS

RODDICK ADVANCES

Andy Roddick breezed past Robby Ginepri, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the Regions Morgan Keegan last night in Memphis, Tenn.

Roddick, seeking his first tournament victory in 2009, needed just 61 minutes to polish off Ginepri, drilling 11 aces.

In the Cellular South Cup women's event, top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki rallied past Michaella Krajicek, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the semifinals.

WILLIAMS SISTERS TO MEET

Serena Williams will face big sister Venus in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championship after both advanced with straight-set wins yesterday at Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The top-seeded Serena beat eighth-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, 6-4, 6-4, in the quarterfinals, and Venus defeated defending champion Elena Dementieva, 6-3, 6-3.

Also, Virginie Razzano of France upset fifth-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia, 7-6 (7), 7-5, and 16th-seeded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia beat Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina, 6-3, 7-5.

SOCCER

BECKHAM DEAL CLOSE

AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said the club was closer to completing David Beckham's transfer from the Los Angeles Galaxy.

"In the past few hours we have taken steps forward," Galliani told La Gazzetta dello Sport after the team's 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup late Wednesday.

There have been conflicting reports the past few days over the state of the negotiations following the expiration of last Friday's Major League Soccer-imposed deadline.