The Williams sisters could be headed for a final matchup at the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar, after Venus Williams advanced to the semifinals along with Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki yesterday.

Venus Williams, the defending champion, lost her first two group matches but advanced on sets thanks to Svetlana Kuznetsova's 6-3, 6-2 win over Elena Dementieva. Unbeaten Serena Williams had already gained the semifinals.

Venus Williams, Kuznetsova and Dementieva all finished with one win and two losses.

Jankovic advanced by routing a tired Wozniacki, 6-2, 6-2, but the 19-year-old Dane also advanced when Victoria Azarenka had to retire against alternate Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland while trailing 4-6, 7-5, 4-1.

Serena Williams will play Wozniacki in on semifinal on Saturday, and Venus Williams will face Jankovic at the same stage for the second straight year.

Both Williams sisters had the day off after playing on the first three days. Serena secured the year-end No. 1 ranking after Dinara Safina pulled out of the tournament with a back injury.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BULLS ROLL PAST NO. 20 MOUNTAINEERS, 30-19

B.J. Daniels threw for 232 yards and three touchdowns, and host South Florida rebounded from two subpar defensive performances to frustrate No. 20 West Virginia, 30-19, last night.

The Bulls (6-2, 2-2 Big East) allowed 75 points and 887 yards in conference losses to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh the previous two weeks, yet found a way to hold Noel Devine of the Mountaineers (6-2, 2-1) to his lowest rushing total of the season.

Devine, who entered averaging 130.3 yards per game, third in the nation, was limited to 42 yards on 19 carries.

FIGURE SKATING

CHINESE PAIR RETURNS TO LEAD CUP OF CHINA

Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo looked as if they'd never been away.

China's pre-eminent pair dominated in their first competition since retiring after winning the 2007 world title, finishing almost 10 points ahead of Ukraine's Tatiana Volosozhar and Stanislav Morozov in the short program at the Cup of China yesterday in Beijing.

Mirai Nagasu, the 2008 U.S. champion, leads the women's competition while Japan's Nobunari Oda is ahead of Sergei Voronov and world champion Evan Lysacek. Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto lead the ice dance.

GOLF

PGA VIKING CLASSIC UNABLE TO TEE OFF

The PGA Tour's Viking Classic in Madison, Miss., has been postponed until at least tomorrow and officials will evaluate the course today before making a decision on when or if the Fall Series tournament will be held.

Heavy rain this week has left standing water and tracts of mud all over the course. Weather hasn't forced the cancellation of a PGA Tour event since April 1991 in Houston.

COOK LEADS SCHWAB CUP BY THREE SHOTS

John Cook shot a tournament-record 10-under 62 to take a three-stroke lead over Tom Watson and Phil Blackmar after two rounds of the Champions Tour's season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Sonoma, Calif.

Cook had 10 birdies and needed just 23 putts to match his career-best round and reach 14-under 130 at the Sonoma Golf Club.

NBA

CAVS ROUT T-WOLVES TO AVOID 0-3 START

LeBron James scored 24 points and had nine rebounds and six assists to avoid his first 0-3 start in five years as visiting Cleveland routed Minnesota, 104-87, last night.

Mo Williams added 20 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskus had 11 of his 15 points in the first half to help make up for some early lulls, and Daniel Gibson drained three 3-pointers during a 3-minute stretch of the fourth quarter.

SAILING

JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF ORACLE RACING

In a ruling on a technical matter, Justice Shirley Kornreich of the New York State Supreme Court said yesterday that the rudder of BMW Oracle Racing's 90-foot trimaran will be excluded when the boat's load waterline is measured.

The Americans had said the America's Cup defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland stipulated that the boat be measured with its rudder attached, which would make it exceed its 90-foot waterline, opening it up for disqualification.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Connecticut picked up right where it left off last season: unanimous No. 1 in the Associated Press women's basketball preseason poll released yesterday.