Sports in Brief: U.S. beats Germany in junior hockey

Jack Campbell made 14 saves and Andy Iles didn't face a shot in nine minutes as the two U.S. goalies combined to shut out Germany, 4-0, on Thursday night in preliminary-round play of the World Junior Hockey Championships in Buffalo.

Jon Merrill had a goal and an assist for the Americans (3-0). Charlie Coyle and Chris Kreider added power-play goals, and Jerry D'Amigo scored at even strength.

Germany is 0-4.

Speedskaters Shani Davis and Jilleanne Rookard dominated the first day of all-around competition in the U.S. national championships in Kearns, Utah.

Davis won the 500 meters in 35.30 seconds and the 5,000 in 6 minutes, 25.03 seconds. Rookard won the 500 in a personal-best 39.60 and the 3,000 in 4:16.86.

TENNIS: Nicolas Kiefer retired from tennis after a career in which the German reached a No. 4 ranking and the semifinals of the 2006 Australian Open.

The 33-year-old Kiefer said on his website he wants to spend more time with his infant daughter.

Chanda Rubin's house in Lafayette, La., burned during a thunderstorm, and lightning was a likely cause, fire officials said.

The 1990s tennis star was the only person in the house and got out safely after alarms alerted her to the fire shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic defeated Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, to set up a semifinal with top-ranked Rafael Nadal of Spain in the World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Robin Soderling of Sweden stopped Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1, and will face No. 2 Roger Federer of Switzerland. Nadal and Federer had byes.

SOCCER: Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona said Lionel Messi is the best player to wear the No. 10 for the national team, an obvious dig at Diego Maradona.

Last week Maradona said he was taking Grondona to court, accusing him of spreading false information about his problems with drugs and alcohol. Maradona said he has been clean for six years.

NOTEWORTHY: Olympic champion marathoner Sammy Wanjiru, 23, of Kenya was charged in Nairobi with wounding his security guard with a rifle and threatening to kill his wife and maid. He denied all charges and was released on bail.

Composite bats no longer will be used in the Little League World Series.

Little League officials announced a moratorium on the equipment based on research it commissioned from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell.

Composite bats have metal shells enclosing woven fibers inside the barrels. Critics say the bats endanger youngsters because balls fly off them at high speeds. Supporters say they are easier to handle.

- Associated Press