TENNIS

Murray, Britain pull even with Belgium in Davis Cup

Andy Murray kept Britain in contention in the Davis Cup final in Ghent, Belgium, when he beat Belgium’s Ruben Bemelmans in straight sets to leave the two nations level at 1-1 after the opening singles Friday.

Murray, ranked No. 2 in the world, won 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.

Earlier, David Goffin rallied to beat Kyle Edmund 3-6, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0, overcoming a two-set deficit for the first time in his career to put Belgium ahead.

Belgium is seeking its first Davis Cup title, while Britain has not won the team competition in 79 years.

BASEBALL

MLB: J.A. Happ has agreed to a $36 million, three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, returning to the team he pitched for from 2012-14.

Happ fills another rotation spot for the AL East champions, who could lose fellow left-handers David Price and Mark Buehrle in free agency this offseason. Perhaps the biggest prize on the market, Price is expected to command a huge deal.

SKIING

WORLD CUP: Lara Gut of Switzerland won a giant slalom at Aspen, Colorado, after first-run leader Mikaela Shiffrin crashed while well ahead and the finish line in sight.

Gut completed the course in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 2.51 seconds, edging Austria’s Eva-Maria Brem by 0.10 seconds.

Shiffrin was just about to win her first World Cup race at home when she lost an edge. Fellow American Lindsey Vonn lost her left ski in the first run and slid into the netting.

SOCCER

FIFA: Former FIFA president Joao Havelange is being treated in a Rio de Janeiro hospital for respiratory problems.

The 99-year old Brazilian handed over the FIFA presidency in 1998 to Sepp Blatter.

TRACK AND FIELD

IAAF: Marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe was cleared of doping allegations and track and field’s governing body rejected claims that it failed to act on hundreds of suspicious blood tests, saying the accusations lacked “any scientific or legal basis.”

GOLF

EUROPEAN TOUR: Charl Schwartzel shot a 5-under 67 to open a five-shot lead after the second round of the tour’s season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

South Africa’s Schwartzel, a three-time champion at the Alfred Dunhill, made six birdies and a bogey for an 11-under total of 133 at the halfway point.

– From news service reports