TENNIS

Top-ranked Federer suffers early upset in his first clay-court match of the season

In his first singles match of the clay-court season, top-ranked Roger Federer lost to 40th-ranked Ernests Gulbis 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 Tuesday in his Rome Masters tennis tournament opener at Rome.

Federer will play two more tournaments — in Estoril, Portugal, and Madrid, Spain — before the start of the French Open on May 23.

“I hope I can come back from this. That’s usually what I do after a loss like this,” Federer said.

Second-seeded Novak Djokovic defeated Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 6-1, and fourth-seeded Andy Murray beat Andreas Seppi, 6-2, 6-4.

PORSCHE GRAND PRIX: Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova cruised past Katarina Srebotnik 6-1, 6-2 in the opening round at Stuttgart, Germany.

GRAND PRIX SAR: Defending champion Anabel Medina Garrigues and top-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro advanced to the second round at Fez, Morocco.

Also advancing were third-seeded Medina Garrigues and second-seeded Patty Schnyder.

AUTO RACING

ACCIDENTAL DEATH IN STETSON: A racing enthusiast died when the race car he was working on rolled on top of him.

Deputy Roy Peary of the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department said the body of 49-year-old Gary Bellefleur Jr. was discovered by his wife in Stetson.

Bellefleur raced at most tracks across the state, competed at the pro stock level and took part in the Pro All-Stars Series, the Bangor Daily News reported. He also served as track announcer at Unity Raceway.

IRL: The IndyCar Series will reward points winners on its two racing disciplines — oval courses and street and road courses — with their own titles this season in addition to crowning an overall points champion.

The chase for the road/street course title will end Aug. 22 at Infineon Raceway in California. The oval course chase will end Sept. 19 in Motegi, Japan.

LUGE

U.S. TEAM: Mark Grimmette, a five-time Olympian, is the new sports program director for USA Luge, overseeing all aspects of the national team and building for the 2014 Sochi Games.

Grimmette will assume many of the duties held by Wolfgang Schadler, who spent 24 years with USA Luge.

SOCCER

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Bayern Munich advanced to the league final for the first time in nine years, routing Lyon 3-0 at Lyon, France, on three goals by Ivica Olic.

Bayern won the home-and-home total goals series on 4-0 aggregate and will seek its fifth European title when it plays defending champion Barcelona or Inter Milan in the final on May 22 at Madrid.