Sports briefs

TENNIS

Open slates Monday final for 2013

The U.S. Open tennis tournament is moving the women's final to Sunday and men's final to Monday in 2013, building in a day of rest ahead of each title match for the first time. The U.S. Tennis Association announced the changes Friday -- but only for next year. A decision about 2014 and beyond probably will come after the 2013 tournament, USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier said. Rain forced the USTA to postpone the men's final from its scheduled Sunday slot to Monday each of the last five years. Some top male players complained that the U.S. Open was the sport's only major tournament that put their semifinals and final on consecutive days. Friday's moves end the tradition of what the U.S. Open has called "Super Saturday" since 1984, with both men's semifinals and the women's final all on the same day. -- APNHLLeague files suit, labor complaint

The NHL yesterday filed suit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan seeking a declaration that the three-month lockout is legal. The league also filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the union of "bad-faith bargaining." The NHL also filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming the players' association has bargained in bad faith. This appeared to be a response to union talks of filing a disclaimer of interest. Earlier in the day, there were multiple reports that the union's executive committee notified players of a vote to give the board the option of filing the disclaimer of interest -- as the NBA players did last November. A disclaimer of interest dissolves the union by terminating its right to represent the players, and allows players to file antitrust suits. LACROSSE

Now it's the New York Lizards

The Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse are re-branding and changing their name to the New York Lizards. The changes were made as the Lizards expand their territorial footprint into New York City, Westchester County, New Jersey and southern Connecticut. "When the new ownership group took over the Lizards in May of this year, we negotiated a deal with Major League Lacrosse to expand the Lizards' exclusive territory," Lizards CEO Jeffrey Rudnick said. The Lizards will play two home games at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island during the 2013 season. They will continue to play most of their home games in Shuart Stadium at Hofstra.

MEDIA

ESPN suspends Parker

ESPN suspended "until further notice" Rob Parker, a panelist on the debate show "First Take," in the wake of controversial comments on ESPN2 Thursday about Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III. Parker, reacting to an article in which Griffin discusses how he is viewed in racial terms, called him "a black guy kind of distancing himself away from black people." Parker, who like Griffin is black, noted Griffin's fiancee is white, and referenced "talk" that Griffin is a Republican. Parker worked for Newsday from 1995 to 1998.