Charles Barkley acknowledged he owes a $400,000 gambling debt to a Las Vegas casino and promised Thursday to repay it after a prosecutor said the retired NBA star faced criminal charges.
"My mistake," Barkley said in an interview at a pro-am golf tournament in Hoover, Ala. "I'm not broke, and I'm going to take care of it."
Barkley, a basketball analyst for Turner Network Television, was responding to comments by Clark County District Attorney David Roger, who said prosecutors would file a criminal complaint if he did not pay the debt cited by the Wynn Las Vegas resort.
"He'll have an opportunity like anybody else to make restitution to the hotel," Roger said.
The casino alleged in a civil complaint filed Wednesday in a Nevada state court that Barkley failed to repay four $100,000 casino markers, or loans, received last Oct. 18 and 19.
TENNIS
Sharapova, Williams sisters advance in Italy
Maria Sharapova rallied from a four-game deficit in the second set to defeat Caroline Wozniacki, 6-4, 7-6 (3), advancing to the Italian Open quarterfinals along with sisters Serena and Venus Williams in Rome.
Seventh-seeded Venus Williams rolled past Vera Zvonareva, 7-5, 6-2. Serena Williams beat Sara Errani, 6-4, 6-3.
Rafael Nadal defeated Andy Murray, 6-3, 6-2, to join Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Hamburg Masters in Germany.
Federer beat Robin Soderling, 6-3, 6-2. Djokovic defeated Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (3), 6-3.
Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten was given a wild-card entry into this year's tournament by the French tennis federation.
GOLF
Sorenstam shoots a 67 for share of the lead
Two days after announcing this would be her final season on the LPGA Tour, Annika Sorenstam shot a five-under 67 for a share of the first-round lead in the Sybase Classic in Columbia, S.C. Two-time defending champion Lorena Ochoa was a stroke back.
Song-Hee Kim also was at 67 along with Rachel Hetherington.
Kenny Perry endured a steady -- and occasionally driving rain -- to claim a share of the first-round lead with a six-under 66 at the AT&T Classic in Duluth, Ga. The other leaders -- Jonathan Kaye, Ryan Palmer, Jonathan Byrd and Parker McLachlin -- all teed off in the morning, before a huge weather system engulfed the suburban Atlanta course.
JURISPRUDENCE
USC recruit Simmons faces May 29 court date
