The Associated Press

ATHENS - Maybe all that talk from Andy Roddick and Venus Williams about taking the Olympics as seriously as a Grand Slam was just that: talk.

Or perhaps they just played poorly against inspired opponents.

Either way, both former No. 1 players were sent home by straight-set upsets in the third round Wednesday, taking their star power with them.

A day after top-ranked Roger Federer lost, apparently easing Roddick's path to a medal, the U.S. Open champion was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by No. 16 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile.

A short while later, 2000 gold medalist Williams lost to Mary Pierce of France by the same score.

"With each player, it's personal, how big it is. Some guys really don't care that much. I cared a lot," Roddick said. "It's not the biggest thing in our sport, but it's the biggest thing in sports."

Americans Chanda Rubin and Lisa Raymond were also eliminated, marking the first time since tennis returned to the Olympics as a medal sport in 1988 that no U.S. woman will leave with a singles medal.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

A sluggish American start and some Dominican determination led to a big upset.

Milagros Cabral de la Cruz had the match-winning kill in the fifth set, giving the Dominican Republic a 26-24, 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 19-17 victory over the United States. Dropping to 1-2, the Americans must play Russia Friday and Cuba Sunday to close the preliminary round.

CYCLING

Tyler Hamilton won the men's time trial gold medal and teammate Bobby Julich took the bronze, hours after Dede Barry won a silver in the women's time trial. No other nation in the Olympics won more than two medals in the four road competitions.

SWIMMING

Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands repeated as the Olympic champion in the 100 freestyle, Japan's Kosuke Kitajima completed a sweep of the men's breaststroke events by winning the men's 200 meters, and Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland won her third medal of the games with a victory in the 200 butterfly.

American Michael Phelps set an Olympic record in the semifinals of the 200 individual medley. Brendan Hansen won the bronze in the 200 breaststroke.

MEN'S SHOT PUT

Ukrainian Yuriy Bilonog took a flag-draped victory lap while American Adam Nelson stood in the shot put ring for three minutes, pointing at officials and pleading.

Nelson led the entire competition, but Bilonog's final throw tied Nelson for the best of the day at 69 feet, 5 1/4 inches. Nelson had one last chance to win and unleashed a great toss, but was called for his fifth consecutive foul.

Since Nelson had no other good throws and Bilonog had several, the Ukrainian won and left Nelson stunned.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Lisa Leslie scored 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting, Tina Thompson added 18 points, and the United States hit South Korea with a big second-half run to stay unbeaten. The Americans opened the second half with a 19-2 run.

MEN'S BEACH VOLLEYBALL

The American men's team of Dain Blanton and Jeff Nygaard ended a dismal Olympics with a 21-16, 13-21, 15-13 loss to Swiss pair Stefan Kobel and Patrick Heuscher.

SHOOTING

American Kim Rhode won the gold medal in double trap, staking a unique claim as the first and last winner of the Olympic event. Rhode won the 1996 gold when double trap was introduced, and she now owns the 2004 medal in the event, which is being eliminated. She also won the bronze in 2000.

WOMEN'S WATER POLO

Johanne Begin scored three goals, including the last-minute clincher, as Canada scored five goals in the last six minutes to upset the world champion Americans.

CANOE-KAYAK

Rebecca Giddens took the silver in the women's kayaking singles slalom.

EQUESTRIAN

In the individual three-day event, Kimberly Severson of the United States won bronze.