Sampras Stumbles on Clay, Losing to Chang in Rome

Pete Sampras’ misadventures in clay-court tennis continued Thursday in Rome, where he was overpowered by Michael Chang, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), in the third round of the Italian Open.

Overpowered?

Chang, a mite compared to Sampras, served 11 aces to the No. 1 player’s five in the match, which was part of Sampras’ tuneup for the French Open, the only Grand Slam event he has not won. It is also the only Grand Slam tournament Chang has won.

Chang, seeded 15th, also had only 13 unforced errors to Sampras’ 37.

Chang will face Spain’s Albert Costa in the quarterfinals. Costa, winner of last week’s German Open, advanced with a 6-2, 7-6 (9-7) win over Karim Alami of Morocco.

Also, Chile’s Marcelo Rios beat Austria’s Thomas Muster, 6-3, 6-1.

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Top-seeded Martina Hingis earned a bit of retribution in Berlin, routing French Open winner Iva Majoli, 6-1, 6-2, in only 49 minutes in the German Open. Majoli spoiled Hingis’ bid for a Grand Slam last year.

Lindsay Davenport, No. 2 in the world, again had trouble adjusting her power game to clay. She was ousted by French qualifier Amelie Mauresmo, 6-2, 6-4.

Football

The pending sale of the Minnesota Vikings to novelist Tom Clancy is in jeopardy, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis and the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported in today’s papers.

The Star Tribune reported that Clancy’s bid “appeared on the verge of collapse.� The Pioneer Press quoted some current owners as saying they were uncertain a final sale agreement could be reached.

Clancy heads a group of investors hoping to buy the Vikings for $200 million. But the writer’s messy divorce scheduled for a 1999 court date has clouded the purchase, and the author might not be able to provide his $60-million stake.

Hockey

Fredrik Modin, Mikael Renberg, Ulf Dahlen and Christer Olsson scored in the first period for Sweden, which hammered Switzerland, 7-2, to advance to a gold-medal matchup with Finland in the World Ice Hockey Championships at Zurich, Switzerland. Finland tied the Czech Republic, 2-2, and advanced by taking three of four points in two semifinal games.

A judge in Columbus, Ohio, ruled against Lamar Hunt, saying that a local steel magnate and his partners were the valid owners of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. Judge John Bessey of Franklin County Common Pleas Court dismissed claims by Hunt that he was wrongfully excluded from the group headed by John H. McConnell, founder of Worthington Industries.

Jurisprudence

Kentucky basketball player Myron Anthony told a Lexington judge he was responsible for a hit-and-run accident last Sept. 17, clearing teammate Wayne Turner, who had confessed to the crime. Anthony pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of the accident. He received a $250 fine plus court costs and 50 hours of community service.

Albert Willis, 17, of Houston was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated robbery in the carjacking of Rocket guard Mario Elie’s Mercedes convertible. . . . Charlotte guard Vernon Maxwell’s appeal for a new trial on a marijuana possession charge has been rejected in Houston.

Northern Iowa baseball Coach Dave Schrage has filed a $2.15-million lawsuit in Oklahoma City, accusing Oklahoma State Coach Tom Holliday of defamation, and a player, Billy Gasparino, and assistant coach Robby Wine of attacking him in a melee March 4 in Stillwater, Okla., over a disallowed Northern Iowa homer.

Two former tennis players at Syracuse filed a lawsuit alleging they were sexually harassed by the school’s longtime coach, Jesse Dwire III.

College Baseball

Washington pounded out 16 hits and upset No. 1 Stanford, 16-4, in the first game of the best-of-three Pacific 10 championship series. . . . USC senior Seth Etherton and Stanford junior Jeff Austin are co-pitchers of year in the Pac-10.

Names in the News

Miami Dolphin reserve cornerback Jerry Wilson had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage in his left knee. . . . Carlos Valderrama, his $110,000 tax dispute resolved with French officials, left the Miami Fusion to join the Colombian national team for the World Cup. . . . Tom Tellez, who has coached 12 Olympians, including nine-time gold medalist Carl Lewis, is quitting as track coach at Houston after 22 years. . . . Pete Griffin, the track coach at Florida A&M; who helped develop 1964 Olympic gold medalist Bob Hayes, died in Tallahassee at 81 after a long illness.