TENNIS GRAND SLAM CUP : Sampras, Chang Advance to Semifinals

Pete Sampras battled over three tough sets to beat Goran Ivanisevic, and Michael Chang scored a straight-sets victory over Henri Leconte as the Americans reached the semifinals of the $6-million Grand Slam Cup on Thursday.

Sampras, serving for the match in the second set, suffered his only break and went on to lose the tiebreaker. But he rallied for a 7-6, 6-7, 8-6 victory in 2 hours 24 minutes.

Chang blunted Leconte’s aggressive net game with passing shots, beating the Frenchman, 7-6, 6-3.

With no tiebreaker in the decisive set, Sampras, the U.S. Open champion, fought off four break points in the ninth game and then broke the Yugoslav in the 14th game to clinch the match. Ivanisevic double-faulted on the second match point.

About 8,000 fans in Munich’s Olympic hall gave the two 19-year-olds a standing ovation.

“We were both very nervous out there. It’s very exciting to be making so much money,” Sampras said. By making the semifinals, he earned $450,000.

The tournament, matching 16 players with the best records in the year’s four Grand Slam tournaments, is the richest in tennis history. The winner will get $2 million.

Chang, who upset top-ranked Stefan Edberg in the opening round, passed with deadly accuracy against Leconte. Leconte often scored spectacular points with his volley but was also prone to errors.

Two double-faults by Leconte in the sixth game of the second set allowed Chang to gain the decisive break.

Chang, the 1989 French Open champion, faced a break point in the next game, but three consecutive errors by Leconte allowed him to hold serve.

Serving for the match, Chang won on his first match point when Leconte’s return hit the net.

Chang credited his work with Phil Dent for improving his serve-and-volley game.

“I want to become an all-round player,” he said.