TENNIS ROUNDUP : Sampras Takes Over No. 1 Ranking

Pete Sampras moved past Jim Courier to the top of the men’s rankings by winning his quarterfinal match in the Japan Open on Friday at Tokyo.

Sampras beat David Wheaton, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, on the hard courts at Ariake Colosseum.

Sampras said that winning tournaments, not the top ranking, are what really count.

“I think it’s a great achievement,” Sampras said. “I’m very happy. But I just try to win as many Grand Slam titles as I can.”

On Thursday, Courier, seeded No. 1 and the defending champion, was upset by Jonathan Stark.

Seventh-seeded Brad Gilbert beat Stark, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-0.

In other quarterfinal matches, fifth-seeded Henrik Holm of Sweden defeated Australian Neil Borwick, 6-2, 6-3, and sixth-seeded Wally Masur posted a 6-4, 6-0 victory over fellow Australian Todd Woodbridge.

In the women’s semifinals, top-seeded Kimiko Date of Japan overwhelmed sixth-seeded Nicole Provis of Australia, 6-3, 6-1, and Stephanie Rottier of the Netherlands defeated Japan’s Mana Endo, 6-4, 6-2.

Andre Agassi and Ivan Lendl, the two top-seeded players, both were upset during the quarterfinals of the Conde de Godo clay court tournament at Barcelona.

Spain’s Sergi Bruguera beat Agassi, 6-3, 6-1, and 18-year-old Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev defeated second-seeded Lendl, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

In other matches, Magnus Gustafsson of Sweden beat Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 6-4, 6-3, and Thomas Muster of Austria defeated Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Amanda Coetzer upset Jennifer Capriati, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4, in the quarterfinals of a tournament at Amelia Island, Fla.

In other quarterfinal matches, Gabriela Sabatini beat Leila Meskhi, 6-1, 6-0, and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario defeated Shaun Stafford, 6-2, 6-4. Rain postponed the match between Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere and Natalia Zvereva.