Courier Wins His First Title in 17 Months

Jim Courier won his first tennis tournament in 17 months when he defeated Frenchman Arnaud Boetsch, 6-2, 7-5, today in the final of the Australian Hardcourt tournament in Adelaide. It was the 15th singles title of his career for Courier, whose last victory was in August 1993, when he beat Boris Becker in the final in Indianapolis, Ind.

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Defending champion Stefan Edberg downed Henri Leconte, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), in their semifinal match at the Qatar Open in Doha. Magnus Larsson then beat Michael Stich, 6-3, 6-2, to set up an all-Swedish final today.

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Becker and Anke Huber won in three sets over Ukrainian opponents, and Germany won the Hopman Cup tournament in Perth, Australia. Becker defeated Andrei Medvedev, 6-3, 6-7 (7-3), 6-3, after Huber had beaten Natalia Medvedeva, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Winter Sports

Anita Wachter of Austria, the 1992-93 overall World Cup champion, won for the first time this season in a super-giant slalom race in Haus Im Ennstal, Austria. Wachter was timed in 1 minute 25.78 seconds, edging Olympic downhill champion Katja Seizinger of Germany, at 1:25.90.

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Former world champion Raphaelle Monod of France won a World Cup moguls event, with American Olympic medalists Liz McIntyre and Donna Weinbrecht finishing 2-3 at Whistler, British Columbia. Sergei Shupletsov of Russia stayed unbeaten this winter in winning the men’s event.

Baseball

Donald Fehr, executive director of the Major League Players Assn., told agents and representatives in Chicago to wait until at least Jan. 16 to sign players under the new salary-cap system implemented by owners.

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Marie Huber Selig, the mother of acting Commissioner Bud Selig, died at the Jewish Home in Milwaukee after suffering from debilitating Alzheimer’s disease. She was 90.

Boxing

Wilfredo Vasquez of Puerto Rico retained his World Boxing Assn. junior-featherweight title with 12-round split decision over International Boxing Federation bantamweight champion Orlando Canizales of Laredo, Tex., in the second half of a title doubleheader at San Antonio.

Vasquez, 33, rallied over the final third of the fight to edge Canizales and improve his record to 42-6-3. The loss dropped Canizales, who held his title for more than six years and made a record 16 title defenses, to 38-2-1.

In the other title bout, Alejandro Gonzalez, 21, of Mexico won the World Boxing Council featherweight title in an upset when previously unbeaten Kevin Kelley of New York was unable to answer the bell for the 11th round. Gonzalez improved 34-2. Kelley fell to 41-1.

Miscellany

A federal judge in Santa Ana postponed Tuesday’s scheduled trial of Ram cornerback Darryl Henley on drug trafficking charges. . . . Keith Brantly of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., won the USA NationsBank Men’s Marathon in Charlotte, N.C., in 2 hours 14 minutes 27 seconds. . . . Miami Hurricane Coach Dennis Erickson met with Seattle Seahawk owners in Danville, Ca., and acknowledged he has an interest in coaching the NFL team.