Graf Shakes Off Rust and Wins

Steffi Graf, playing only her second tournament since the U.S. Open, acknowledged her rustiness Tuesday after struggling to defeat Amy Frazier, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, in a second-round match at the Advanta Championships in Philadelphia.

“I need one or two matches to get my shots going,” said Graf, who has been plagued by back problems and questions concerning her failure to pay taxes in her native Germany. “I feel pretty good now.”

Frazier took a set from Graf for the first time in four meetings.

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Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic was upset by unseeded Shuzo Matsuoka of Japan, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, in the opening round of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Karol Kucera of Slovakia defeated fifth-seeded Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, and Russia’s Andrei Olhovskiy eliminated seventh-seeded Renzo Furlan of Italy, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

Golf

PGA winner Steve Elkington birdied the final hole to catch Corey Pavin and share the lead at one-under-par 71 midway through the PGA Grand Slam, a four-player event at Koloa, Hawaii.

The 36-hole tournament features the winners of the four majors--the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA.

Ben Crenshaw, the Masters winner, shot a 72, and John Daly, the British Open winner, had a 75.

Baseball

Left-hander Chuck Finley became the third prominent Angel to file for free agency, following pitcher Jim Abbott and third baseman Tony Phillips. Finley was 15-12 with a 4.21 earned-run average and 195 strikeouts in 32 starts last season, and is 114-98 in his 10-year career with the Angels.

Dodger outfielder Brett Butler also filed for free agency, as did Detroit second baseman Lou Whitaker, Kansas City shortstop Greg Gagne and Florida outfielder Andre Dawson.

Outfielder Karim Garcia, considered the finest prospect in the Dodger organization, was selected the 1995 minor league player of the year by the Sporting News. Garcia, 19, batted .319 with 26 doubles, 10 triples, 20 home runs and 90 runs batted in at triple-A Albuquerque.

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ 15-month search for new owners neared an end when major league baseball’s ownership committee authorized Kevin McClatchy’s purchase of the money-losing team.

The Pirates’ owners will vote today on the $85-million buyout, and ratification is almost a certainty as five of the 10 owners have joined McClatchy’s group.

The Cincinnati Reds are more than $3 million behind in payments to the city for use of Riverfront Stadium, the city manager said.

Basketball

Tony Campbell, who played on the Lakers’ 1988 NBA championship team, reportedly will sign a one-year contract with AEK Athens for a reported $650,000. Campbell, 33, averaged 11.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11 seasons with Detroit, the Lakers, Minnesota, New York, Dallas and Cleveland.

Jurisprudence

Lennox Lewis asked a judge in Paterson, N.J., to bar the World Boxing Council from sanctioning a heavyweight title bout between Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno.

A jury in Cincinnati deliberated an hour before declaring groundless a woman’s civil charge of rape against former Philadelphia Phillie pitcher Mitch Williams.

Miscellany

The Compton Dominguez High football team has forfeited seven victories for using an ineligible player. Receiver Vincent Starks was expelled from Paramount High last February and was ineligible for sports for one year under CIF rules. The Dons now are 1-3 in the San Gabriel Valley League and 1-8 overall.

The Baltimore Stallions, the Canadian Football League team that intends to relocate with the arrival of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, are reportedly considering a move to Houston.

NASCAR officials fined Kenny Wallace $7,500 for ignoring a black flag during the running of the Dura Lube 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on Oct. 29.

Steve Fossett’s 60-foot trimaran Lakota drifted across the finish line in light winds to win the multihull class of the Long Beach Yacht Club’s race to Cabo San Lucas in 3 days 2 hours 59 minutes and 11 seconds.

Hector Camacho (57-3) won a unanimous decision over Danny Chavez (25-6-1) in a 10-round welterweight fight in Chester, W.Va.