Majoli Hands Seles Her First Loss of Year

Top-ranked Monica Seles was defeated by 18-year-old Croatian Iva Majoli Friday in the quarterfinals at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

“I played so well in the first set, and I don’t know what happened after that,” said Seles, still bothered by a left-shoulder injury she suffered last week while winning the Australian Open.

“I don’t think I’ll play four weeks in a row again. It’s too tough,” said Seles, who plans to play for the United States in the Federation Cup and Olympics. “I think the Grand Slam takes a lot out of you.”

Majoli, ranked No. 8 in the world, will face 15-year-old Martina Hingis in today’s semifinals. Hingis defeated Naoko Sawamatsu, 6-1, 6-2.

Second-seeded Conchita Martinez will play third-seeded Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the other semifinal. Martinez beat eighth-seeded Lindsay Davenport, 6-2, 6-3, and Sanchez Vicario defeated fifth-seeded Magdalena Maleeva, 7-5, 6-3.

Baseball

The Seattle Mariners agreed to a contract with pitcher Norm Charlton that could be worth up to $8,225,000 over three seasons. Charlton is guaranteed $2.2 million in the first year, with the team holding two option years. Charlton was 2-1 with a 1.51 earned-run average last season, saving 14 games in 30 appearances.

Right-handed pitcher Kevin Appier and the Kansas City Royals agreed at $5,051,250. . . . Outfielder Moises Alou and the Montreal Expos agreed on a one-year deal for $3 million. . . . The Atlanta Braves have worked out a one-year contract with second baseman Mark Lemke for $1.5 million. . . . The Angels signed right-handed reliever Mark Eichhorn to a minor league contract. . . . The Dodgers signed minor league pitcher Brandon Watts to a one-year contract.

Pro Football

Dan Rooney, president of the Pittsburgh Steelers, said the team may have to break its Three Rivers Stadium lease next year if no stadium renovation plans are forthcoming. Rooney said the city and Allegheny County have taken no action since his October request for $75 million in stadium renovations or a new stadium. The Steelers want luxury suites, upgraded stadium access, two new practice fields and highway improvements.

The Canadian Football League champion Stallions are leaving Baltimore for Montreal, bringing to an end a failed American experiment, the league announced. The league’s other American-based teams in San Antonio, Shreveport, La.; Memphis, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala., have folded.

Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow next week to relieve pain caused by degenerative arthritis and other problems with his passing arm. . . . Arizona Cardinal fullback Larry Centers has been removed from the NFC lineup for the Pro Bowl. NFL officials listed the reason as illness. . . . A proposal for an 0.5% countywide income tax in Lake County, Ind., to help finance a new stadium for the Chicago Bears, will not get support from the county council, ending hopes for a new stadium near Gary, Ind.

Track and Field

Pole vaulter Sergei Bubka, winner of nine world championships and the 1988 Olympic gold medal, won the event in the Millrose Games with a meet-record effort of 19 feet 2 1/4 inches.

Gwen Torrence, the 1995 world 100-meter champion and 1992 Olympic 200-meter gold medalist, led all the way in winning the women’s 60 in 7.02, the fourth-fastest performance by an American.

Miscellany

South Carolina quarterback Steve Taneyhill and Carolina Panther tight end Mathew Campbell face a Feb. 14 Municipal Court hearing in Charleston, S.C., on charges of assault and interfering with police. The pair turned themselves in to Charleston police Thursday night in connection with a weekend barroom incident.

German skier Katja Seizinger won a super-giant slalom at Val D’Isere, France, her fourth World Cup victory of the season, and moved within four points of Austrian Anita Wachter for the overall lead. Luc Alphand of France got his third World Cup victory of the season in a downhill at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Goals by Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers and Tiffeny Milbrett gave the United States women’s national team a 3-2 victory over world champion Norway at Tampa, Fla.

Hale Irwin, last year’s Senior PGA Tour rookie of the year, shot a 65 and took a two-stroke, first-round lead in the Royal Caribbean Classic at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Villanova University received no more than one-fifth of the $5 million that John E. du Pont promised the school when it named its basketball arena after him, former university officials say. Du Pont, accused of killing Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz on Jan. 25, promised the balance of the donation in 1985 after giving $500,000 to $1 million, the former officials said.

The CIF State Federated Council approved a plan to rotate the state basketball tournament and the track and field championships between north and south. In 1997, the basketball finals will be held at the Pond of Anaheim and the track finals at a site to be determined in Northern California. This year, the basketball finals are to be held at Arco Arena in Sacramento and the track finals at Cerritos College.