Spain’s Alvarez Hands Muster a Rare Loss on Clay in Austria

Unseeded Emilio Alvarez of Spain upset Thomas Muster, 6-1, 7-5, Friday in the quarterfinals of the Generali Open tennis tournament at Kitzbuhel, Austria, sending the world’s second-ranked player to only his third loss on clay this year.

Alvarez was one of four Spaniards to advance to the semifinals. His opponent will be fifth-seeded Alberto Berasategui, who beat unseeded Argentine Franco Squillari, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.

Alvarez, 160th in the rankings, failed to qualify for Kitzbuhel but got a “lucky loser” berth after Argentina’s Guillermo Perez-Roldans scratched.

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Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands was awarded a special Olympic wild-card entry into the Infiniti Open beginning Monday at the Los Angeles Tennis Center at UCLA. Siemerink lost to Todd Woodbridge of Australia in the first round in the Olympics.

Ranked 21st in the world, Siemerink joins a field that includes Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, third-ranked Michael Chang, defending champion Michael Stich and six-time Grand Slam winner Stefan Edberg.

Former UCLA star Justin Gimelstob previously earned a wild-card entry, and three wild cards remain to be issued. Four singles berths also will be determined in a qualifying tournament today and Sunday at UCLA.

Pro Basketball

The New York Knicks’ renovation project continued with the signing of free-agent forward Buck Williams to a multiyear contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Since the season ended, the Knicks have traded for two-time all-star forward Larry Johnson and signed point guard Chris Childs. They also drafted three forwards: Syracuse’s John Wallace, Kentucky’s Walter McCarty and Mississippi State’s Dontae’ Jones.

Free-agent center Lorenzo Williams, 27, signed with the Washington Bullets. Williams was with the Dallas Mavericks the last two seasons. He averaged eight rebounds, was sixth in the NBA last season in offensive rebounds and 11th in blocked shots.

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed first-round draft pick Vitaly Potapenko, selected 12th overall. Potapenko will earn $890,300 this year, with incremental raises the following two years.

The Milwaukee Bucks signed guard Ray Allen, the fifth overall selection in June’s NBA draft, to a three-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Milwaukee acquired Allen from the Minnesota Timberwolves for fourth overall pick Stephon Marbury and a future first-round selection. Allen, 21, averaged 23.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists for Connecticut last season.

As expected, the Mavericks signed Derek Harper, who spent the first 10 1/2 seasons of his career in Dallas and was traded to the Knicks in 1994. His contract reportedly is worth $3 million over two years.

Pro Football

Dan Dierdorf will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame today in Canton, Ohio. Also scheduled for induction are lineman Lou Creekmur, coach Joe Gibbs, wide receiver Charlie Joiner and defensive back Mel Renfro.

The New York Jets traded disgruntled wide receiver Ryan Yarborough to the Green Bay Packers for a conditional undisclosed draft choice in 1997.

Richard Dent, the most valuable player in the 1986 Super Bowl, reached agreement with the Indianapolis Colts on a one-year contract.

Boxing

Miguel Martinez of Los Angeles stopped Francisco Carrasco of Mexico in the fourth round of his scheduled 10-round, flyweight bout at the Olympic Auditorium.

In a companion 10-round bout, junior-middleweight Jose Alfredo Flores of Montebello stopped Wilbur Kigundu in the second round.

Golf

Irishman Des Smyth shot a 67 to stand at 11 under par and hold on to the lead after the second round of the Dutch Open at Hilversum, the Netherlands. Smyth has a 131 total and a one-stroke lead.

At the other end of the field, John Daly shot an 18-over-par 89 to go with his disappointing first-day 75. Daly refused comment as he rushed off the course.

Vicki Fergon, a 20-year LPGA tour veteran who has missed the cut in five of her last 10 starts, shot a tournament-record, nine-under 63 to take a six-stroke lead in the Heartland Classic at St. Louis.

Fergon, 40, who won the 1984 S&H; Classic for the last of two tour titles, had seven birdies and an eagle to break the tournament mark of 65 set by Joan Pitcock in 1994.

Melissa McNamara followed her opening-round 71 with a 69 to move into second place at four under.

Bruce Fleisher shot a four-under 67 at Sutton, Mass., to tie John Cook and Russ Cochran for the lead of the CVS Charity Classic.

Walter Morgan, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran who took up golf at age 27, shot a course-record, nine-under 63 and held a five-stroke lead after the first round of the Ameritech Senior Open at Long Grove, Ill. Morgan birdied Nos. 3-5, 7, 9, 11-13, 16 and 18 to break the Kemper Lakes record of 64 set by Craig Stadler in the 1989 PGA Championship. Morgan also shot a 63 in the 1992 GTE North Classic.

Hockey

The Phoenix Coyotes re-signed Norm Maciver to a multiyear deal, avoiding salary arbitration with the free-agent defenseman.

Maciver, 31, had seven goals and 46 assists last season in 71 games with the Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Auto Racing

Little-known Jeremy Mayfield pushed Jeff Gordon off the pole for Sunday’s DieHard 500 at Talledega, Ala.

Mayfield, whose best previous qualifying effort was third in April on the Talladega Superspeedway oval, was the only one of 44 qualifiers to break the 50-second barrier on the 2.66-mile track.

He turned a lap in 49.779 seconds--translating to 192.370 mph --and fast enough to relegate Gordon (191.417) to the outside of the front row for the 500-mile event.

Names in the News

The arraignment of Portland Trail Blazer point guard Isaiah Rider on drug and gambling charges was postponed. His attorney said a plea bargain is under negotiation. . . . Guard Tommy Prince is transferring from Arizona State to Pepperdine and will be eligible to play basketball there this fall.