Pierce Will Play Novotna in Final Match of Season

Mary Pierce became the first French player to reach the final of the $2-million Chase Championships tennis tournament in New York when she defeated Nathalie Tauziat, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, Saturday.

Pierce went into her semifinal on a high after handing top-seeded Martina Hingis only her fifth loss of 1997 in the quarterfinals. Brimming with confidence, the usually baseline-hugging Pierce went to the net frequently. The tactic worked to perfection as she dominated her Fed Cup teammate.

In today’s best-of-five final, Pierce will play Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic. Novotna was a 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 winner over eighth-seeded Irina Spirlea of Romania in the season-ending event.

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Rick Leach and Jonathan Stark upset second-seeded Jacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the final of the Phoenix-ATP World Doubles championships at Hartford, Conn.

They will play Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, who defeated Sebastien Lareau and Alex O’Brien, 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) in the other semifinal.

Golf

Alexander Cejka threatened to turn the World Cup into his own personal showcase, firing a seven-under-par 65 that propelled Germany to a two-stroke lead through three rounds of the $1.5-million event at Kiawah Island, S.C.

The former Czechoslovakian refugee birdied five of the first six holes at the once-notorious Ocean Course on his way to a three-round total of 20-under 196. Cejka and Sven Struver combined for a total of 24-under 408, two strokes better than Ireland and four ahead of second-round leader Scotland.

Davis Love III and Justin Leonard of the United States were tied for fifth with Spain at 416, eight shots off the pace and one behind fourth-place Sweden.

Johnny Miller shot a 69 to move into a tie with Loren Roberts heading into the final round of the Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational tournament. . . . Tom Watson and Australian Craig Parry were tied for the lead going into today’s final round of the Dunlop Phoenix tournament at Miyazaki, Japan. Parry fired a two-under 69, with five birdies and three bogeys, to join Watson at 205. Watson had a 70.

Miscellany

The International Amateur Athletic Federation has called for further scientific evidence before deciding whether to accept a ruling by the U.S. governing body clearing Mary Slaney of doping.

Slaney, who won the 1,500 and 3,000 meters at the 1983 Helsinki world championships, was cleared of an alleged doping offense by USA Track & Field two months ago.

FBI agent and former world-class sprinter Daron Council asked for and took a bribe to pass on information about a drug investigation, according to the FBI. Council was put on administrative leave after his arrest Friday. He faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of bribery, the FBI said in a news release.

In a Manhattan auction that Mickey Mantle’s estate decried as “ghoulish,” a lock of the late baseball Hall of Famer’s hair sold for $6,900, his passport sold for $9,200, while his signed American Express platinum card brought $7,175. A tuxedo that Mantle wore at Billy Martin’s wedding went for $13,800, while Mantle’s boat sold for $33,350.

The total price paid for the memorabilia was $541,880.

Iran and Australia played a 1-1 tie at Tehran in the first leg of their home-and-home soccer series that will determine the final berth in the 32-nation field for next year’s World Cup in France. The teams meet again today in Melbourne.

Joichiro Tatsuyoshi of Japan regained the World Boxing Council bantamweight title by stopping Thailand’s previously unbeaten Sirimongkol Nakornthorn-Parkview in the seventh round at Osaka, Japan.

Jose Bonilla of Venezuela successfully defended his World Boxing Assn. flyweight crown by stopping Japan’s Keiji Yamaguchi in the fifth round.

Thomas Stangassinger, the 1994 Olympic champion, took advantage of a mistake by Austrian teammate Thomas Sykora to win the sixth World Cup slalom of his career at Park City, Utah. Sykora had the fastest time on the first run but lost his balance and skied off the course midway through the second run. . . . Canada’s Tom Samuel and Steve Wiseman won the two-man event at the America’s Cup bobsled competition at Calgary.

Sumo star Konishiki, a Hawaiian-born wrestler who became the sport’s first non-Japanese champion, retired after a 15-year career.