Sampras’ Loss to Rafter Is Costly in World Rankings

Patrick Rafter of Australia won his second consecutive tennis title on Sunday, defeating Pete Sampras, 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, in the ATP Championship at Mason, Ohio, and preventing Sampras from regaining the No. 1 ranking.

The match ended on a controversial note with the visibly angered Sampras questioning whether Rafter’s final point was actually an ace or a fault. With Sampras standing on the baseline with his hands on his waist, Rafter raised his arms high in victory after the two hour-plus match.

Sampras shook Rafter’s hand after the match, but he had words with umpire Lars Graff, and was overheard cursing at the umpire about the final point.

“Clearly out,” said Sampras, who lost the No. 1 ranking to Marcelo Rios of Chile a week ago. “I was clearly unlucky today. I think [Graff] made a bad decision, but there’s nothing you can do now. It’s not why I lost the match, but it ended it on a bad note.”

Rafter, ranked third in the world, also has won in India, the Netherlands and last week in Toronto. He has been the hottest player on tour, winning 10 consecutive matches--including six against top-15 opponents.

Sampras, who won the ATP Championship in 1992 and last year, had not lost to Rafter since their first meeting in 1993, beating him eight times in a row.

*

Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia defeated Mariano Puerta of Argentina, 6-2, 7-5, to win the San Marino International tournament at Italy.

Hrbaty, seeded third and ranked 42nd in the world, ousted unseeded Puerta to collect his first title on the ATP Tour circuit.

*

Top-seeded Andrew Park of San Marino won the USTA Boys’ 18-and-under National Hardcourt Championships with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 victory over Playa Del Rey’s Zack Fleishman in Kalamazoo, Mich. The USC-bound Park receives a wild-card entry into the U.S. Open, Aug. 31-Sept. 13 in New York.

Soccer

Stern John came off the bench to score three second-half goals in a 11-minute span, leading the Columbus Crew over the Kansas City Wizards, 5-3, before 11,922 on Sunday at Columbus, Ohio.

In an annual tournament between teams from the top professional leagues in North and Central America and the Caribbean, D.C. United became the first team from the United States to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup at Washington, defeating Toluca of Mexico, 1-0, on Eddie Pope’s goal in the 41st minute.

D.C. United won the first two titles in Major League Soccer, while Toluca is the reigning Mexican League champion.

Pro Basketball

Donnie Walsh, general manager of the Indiana Pacers since 1986, has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep him in the front office through 2003.

Walsh said his contract won’t prevent Coach Larry Bird’s eventual move to the front office. Instead, it promises to smooth the transition.

“It’s still open that he can become president if he wants to,” Walsh said of Bird. “He’s been noncommittal about what he wants to do beyond his coaching years, so I guess I’m here.”

*

Chris Webber “vehemently denies” he was caught in possession of marijuana or paid a fine for the offense at San Juan, Puerto Rico, his agent said.

Customs Service officials on Saturday reported that Webber, who plays for the Washington Wizards, admitted to owning a bag containing 11 grams of marijuana that was sniffed out by a customs dog during a routine inspection of the transit lounge at San Juan’s international airport on Friday.

A statement from customs officials said Webber paid a $500 administrative fine and was allowed to continue his journey from Dominican Republic to Barbados.

Webber’s agent, Fallasha Erwin, said there had been a mix-up about who owned the bag.

“A traveling companion claimed ownership of the luggage and paid the administrative penalty of $500. However, for unknown reasons, officials listed Chris Webber as the owner of the bag, not the traveling companion,” Erwin said.

*

A party hosted by Juwan Howard of the Washington Wizards turned tragic Saturday night when a man drowned after his personal watercraft capsized.

Brian Patterson, 34, of Sauk Village, Ill., was found in seven feet of water about 400 feet offshore of Cedar Lake, Ind., by a conservation officer. Howard had rented the personal watercraft for his guests.

Police were called to the lakeshore about 7:30 p.m., and Patterson’s body was found about 90 minutes later. He was not wearing a life jacket as required by state law, authorities said. An autopsy is pending.