Sweden Takes Davis Cup Lead

Defending champion Sweden took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Davis Cup finals when Magnus Gustafsson overpowered Italy’s Davide Sanguinetti, 6-1, 6-4, 6-0, in the second singles match Friday at Milan, Italy.

In the opening singles match, Italy’s Andrea Gaudenzi retired because of an injured right shoulder in the fifth set against Sweden’s Magnus Norman.

Sweden can clinch its seventh Davis Cup title today by winning the doubles.

Pro Basketball

After Thursday’s fruitless 10 1/2-hour bargaining session in New York, neither side involved in the NBA lockout predicts a settlement in the foreseeable future.

“The gap between us is so large that it didn’t really make any sense to continue the negotiations,” Commissioner David Stern said. “At some point, the season will expire of its own weight.”

Agents Arn Tellem and David Falk plan to have an exhibition game Dec. 19 in Atlantic City, N.J., featuring members of the 1992 and 1996 Olympic teams and the 1994 and 1998 world championship teams. Falk said Michael Jordan might participate in the game.

Golf

Nick Price, seeking his third victory and second in a row at the Million Dollar Challenge at Sun City, South Africa, shot a four-under-par 68 and held a one-shot lead over Mark O’Meara after the second round. . . . Paul Gow of Australia took a one-shot lead in the Australian Open with a two-under 70 second round at Adelaide. Greg Norman, playing his first 72-hole tournament since coming back from shoulder surgery, shot a 10-over 82.

The teams of Kris Tschetter-Steve Jones and Chris Johnson-Steve Lowery shot eight-under 63s to move into a three-way tie with Meg Mallon and Steve Pate in the JCPenney Classic at Palm Harbor, Fla. . . . Allen Doyle, a member of three Walker Cup teams, led all qualifiers at Haines City, Fla., to earn a full exemption for the 1999 Senior PGA Tour. Doyle finished with a 13-under 275 and won $30,000. Bruce Fleisher, who played on the PGA Tour last season, was second at 278 and was one of eight to get full exemptions.

Boxing

Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines won the World Boxing Council flyweight title, stopping Chatchai Sasakul of Thailand with a left hook late in the eighth round at Bangkok. . . . Johnny Bizzarro, who made unsuccessful bids for the world junior-lightweight and lightweight boxing titles during the 1960s, died at age 60.

Miscellany

Meredith Florance scored with less than 20 seconds remaining in the second sudden-death overtime to give North Carolina a 1-0 victory over Portland in an NCAA women’s soccer tournament semifinal at Greensboro, N.C. Top-ranked North Carolina, which is seeking its 15th championship in 17 tries, advanced to Sunday’s title match against Florida, which defeated Santa Clara, 1-0, on a goal by Sarah Yohe.

Josh Davis of Texas Aquatics set his third American record in three days in winning the short-course 200-meter freestyle in 1 minute 45.24 seconds at College Station, Texas.

Houston police are taking a second look at accusations that the father of Olympic gymnast Dominique Moceanu was involved in a possible murder-for-hire plot. In court affidavits filed this week, Moceanu claimed her father had hired a private investigator to track her comings and goings. She also said police officers informed her that her father had negotiated to pay a hit man $10,000 to kill a friend, Brian Huggins, and Luminita Miscenco, the coach Moceanu credits with reviving her career.