Youth Is Served as Graf Loses to Kournikova

In a victory of the new guard over the old, 17-year-old Anna Kournikova of Russia overcame an angry Steffi Graf of Germany, 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, 6-4, Thursday to reach the semifinals of Eastbourne’s Wimbledon warmup tennis tournament in England.

The sixth-seeded Russian fell during the final set and, after the match, was taken to a hospital for X-rays on her right hand. No damage was found.

Graf, playing in only her fourth tournament since undergoing knee surgery a year ago, was infuriated by several line calls.

“There were too many bad calls,” Graf said. “I expect a few, especially on grass, but not that many.

Natasha Zvereva of Belarus downed Magui Serna of Spain, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. Third-seeded Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain and Serena Williams were even at 4-6, 6-4 when rain forced the match to be postponed until today.

Hockey

Expecting to lose one of his younger defensemen to Nashville in next week’s expansion draft, King General Manager Dave Taylor traded this year’s fourth-round draft pick to New Jersey for veteran defenseman Doug Bodger.

Bodger, a 13-year veteran, began last season with San Jose and finished the season with nine goals and 20 points in 77 games for the Sharks and Devils.

The Mighty Ducks traded seldom-used center J.F. Jomphe to the Phoenix Coyotes for enforcer Jim McKenzie. McKenzie had three goals, seven points and 146 penalty minutes in 64 games last season.

The Ducks also signed Joel Kwiatkowski, a free-agent defenseman who had 21 goals and 64 points for Prince George (Canada) of the junior-level Western Hockey League.

The Florida Panthers’ two-month search for a new coach appears to have ended at General Manager Bryan Murray’s family tree.

Younger brother Terry Murray, fired by Philadelphia despite leading the Flyers to the 1997 Stanley Cup finals, has been offered the Panthers’ job, the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale reported.

Bryan Murray coached the Panthers for the final 4 1/2 months of the season after Doug MacLean was fired after a poor start.

The Washington Capitals dealt backup goaltender Bill Ranford, 31, to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a third-round draft pick this season and a second-round selection in 1999.

The Detroit Red Wings exercised a one-year option to retain defenseman Jamie Macoun.

Meanwhile, Richard Gnida, the limousine driver responsible for a crash that injured three Red Wing players, was released from custody two months early for good behavior, hours after the city celebrated a second Stanley Cup championship.

Boston Bruin goaltender Byron Dafoe underwent successful surgery on his left shoulder.

College Basketball

Two months after resigning under fire at Texas, Tom Penders was introduced as coach at George Washington. Penders, 52, has a record of 478-319 and nine NCAA tournament bids.

Purdue has been given until Aug. 7 to respond to allegations of possible recruiting violations by its men’s program.

Miscellany

Maurice Greene will try a rare double in the men’s 100 and 200 meters at the USA track and field championships this weekend in New Orleans. Marion Jones will try for a double in the women’s 100 and 200 while also going for a long jump victory. Mary Slaney will try to outdo them both.

No man has swept the 100 and 200 at the nationals since Kirk Baptiste in 1985. The only woman to win all three of Jones’ events was Stella Walsh, who did it four times, the first in 1930 and the last in 1948. Slaney is seeking a sweep in the women’s 1,500 and 5,000, something that never has been done.

Jeff Lizzi, winless since the 1992 Brunswick Memorial World Open, averaged 233.3 pins a game to take the third-round lead in the PBA’s AC-Delco Classic at Lakewood.

Linebacker Pat Tillman, the Pacific-10 Conference’s defensive player of the year at Arizona State, signed with the Arizona Cardinals. . . . The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with first-round draft pick Tre Thomas, an offensive lineman from Florida State. . . . The San Diego Chargers have signed former New England Patriot defensive tackle Bruce Walker to a one-year contract.

Miami police were investigating allegations that Florida Marlin pitcher Livan Hernandez ripped a gold chain off his girlfriend’s neck among several violent incidents involving the player.

Sophomore defensive back Larry Hollinquest became the second member of the Texas Christian football team to be suspended in connection with break-ins of automobiles early Tuesday at Fort Worth apartment complex.