Top Four Reach ATP Semifinals

Top-ranked Pete Sampras advanced to the semifinals of the $2.45-million ATP Championship by beating Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands, 6-4, 6-2, Friday at Mason, Ohio.

“Today was big for me,” Sampras said. “Richard has given me problems throughout my career. The key to the match was my return against his second serve.”

Sampras will face No. 3 Andre Agassi, who beat Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, 6-2, 7-6 (12-10). This will be the 26th meeting between the two, with Sampras holding a 15-10 edge, including two wins this year in the finals at Wimbledon and at Los Angeles.

The other semifinal will have defending champion and fourth-ranked Patrick Rafter of Australia, who beat Michael Chang, 6-2, 6-1, against No. 2 Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, who beat Tim Henman of Britain, 7-5, 7-5.

Not since 1993 at Wimbledon have the top four players in ATP Tour rankings advanced to the semifinals of any tournament.

Golf

Iben Tinning of Denmark chipped in from 40 yards at the last hole and took a two-stroke lead in the Women’s British Open at Woburn, England. The eagle three for a 69 gave Tinning a two-day total of nine-under-par 137 for a two-stroke lead over Maria Hjorth of Sweden.

“All through the round I was waiting for something to happen,” Tinning said. “At 18, I was hoping for a birdie but I didn’t expect an eagle.”

Five players were tied for third at six under--U.S. Tour rookie Laura Philo, Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, Smirti Mehra of India, Fiona Pike of Australia and Laura Navarro of Spain.

Defending champion Sherri Steinhauer missed a three-foot birdie putt at the last hole and wound up with a two-under 71. Her two-round total of 142 left her five behind.

Kellee Booth of Coto de Caza, the nation’s top-ranked amateur, lost, 4 and 2, to fellow Californian Dorothy Delasin in the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Asheville, N.C. Delasin, of Daly City, will meet Jimin Kang of Edmonds, Wash., who defeated Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, 3 and 2, in the other semifinal.

Tom Wargo and Dick Lotz shot five-under 67s to share the first-round lead in the Senior PGA Foremost Insurance Championship at Ada, Mich.

Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley will host the Southern California Women’s Championship next year, a $750,000 LPGA Tour event set for Feb. 11-13.

Auto Racing

Rusty Wallace won the pole for Sunday’s Frontier at Watkins Glen, N.Y., with a track-record lap at 121.234 mph. In his Ford, Wallace broke Dale Earnhardt’s three-year-old mark of 120.773 mph.

It was the second pole this season and 24th of Wallace’s career. He is seeking his third victory at Watkins Glen and milestone 50th overall.

CART leader Dario Franchitti of Scotland led first-day qualifying for Sunday’s Miller Lite 200 at Lexington, Ohio. Franchitti’s lap of 124.394 mph was nearly a half-second faster than anyone else as he broke his track record at Mid-Ohio Sports Course.

Hockey

The financially strapped Pittsburgh Penguins, who filed for bankruptcy last season, will have to pay right wing Matthew Barnaby $1 million next season, as awarded by an arbitrator. The Penguins, however, avoided arbitration by signing center Martin Straka to a two-year, $3.4-million contract. . . . The Dallas Stars avoided arbitration with former Mighty Duck Jamie Pushor by signing the defenseman to a two-year deal.

College Football

Jim McMahon feels honored to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, even if he doesn’t really like watching the game.

“I’m not a big fan [of football],” McMahon said. “When I was a little kid I used to watch a lot, but since I started playing I hate watching games.”

His fellow enshrinees included Tom Osborne, Bo Jackson, Don Coryell, Brad Budde, Bill Fralic, Randy Gradishar, Jerry Rhome and Johnny Roland.

The hall waived its normal three-year waiting period for only the second time in electing Osborne, who retired in 1997.

Miscellany

Jorge Dely Valdes scored with 29 seconds to play to give the Colorado Rapids a 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Mutiny in a Major League Soccer game before 9,651 at Tampa, Fla.

The New England Revolution has acquired midfielders Leonel Alvarez and Jeff Baicher. The Revolution acquired Alvarez from the Dallas Burn for striker Ariel Graziani; Baicher was acquired from the San Jose Clash for midfielder Jair.

Auburn wide receiver Clifton Robinson pleaded guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge in a case where he was accused of having sex with an underage girl. Robinson had been charged with second-degree rape, but pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was given a one-year, suspended sentence and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

There will be boxing along with horse racing tonight at Los Alamitos. The first of four six-round bouts begins at 6:30.