Only Hingis Can Keep Seles From Fifth Title in Toronto

If Monica Seles is to win a fifth consecutive du Maurier Open she will have to beat Martina Hingis, the world’s No. 1 player.

The second-seeded Seles defeated unseeded Anne Gaelle-Sidot of France, 6-3, 6-4, Saturday to advance to today’s final against Hingis, who beat third-seeded Mary Pierce of France, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, at Toronto.

“In today’s match, I was happy to get it done,” said Hingis, who advanced to her first du Maurier final. “You just have to put her on the run, but it’s not so easy. She hits the ball so good and hard. You have to make her move and take your chances.”

Hingis lost in the du Maurier semifinal last year to Seles and was eliminated by Pierce in the third round in 1995.

“[Seles] is almost unbeaten at this tournament and has won it four times in a row,” Hingis said. “So it’s about time someone else gets on the board in the winner list.”

Seles, who is 27-1 in the tournament and has won 24 matches in a row, defeated Austrian Barbara Schett, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, in the quarterfinals before beating Gaelle-Sidot.

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Top-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia and second-seeded Andre Agassi won their semifinal matches to advance to the final of the Legg Mason Classic at Washington.

Kafelnikov defeated Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, then Agassi ousted Todd Martin, 6-4, 6-2.

Agassi, a four-time champion at this event, had to wait out a rainstorm that delayed the match 87 minutes. He had just broken Martin’s serve to go ahead 2-1 in the second set when the rain came. However, the rain hardly slowed down Agassi. He needed less than 20 minutes to finish off Martin.

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Vincent Spadea survived a marathon match with Sebastien Grosjean of France and Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador easily defeated Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands to reach today’s final in the RCA Championships at Indianapolis.

Spadea, who overcame match point in the third set, defeated Grosjean, 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4), in 2 hours 44 minutes.

In the afternoon semifinal, Lapentti eliminated Siemerink, 6-4, 6-2, in 69 minutes.

Pro Basketball

San Antonio Spur forward Sean Elliott was back in surgery Saturday after doctors realized the kidney he received from his brother in a transplant was not properly connected. Elliott’s organs were quickly repaired, the hospital said.

The Detroit Pistons have proposed trading forwards Jerry Stackhouse and Loy Vaught and a first-round draft pick to the Vancouver Grizzlies for five players, including Steve Francis and Doug West, according to the Oakland Press of Pontiac, Mich.

In addition to guards Francis, the second overall pick in this year’s draft, and West, the Pistons would receive forward Michael Smith and guards Lee Mayberry and Rodrick Rhodes, the unidentified Pistons sources told the newspaper.

Motor Racing

Ernie Irvan, who suffered a bruised lung and a mild head injury in a crash at Michigan Speedway on Friday, was listed in good condition. Irvan, however, will remain in St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti, Mich., for more tests today.

Irvan, injured five years to the day after a near-fatal wreck on the same track, will be replaced in today’s Pepsi 400 by Dick Trickle.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. widened his lead in the Busch Grand National series to 89 points by pulling away from Winston Cup star Jeff Gordon for a decisive victory in the NAPA 200 at Michigan Speedway.

“Man, it was a great race and I really enjoyed racing Jeff Gordon,” Earnhardt said. “He’s a class act.”

Earnhardt, who went into the race with a one-point lead over Matt Kenseth in the standings, prospered by leading 68 of the 100 laps.

“Dale Jr. just beat us,” Gordon said. “That’s all there is to it. We were a little bit loose there early in the run and tried to run with him.”

Max Papis won the pole for the inaugural Target Grand Prix at Cicero, Ill. It was the first pole in 54 CART FedEx Series races for Papis and his first since 1996, when he was running in World Sports Cars for Ferrari.

Eight-time NHRA Winston champion John Force got his seventh top qualifying position of the season in funny car competition at the Colonels Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway. Gary Scelzi led top-fuel qualifying.

Miscellany

Klete Keller and Erica Rose gave the United States the first two gold medals of the Pan Pacific swimming championships with victories in the 3.1-mile open-water races at Melbourne, Australia.

Keller came from behind to win the men’s event, beating Australia’s Phillip Brosgarth and New Zealand’s Carl Gordon in 55 minutes 42 seconds. Rose led all the way in the women’s section and won in 58:11.

Mike Pawlawski threw seven touchdown passes, including four to Eddie Brown, as the Albany Firebirds defeated the Orlando Predators, 59-48, in the ArenaBowl indoor football championship at Albany, N.Y.

Brown finished with 12 catches for 185 yards and was named the game’s most valuable player.

Kostya Tszyu became the World Boxing Council super-lightweight champion with a 10th-round technical knockout of Miguel Angel Gonzalez at Miami.

Seattle businessman John McCaw’s Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment, which owns the NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies, the NHL’s Canucks and GM Place arena in Vancouver, is for sale. It is said to be worth more than $330 million.

Defending champion Toms River, N.J., only the third U.S. team in 52 years to return to the Little League World Series, will play Phenix City, Ala., today at Williamsport, Pa.

Chuck Tiffany had 13 strikeouts in seven innings to lead Covina to a 9-1 victory over Tai Tung, Taiwan, in the championship game of the Pony League World Series at Washington, Pa. Tiffany, who had 33 strikeouts in 15 innings in the tournament, gave up only two hits to Tai Tung, which had scored 40 runs in its first three tournament games.