Rafter Beats Agassi, Boosts No. 1 Hopes

Patrick Rafter has a chance to become the top-ranked men’s tennis player in the world if he continues playing as he did Thursday against Andre Agassi in the Italian Open in Rome.

Rafter pounded out 12 aces and 17 service winners in defeating Agassi, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4), reaching the quarterfinals.

“When I’m hitting the ball well, I know I’ll have good results,” the Australian said.

Rafter can claim the No. 1 ranking if he wins the tournament because Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia put his ranking at risk with a 7-5, 6-1 loss to 16th-seeded Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil.

Carlos Moya of Spain, the 1998 French Open champion who was in the running for No. 1, was upset by Franco Squillari of Argentina, 6-3, 7-5.

*

Serena Williams won twice and reached the quarterfinals of the rain-plagued German Open at Berlin.

Williams defeated Jennifer Capriati, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, playing the second set of a match stopped Wednesday because of darkness. She returned an hour later to defeat Lisa Raymond, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1).

Martina Hingis of Switzerland, No. 1 in the world, defeated Russia’s Elena Lichovtseva, 6-4, 6-1. Hingis ended Williams’ streak of reaching four consecutive finals with a quarterfinal victory at the Italian Open last week.

Third-seeded Steffi Graf of Germany struggled to a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over Zimbabwe’s Cara Black, and No. 4 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario defeated defending champion and fellow Spaniard Conchita Martinez, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5.

Pro Football

Suspended San Francisco 49er co-owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. asked a Superior Court judge to rescind his sale of the team to the family-held corporation run by his sister. He also asked for more than $650 million in damages.

Kordell Stewart signed a $27-million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers that runs through 2003. . . . Cris Dishman signed a three-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, a team badly in need of a cornerback. The 33-year-old former Pro Bowl player will replace Dale Carter, who signed a free-agent deal with the Denver Broncos. . . . Sixteen-year veteran offensive lineman Bruce Matthews signed a four-year contract with the Tennessee Titans.

College Basketball

Federal agents are probing allegations that a now-banned University of Michigan booster made improper payments to basketball players over a number of years.

Ed Martin also is target of an investigation of illegal gambling at Ford Motor Co. plants that has led to the seizure of $150,000, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Martin was a target in a 1997 investigation of the Ann Arbor school’s basketball program. It led to minor NCAA sanctions and the firing of coach Steve Fisher.

Georgia Tech’s Dion Glover, who sat out all of last season because of a knee injury after averaging 18.4 points as a freshman, will declare himself eligible for the NBA draft. However, he didn’t name an agent and can withdraw his name 72 hours before the June 30 draft. . . . Miami of Ohio Coach Charlie Coles, who guided the RedHawks to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament, received a five-year contract extension.

Jurisprudence

The world-renowned cardiologist who told Boston Celtic player Reggie Lewis that he suffered from a minor fainting disorder conceded that the player showed signs of heart problems before he dropped dead shooting baskets in 1993.

Gilbert Mudge, answering questions publicly for the first time since the NBA star’s death at 27, testified during his malpractice trial in Boston that he never discounted the possibility that Lewis had a potentially fatal heart condition--even as he told the player and the world that Lewis had a less serious neurological ailment.

University of Cincinnati running back DeMarco McCleskey pleaded not guilty in court to a charge that he raped a fellow student in her dormitory room. McCleskey, 18, was released on $10,000 bond.

Miscellany

Jaroslav Spacek scored the decisive goal in a dramatic penalty shootout against Canada, clinching a berth in the final for the Czech Republic in the World Hockey Championships at Lillehammer, Norway.

The Czech Republic will play last year’s runner-up, Finland, in the final. The Finns defeated Sweden in overtime after splitting two semifinal games.

Jason Keller broke the track qualifying record with a speed of 124.907 mph to move Mark Martin to the outside of the front row and win the pole for tonight’s Hardee’s 250 Busch series stock car race at Richmond, Va. . . . Former NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff has been named executive in charge of basketball for the Harlem Globetrotters.

Tiffeny Milbrett scored one goal and assisted on three others and Mia Hamm scored the 106th goal of her career, leading the U.S. women’s soccer team to a 5-0 victory over the Netherlands at Milwaukee. . . . Peter Vegenas and Steve Shak of UCLA were named to the under-23 U.S. men’s soccer team that will play Canada May 19 in Charleston, S.C.

Jim Cheffers, athletics commissioner for the Los Angeles section of the California Interscholastic Federation from 1972-86, died of heart failure. He was 76.