Agassi, Kafelnikov Eliminated

Top-seeded Andre Agassi and second-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, battling for the world’s top ranking, were upset Friday in the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at Basel, Switzerland.

Agassi, ranked No. 1, lost to 20th-ranked Karol Kucera of Slovakia, 6-4, 7-5. Kafelnikov was beaten by Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

“You can’t win every week,” Agassi said. “Just because you lose doesn’t mean you’ve lost your intensity.

“Some days it’s easier to go to work than others. But today wasn’t one of those. He just played well.”

In another surprise, fifth-seeded Nicolas Kiefer of Germany defeated third-seeded Greg Rusedski of Britain, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. Defending champion Tim Henman of Britain won the other quarterfinal, defeating local favorite Roger Federer, 6-3, 7-5.

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Top-ranked Martina Hingis of Switzerland will face unseeded defending champion Sandrine Testud of France in the semifinals of the Porsche Grand Prix at Filderstadt, Germany. Mary Pierce of France will face Anke Huber of Germany in the other semifinal, Huber advancing when No. 2 Lindsay Davenport withdrew because of a wrist injury. . . . Top-seeded Marcelo Rios of Chile and second-seeded Magnus Norman of Sweden advanced to the semifinals of the Heineken Open at Shanghai, China, Rios with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Todd Woodbridge of Australia and Norman with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 triumph over unseeded Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand. . . . Arnaud Di Pasquale of France upset top-seeded Alex Corretja, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), to move into the semifinals of an ATP Tour clay-court tournament at Palermo, Sicily. Second-seeded Albert Costa of Spain defeated countryman Alberto Martin, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

Pro Basketball

The New York Knicks have decided to fine Latrell Sprewell, who stayed absent from training camp at Charleston, S.C., with no explanation. The team will hold its final practice this morning before returning to New York, and it now appears Sprewell will miss the entire camp. The New York Times reported that Sprewell had driven across the country from Oakland, stopping in Milwaukee, and checked back into the hotel in Westchester County, N.Y., where he lived last season.

The Knicks can fine Sprewell $2,500 for his first two missed practices and $5,000 for every missed practice thereafter. If the team fines him the maximum for every missed practice since Wednesday, Sprewell will be out $30,000.

Tyrone Grant, a rookie free agent from St. John’s competing for a job with the Charlotte Hornets, suffered a broken left hand and will sit out the rest of training camp. . . . Ron Rothstein, the Miami Heat’s first coach, was introduced as the coach of Miami’s WNBA team, which will begin play next year. The team does not yet have a nickname.

Officials in Oakland and Alameda County were celebrating after an arbitrator ruled the Golden State Warriors owed them more than $16 million in rent and other fees. . . . Basketball Hall of Famer John McLendon, the last surviving student of Dr. James Naismith, the sport’s creator, died Friday at his home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. McLendon, 84, played at the University of Kansas in the early 1930s under Naismith.

Motor Sports

Two-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher of Germany, sidelined since suffering a broken leg in July, feels better after testing and will return to his Ferrari for the final two races of the season.

The car driven by fourth-generation stock car driver Adam Petty was disqualified after NASCAR inspectors in Concord, N.C., said they found an altered part in its carburetion system. A NASCAR official said a routine inspection after second-round qualifying for today’s All Pro Auto Parts 300 Busch Series race found a groove etched into the gasket below the carburetor, allowing extra air flow to reach the carburetor. . . . Jay Sauter, whose crew gave him fresh tires late in the race, shoved his way past Mike Bliss with three laps remaining and went on to win the Kroger 225 at Louisville, Ky., to break a yearlong victory drought in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Miscellany

With her father, Muhammad Ali, watching from ringside, 21-year-old Laila Ali made her pro boxing debut by knocking out April Fowler at 31 seconds of the first round at Verona, N.Y.

In the main event, Donovan “Razor” Ruddock won the eighth consecutive bout of his comeback with a first-round knockout of Jose Ribalta.

Five Nations titlist Scotland and France posted victories in the Rugby World Cup. Scotland defeated first-time participant Uruguay, 43-12, at Edinburgh, Scotland, and France needed a second-half outburst in which fullback Ugo Mola scored three tries in a 47-13 victory over Namibia, another first-time participant, at Bordeaux, France.

Two more weightlifters from the Pan American Games have lost medals and pushed the total of positive drug tests from last summer’s event at Winnipeg, Canada, to 10. Silver medalist M. Sanchez Sanchez of Cuba and bronze medalist Edries Gonzalez of Puerto Rico competed in the 105-kilogram category.