Hingis Continues Mastery of Spain’s Sanchez-Vicario

Top-seeded Martina Hingis extended her mastery over Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario with a 6-3, 6-1 victory in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open at Rome on Friday.

The victory was Hingis’ 17th in 18 matches against Sanchez-Vicario.

Joining Hingis in today’s semifinals are No. 3 Conchita Martinez, No. 4 Amelie Mauresmo and No. 14 Jelena Dokic.

Martinez, who will face her doubles partner Dokic, defeated Italy’s Francesca Schiavone, 6-2, 6-3. Dokic, 18, defeated South Africa’s Joannette Kruger 6-2, 7-6 (5), with the Yugoslav youngster rallying from a 4-1 deficit in the second set.

Mauresmo fought back from poor starts in both sets for a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Argentina’s Paola Suarez.

Juan Carlos Ferrero extended his winning streak to 15 and led three Spaniards into the semifinals of the $2.95-million German Open at Hamburg.

Ferrero, at No. 8 one of only two seeded players left in the tournament, overcame left thigh problems to defeat Thomas Johansson of Sweden, 6-2, 6-2.

Pro football

The Avengers continued their winless ways, losing to the Nashville Kats, 64-27, at Nashville.

The loss dropped Los Angeles to 0-5 and extended the team’s losing streak to eight games, dating back to last season.

Kat quarterback Andy Kelly, who did not throw a touchdown pass in last week’s loss to Orlando, riddled the Avengers for five touchdown passes in the first half as Nashville improved to 4-2.

Once again Los Angeles hurt itself with self-destructive behavior. Trailing, 28-20, with 1:57 left in the first half, Avenger quarterback Todd Marinovich was called for intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety. The call enraged Marinovich, who threw a towel at an official and was ejected. It was the second straight game Marinovich has been kicked out for haranguing officials.

The Buffalo Bills made room in their crowded backfield by releasing disgruntled running back Antowain Smith.

Besides slashing $1.25 million from their payroll, the move allows the Bills to concentrate on developing their young players.

Last month, the Bills selected Tennessee’s Travis Henry in the second round of the NFL draft, adding to a backfield that already included Jonathan Linton, Sammy Morris and Shawn Bryson.

The San Diego Chargers signed linebacker Sam Rogers to a five-year contract and released quarterback Moses Moreno. Rogers spent the last seven seasons with Buffalo and had been the Bills’ starting outside linebacker since 1996. . . . The Denver Broncos plan to release cornerback Darryll Lewis because of a knee problem that reduced his work during this month’s mini-camp. . . . The Green Bay Packers signed free agent defensive tackle DeVone Claybrooks.

Miscellany

With just enough daylight left for drivers to navigate their way around the track, Rusty Wallace had the fastest qualifying effort to take the pole for The Winston tonight at Concord, N.C.

A power outage at Lowe’s Motor Speedway darkened everything at the track just before sundown, and the problem had yet to be fixed when qualifying began for NASCAR’s all-star race.

Wallace, one of the first drivers out, had enough light to complete a pit stop and run three laps on the 1.5-mile track with an average speed of 140.458 mph.

The Hyundai Team Match, a made-for-television golf tournament featuring teams from the PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA tours, will not return to Pelican Hill Golf Club next December. A request to return was denied by the Irvine Co., which owns the course.

Memphis basketball Coach John Calipari agreed to a new five-year contract that will pay him $1 million a year. Athletic Director R.C. Johnson said the deal gives Calipari a pay raise of about $450,000 a year. Calipari signed a five-year contract in March 2000 and then led the Tigers to a 21-15 record and a third-place finish in the NIT.

Manchester United Manager Alex Ferguson will leave the soccer club when he retires from coaching at the end of next season. Ferguson had been holding talks to stay with the team in some capacity. He is leaving, apparently upset with the club’s unwillingness to spend heavily on new players.

Passings

David “Bucko” Shaw, an Orange County high school all-star football player at Newport Harbor High and high school coach, died Sunday of liver cancer. He was 44 (See Story, B14).