Hewitt Moves Closer to Becoming Youngest No. 1

Australian Lleyton Hewitt, 20, is trying to become the youngest men’s tennis player to end a season at No. 1.

Andre Agassi is trying to become the oldest.

Midway through the Masters Cup at Sydney, Australia, Hewitt is closer to his goal.

Hewitt defeated Agassi, 6-3, 6-4, Wednesday in round-robin play at the season-ending tournament to reach the semifinals and move closer to the top ranking.

Hewitt, the U.S. Open champion, has 763 points, eight behind No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil. No. 3 Agassi, who has 704 points, plays a must-win match today against Sebastien Grosjean of France.

Grosjean defeated Pat Rafter, 7-6 (4), 6-3, Wednesday. The defeat knocked Rafter out of contention for the title at the $3.7-million indoor tournament.

Jimmy Connors, at 22 in 1974, was the youngest player to finish at No. 1 since the ATP began computer rankings in 1973. Ivan Lendl, at 29 in 1989, was the oldest.

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Rafter, a two-time U.S. Open champion, could sit out Australia’s Davis Cup final against France on Nov. 30-Dec. 2 because of chronic shoulder and arm injuries.

Olympics

President Bush allocated another $10 million to help protect the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City from potential terrorist attacks.

A total of $34.5 million in federal funds has been added to the $200-million Olympic security budget in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Olympic security officials might restrict hazardous material shipments from passing near Olympic venues during the Salt Lake City Games.

Miscellany

Carl Lewis, who won a record-tying nine Olympic gold medals, and three other members of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team were voted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Lewis, long jumper-sprinter Larry Myricks and distance runners Henry Marsh and Alberto Salazar will be inducted Nov. 30.

Five pitchers combined on a one-hitter and the U.S. routed France, 17-0, to qualify for the medal round of baseball’s World Cup at Taipei, Taiwan.

The U.S. will play Panama in the quarterfinals Friday.

The U.S. women lost their second consecutive match in volleyball’s World Grand Champions Cup, falling to China in four games at Tokyo.

Passings

Former pole vaulter Cornelius “Dutch” Warmerdam, who was the first to clear 15 feet, died Tuesday at Fresno. He was 86. See story, B11.

Juan Carlos Lorenzo, who coached Argentina to soccer World Cup appearances in 1962 and 1966, died of heart failure at 79.