Agassi, Roddick Advance to Italian Open Semifinals

Two weeks before the French Open, Andre Agassi appears to be in top form. So does Andy Roddick.

Agassi defeated Albert Costa, 6-2, 6-2, and Roddick eliminated Tommy Robredo, 6-4, 7-6 (2), Friday to reach the semifinals of the Italian Open at Rome. It’s the first time two U.S. men are in the final four at this clay-court tournament since 1993.

In today’s semifinals, Agassi will face Jiri Novak, who defeated James Blake of the United States, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4. Roddick’s next opponent is seventh-seeded Tommy Haas, who beat 1998 French Open champion Carlos Moya, 6-3, 6-4.

The last American to win at the Foro Italico was Pete Sampras in 1994.

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Jennifer Capriati moved within two victories of regaining the No. 1 ranking, defeating Sandrine Testud, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals of the German Open at Berlin.

Serena Williams advanced to the semifinals without playing a point when defending champion Amelie Mauresmo withdrew because of a neck injury.

Capriati will play Justine Henin, a 6-0, 6-4 winner over Nathalie Dechy. Williams will face unseeded Anna Smashnova, who beat Daniela Hantuchova, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Soccer

Five vice presidents of FIFA, world soccer’s ruling body, and six other members of the FIFA executive committee launched legal proceedings in Switzerland against Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, the organization’s president, alleging that he is responsible for “various criminal offenses” since being elected in 1998.

They claim that Blatter is responsible for “numerous irregularities” that exist within FIFA.

Blatter called it a “smear campaign” by political foes.

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Lothar Matthaeus, the former German World Cup star, was fired as coach of Austrian club team Rapid Vienna. Matthaeus coached the team for less than a year and it won only eight times in 27 games.

Miscellany

The Sparks, defending WNBA champions, will play their only home exhibition game tonight at the Pyramid at Long Beach State against the Phoenix Mercury at 7 p.m.

Coach Michael Cooper said starters Lisa Leslie, DeLisha Milton, Mwadi Mabika and Tamecka Dixon will play tonight.

“We may not show many of the things we want to do, but we’re coming to play,” Cooper said.

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Defenseman Thomas Rhodin scored two goals as Sweden rallied from a three-goal deficit to defeat Finland, 5-3, in the bronze-medal game at the World Hockey Championships at Goteborg, Sweden. Russia will play Slovakia in today’s gold-medal game.

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George Mason junior guard Darren Tarver had a heart attack while playing a pickup game, school officials said. He is hospitalized in stable condition.

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The Green Bay Packers signed former Cal State Northridge quarterback Marcus Brady. Brady averaged 363.2 yards per game at Northridge last season to lead all college quarterbacks in that statistical category.

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Jill Arrington, Gary Collins, Dennis Hopper, Joe Pesci and Paul Michael Glaser are among the celebrities scheduled to play in the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission tournament May 20 at Riviera Country Club. The event benefits the LASEC. Details: 213 236-2361.

Passings

Former New Jersey Devil coach John Cunniff, who had a distinguished international career as an assistant, died Thursday night of cancer at age 57. See story, B section. ... Natalie B. Friendly, who owned horses with her husband, Ed, and was credited by him for launching the television drama “Little House on the Prairie” for their production company, died Thursday in Rancho Santa Fe. She was 74. See story, B section.