WASHINGTON - Top-seeded Andre Agassi was eliminated in straight sets in the semifinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic on Saturday by unseeded Gilles Muller. It was Muller's first match against Agassi, who had won nine straight matches coming into the semifinal.
"He was my idol and today I'm beating him. It's just unbelievable," Muller said. "I'll never forget this moment."
The 21-year-old left-hander from Luxembourg ousted Agassi 6-4, 7-5 and advanced to play No. 2 Lleyton Hewitt today. Hewitt advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Robby Ginepri, the fourth-seeded player.
WESTERN AND SOUTHERN OPEN: Second-seeded Vera Zvonareva fought off two match points and went on to defeat No. 3 Amy Frazier 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 in the semifinals in Mason, Ohio. Zvonareva meets top-seeded Lindsay Davenport in the final today. Davenport advanced when a hand injury forced fourth-seeded Marion Bartolito withdraw.
HORSES: Upset at Saratoga
Society Selection posted an upset victory in the $750,000 Alabama Stakes in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Earlier, Afleet Alex surged past Devils Disciple to maintain his unbeaten record with a victory in the 100th running of the Grade I, $250,000 Hopeful Stakes.
DEL MAR: Long-shot Amorama made a late charge and beat Ticker Tape by a nose in stakes-record time in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks. Amorama covered 11/8 miles on the turf in 1:46.26, beating the 1:47.04 mark set last year by Dessert.
BOXING: Lacy's title bout moved
St. Petersburg's Jeff Lacy will fight Canadian Syd Vanderpool for the IBF super-middleweight title Oct. 2, but not at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported the fight has been moved to Caesars Palace because of logistical problems. It will be held in its 5,000-seat outdoor arena, which hasn't hosted a fight since Felix Trinidad beat David Reid in 2000.
AMATEURS: Clearwater's Keith Thurman beat Kansas' Antonio Orozco to capture the 141-pound championship at the Ringside Amateur Boxing World Championships in Kansas City, Mo. St. Petersburg's Akinyemi Laleye lost in the final of the 178-pound men's novice division, settling for a silver.
- JOHN C. COTEY, Times staff writer
COLLEGES: Georgia appeals sanctions
Georgia has filed an appeal of sanctions against the school's basketball program, claiming some of the NCAA's findings were "clearly inaccurate." Georgia hopes to have three of the 16 penalties revoked in a notice of appeal filed Friday - its four-year probation, the loss of a scholarship for each of the next three seasons and the forfeiture of 30 wins from the 2001-02 and 2003-03 seasons. The violation dealt with the failure to report unauthorized, personal long-distance telephone calls made by six players during 2001 road trips until July 2002. The calls totaled $1,500, which the players did not pay.
La SALLE: Maine coach John Giannini will be named basketball coach on Monday, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
ET CETERA
NBA: Milwaukee acquired guard Maurice "Mo" Williams after Utah did not match the offer.
MLS: Davy Arnaud scored to give Kansas City a 2-1 win over host New England. ... Jaime Moreno scored on penalty kick in the 76th minute to lift D.C. United to a 2-2 tie with host Columbus. ... Host Colorado edged the MetroStars 1-0 on a goal by Jordan Cila.
