Second seed and defending champion Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was trounced in the third set by 13th-seeded South African Amanda Coetzer 6-2, 5-7, 6-0 Thursday in the Family Circle Cup in Hilton Head, S.C.
No. 1 Martina Hingis improved her 1997 match record to 28-0 with a 6-3, 6-3 third-round victory over 36th-ranked Austrian Barbara Schett. Fifth-seeded Conchita Martinez beat Jennifer Capriati 6-0, 5-7, 6-4.
– The draw for the United States’ quarterfinal tie against the Netherlands has been set. Andre Agassi, mired in the worst slump of his career, opens play Friday on the hardcourts in Newport Beach, Calif., against Sjeng Schalken. Jim Courier faces 22nd-ranked Jan Siemerink in the second match. Saturday features a doubles match between Americans Rick Leach and Jonathan Stark and Paul Haarhuis and Jacco Eltingh. Sunday, the reverse singles will be played.
Hockey: The U.S. outshot Sweden 73-4 in a 10-0 rout in a Women’s World Championship game in London, Ont., clinching an Olympic berth for the Americans. Karen Bye scored three goals; Cammi Granato had two.
Colleges: The top fundraiser for Pittsburgh’s athletic department was among seven employees fired and 18 were reassigned in a “major restructuring” of the department, which lost nearly $5 million in the last two years.
Auto racing: Ricky Craven was in serious but stable condition with a shoulder injury and a concussion after hitting the wall during the opening session of Winston Cup practice at the new Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth.
Pro football: Running back Leroy Hoard, who revived the Minnesota Vikings’ rushing game last year, agreed to a $1.6 million, two-year contract.
Carolina Panthers running back Tshimanga Biakabutuka has recovered faster than expected from major knee surgery and was cleared to take part in a mini-camp this month.
