TENNIS ROUNDUP : Czech Upsets Courier in Italian Quarterfinals

Slava Dosedel of the Czech Republic upset two-time defending champion and third-seeded Jim Courier, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open at Rome.

Dosedel earned a berth in today’s semifinals against top-seeded Pete Sampras, who extended his winning streak to 25 matches with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Andrea Gaudenzi of Italy. Goran Ivanisevic will play Boris Becker in the other semifinal.

Ivanisevic defeated Jacco Eltingh of the Netherlands, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, and Becker advanced when his German rival, second-seeded Michael Stich, pulled out of the tournament a few hours before the match.

Stich cited a back ailment for his withdrawal, but he also had off-court distractions: His wife was stopped by police in Germany this week on suspicion of speeding and drunk driving, and his brother is getting married today.

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Mark Woodforde took advantage of a seemingly disinterested Ivan Lendl and defeated the tournament’s second-seeded player, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the semifinals of the America’s Red Clay Tennis Championships at Coral Springs, Fla.

On match point, Lendl took a wild swing at a second serve and hit the backdrop.

Joining Woodforde in the semifinals were fellow Aussie Jamie Morgan and Brazilians Fernando Meligeni and Luiz Mattar.

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A missed volley by Julie Halard of France late in the third set allowed top-seeded Steffi Graf to escape with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory in the quarterfinals of the German Open at Berlin.

Halard, ranked 28th, won four consecutive games during the third set to take a 5-4 lead.

Halard won the first two points against Graf’s serve in the next game, but then netted an easy backhand volley. Graf was saved from facing three match points.