Wade Mcguire

Roland Ratzenberger, a 31-year-old rookie Formula One driver but a veteran on other circuits, was killed Saturday trying to qualify for the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Italy. Ratzenberger had driven in only one Formula One race, finishing 11th in the Pacific Grand Prix at Aida, Japan, two weeks ago after failing to qualify for the season opener in Brazil. Ratzenberger suffered brain damage when his Simtek Ford crashed against a wall after going off the track on an S-shaped turn.

Steffi Graf had the day off, but the next best three in women's tennis breezed through to the second round with U.S. Open victories Monday. No. 2-seeded Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain faced a set point against Linda Ferrando of Italy in the opening match on the Stadium Court, but fought that off and won, 7-5, 6-1. Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, also of Spain, took her No. 3-seeding against Veronika Martinek of Germany and won in 41 minutes, 6-1, 6-0. No.

In a widening scandal that is overshadowing the Tour de France, a doctor for the banned Festina team contends that his riders were ordered by their manager to pay for performance-enhancing drugs. The doctor's accusations Tuesday at Paris came at the same time a Dutch team, TVM, was put under suspicion for cycling's showcase event. It was reported that the same drug used by the Festina team was found in the car of TVM officials in March.

USC's first NCAA men's tennis title since 1976 proved to be a family affair with a measure of international flavor added. The top-seeded Trojans defeated No. 4 Georgia, 5-2, in Tuesday's finals of the NCAA championships in front of a capacity crowd of 5,138 at Henry Feild Stadium in Athens, Ga. It was the Trojans' first title under the dual-match format adopted in 1977. USC reached the semifinals eight times before this year, but never made the finals.

The NCAA put New Mexico State on three years' probation Tuesday and hit at the core of Coach Neil McCarthy's recruiting strategy by suspending scholarships for junior college players for two seasons. McCarthy has built a 229-114 record in 11 seasons with the Aggies--including five NCAA tournament appearances--largely by using junior college transfers. School president J. Michael Orenduff said he would not appeal the sanctions. He said the school moved swiftly to address its own problems.

Michael Chang, owner of an active mind, continues to comb through the clues, searching for a solution to his mid-career malaise. If anything, Chang had always been able to think his way out of tight situations. Or, simply by attrition, outlast his opponents. Armed with his best asset, his head, Chang is still thinking about the worst slump of his 12-year career, wondering why and how he could have tumbled from the brink of No. 1 in 1997 all the way to his current No. 70.

There was a Pete Sampras sighting Sunday. Turns out he is alive and well and about 99% ready to defend his U.S. Open tennis title the next two weeks. Sampras is the No. 1-ranked men's player in the world, winner of four of the last five Grand Slam events.