Sport in Short: Tennis

MICHAEL STICH, of Germany, beat the defending champion, Andrei Medvedev, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 to reach the final of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart. Hewill face Sweden's Magnus Gustafsson, who beat Stich's compatriot and Davis Cup team-mate, Marc Gollner, 6-4, 6-3.

MERCEDES CUP (Stuttgart): Singles, semi- finals: M Stich (Ger) bt A Medvedev (Ukr) 1-6 6-1 6-4; M Gustafsson (Swe) bt M Gollner (Ger) 6-4 6- 3.

NEWSWEEK CLASSIC MEN'S TOURNAMENT (Washington DC): Quarter-final: A Mansdorf (Isr) bt P Korda (Cz Rep) 6-3 6-3; A Krickstein (US) bt G Pozzi (It) 6-3 6-0; R Reneberg (US) bt M Washington (US) 7-5 6-4; T Martin (US) bt S Matsuoka (Japan) 6-3 6-3. Semi-final: Mansdorf bt Reneberg 6-4 4-6 6-1.

PATHMARK WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT (Mahwah, NJ) Quarter-finals: M Pierce (Fr) bt C Benjamin (US) 6-4 6-0; L Raymond (US) bt M Maleeva-Fragniere (Swit) 6-2 6-4; J Capriati (US) bt B Bowes (US) 6-3 6-4.

SPAIN and Australia will contest the Federation Cup final after they overcame France and Argentina in their respective semi-finals.

FEDERATION CUP (Frankfurt) Semi-finals: Spain beat France 2-1 (Spanish names first): C Martinez bt J Halard 6-1 3-6 6-3; A Sanchez Vicario bt N Tauziat 6-1 6-4; V Ruano and C Torrens lost to I Demongeot and P Paradis 2-1 ret hurt. Australia bt Argentina 2-1 (Argentinian names first): I Gorrochategui bt M Jaggard-Lai 6-4 6-2; F Labat lost to N Provis 6-1 2-6 3-6; Gorrochategui and P Tarabini lost to R Stubbs and E Smylie 6-4 2-6 3-6.

ALLIED TEXTILES OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (Ilkley) Men's final: D Sapsford (Surrey) bt N Fulwood (Derbyshire) 6-3 4-6 6-1. Women's final: S Parkhomenko (Rus) bt A Smith (GB) 6-7 6-1 6-2.