TennisMuster misses chance

Thomas Muster's attempt to finish the most successful year of his career at the top of world tennis ended in disappointment in Frankfurt yesterday.

The French Open champion, who had a chance to dislodge Sampras as the world No 1 at the ATP Tour World Championship, was swept out of the year- ending event when he was beaten 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 by Jim Courier.

After two defeats in the round-robin stage Muster, who needed to win the event to have a hope of replacing Sampras at the top, has no chance of reaching the semi-finals. Sampras, assured of a place in the last four, was beaten by Wayne Ferreira 7-6, 4-6, 6-3. Ferreira must await the outcome of today's match between Boris Becker and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Becker needs to win in straight sets to advance, otherwise Ferreira will go through.

Natasha Zvereva, of Belarus, staged a singles coup at the WTA Tour Championships in New York. The 15th-ranked Zvereva beat the third-seeded Spaniard, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.