BRIEFLY : CHANG HANGS IN TO WIN IN MEMPHIS.

At last, Michael Chang removed his mental asterisk Sunday from the St. Jude Classic.

This Memphis, Tenn., tournament was where he debuted as a pro in 1988 thanks to a wild card given to him as a 15-year-old. He has repaid that courtesy by coming back each of the past 10 years.

Although he played well through those years, he never had reached the final until Sunday. He didn't waste his opportunity, beating Todd Woodbridge 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour, 39 minutes, for his first title this year, 27th overall.

``It feels great to be just playing on Sunday,'' said Chang. ``It's a new feeling for me here in Memphis, and, it's wonderful to be able to break through and finally win.''

Chang will move up one place in the rankings today to No. 3 with the 260 points he earned along with the $120,000 winner's check.

In Hanover, Germany, Iva Majoli of Croatia won the Faber Grand Prix for the second straight year, battling back from match point to defeat top-seeded Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.

SKIING: Austrian Hermann Maier, a former bricklayer, upstaged skiing's stars by winning the super giant slalom for his first World Cup victory, in Garmisch-Partenkirche, Germany.

Maier, 24, beat Italy's Kristian Ghedina by more than a half second. Norwegians Atle Skaardal and Lasse Kjus tied for third.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Arkansas officials plan to make public their 100-plus-page response today to an NCAA letter of inquiry alleging seven violations against the Razorbacks basketball team.

When the response becomes available, the university does not plan to make any public comment.

WRESTLING: Harold Nichols, a national champion who went on to become one of the sport's most successful and respected coaches, is dead at 79.

He retired after the 1984-85 season with an overall record of 492-93-14 that included five years at Arkansas State and 32 at Iowa State, where he won six NCAA and seven Big Eight team championships.