BRIEFLY : DEBARTOLO'S SISTER CUTS OFF FUNDS ACCESS.

Byline: - Daily News Wire Services

Denise DeBartolo York, seeking to clarify the power structure within the San Francisco 49ers organization, on Wednesday put her husband in charge of the team and moved to cut off brother Eddie DeBartolo's access to club coffers, the San Francisco Examiner reported.

The development is the strongest sign yet that co-owner DeBartolo's exile from the team, which arose because of legal problems in Louisiana, won't end any time soon.

In a memo to team employees, York said she must pre-approve any request by DeBartolo for cash reimbursements for his expenses.

Running back Lawrence Phillips, whose NFL career short-circuited after two seasons, will try again this summer in NFL-Europe. Phillips, the troubled running back from Nebraska who was the sixth overall pick in the 1996 draft, was chosen in the 10th round of Tuesday's NFL Europe draft by the Barcelona Dragons.

TENNIS: Serena Williams put on her best showing of the year as she beat No. 2 seed Nathalie Tauziat 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the Gaz de France in Paris.

World No. 1 Martina Hingis defeated Sandra Nacuk 6-1, 6-1, in just 41 minutes.

Hometown favorite Tim Henman, the No. 2 seed, and No. 7 Goran Ivanisevic were upset in the first round of the Guardian Direct indoor tournament in London.

Jan Kroslak of Slovakia ousted Henman 2-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 and Morocco's Hicham Arazi defeated Ivanisevic - last year's Wimbledon runner-up - 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 despite 24 aces by the Croatian.

MEDIA: ESPN would pull out of the America's Cup before showing a Fox Sports Net logo during its broadcast.

Young America, a syndicate of the New York Yacht Club, signed a sponsorship deal with Fox last month and plans to have Fox Sports Net ads on its sails and hulls for the 1999-2000 America's Cup.

But ESPN, which owns the U.S. broadcast rights, won't televise the event as long as the ads of one its primary competitors are on Young America.