BRIEFLY : NETHERLANDS OUSTS U.S. FROM FED CUP.

The United States, winners of the Fed Cup in 1996, was eliminated in the first round by the Netherlands on Sunday following losses by Chanda Rubin and Mary Joe Fernandez.

At Haarlem, Netherlands, Miriam Oremans routed Rubin 6-3, 6-0 for the clinching victory. Fernandez was beaten by Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 1-6, 6-4, 9-7.

The United States was playing without Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport.

No. 1 Pete Sampras again fell behind early to a low-ranked but game opponent, then pulled out a 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 victory to win the Advanta Championships in Philadelphia.

Sampras' win over Australia's Patrick Rafter was his 20th straight. It was his 11th title in 18 tournaments, including the Australian Open in January. It is also his 47th title, which ties him with childhood idol Rod Laver for eighth all-time.

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt has taken another step towards continuity in the organization by transferring 80 percent of the ownership of the team to his four children, the Kansas City Star reported.

The move allows the Hunt family to avoid heavy estate taxes upon his death. It's also an indication the team will remain in Kansas City.

MOTOR SPORTS: Rusty Wallace managed to avoid hard-driving Jeff Gordon and finish first in the Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond, Va., but he may not have won the race.

Four hours after Wallace crossed the finish line, NASCAR officials announced they had taken the engine from his Ford Thunderbird for ``failing to meet compression ratio specifications.''

Michael Andretti won in the Swift's debut at the Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami - the first victory by an American-built chassis in the last 14 years on the Indy-car circuit. Andretti started 14th in the 28-car lineup, but came on to dominate the second half of the 148-lap race.