BRIEFLY : SAMPRAS, MUSTER OUSTED IN HONG KONG EVENT.

Pete Sampras and Thomas Muster were beaten in the Marlboro Championships Friday in Hong Kong.

Sampras, the world's top-ranked player, was upset 6-4, 6-2 by Zimbabwe's Byron Black, No. 47 in the rankings and a former USC star. Black advanced to the semifinals from the Silver Group.

Muster hurt his hip during his match and was beaten 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 by Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman, who finished atop of the Gold Group.

Fourth-seed Richey Reneberg advanced to the semifinals from the Blue Group despite losing 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 to fellow American Vincent Spadea.

The 12 players in the tournament were divided into four groups of three each, with the winner in each group advancing into the semifinals.

Although Jana Novotna was at less than her best, it was good enough to end Jennifer Capriati's bid to reach her first semifinals in three years. Novotna beat the American 6-4, 6-2 at the $926,000 European Indoors tournament in Zurich, Switzerland.

Unseeded Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand upset top seed Linda Wild, dashing the American's hopes of defending her title at the Nokia Open women's tournament in Beijing. Tanasugarn, who is coached by her father, upset Wild, No. 32 in the world, 6-4, 6-4 to gain a semifinals berth. Chen Li of China defeated No. 2 seed Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia 6-2, 6-2.

Top-seeded American MaliVai Washington swept a critical tiebreaker against Grant Stafford to rally for a 4-6, 7-6 (7-0), 6-4 quarterfinals victory at the $303,000 Israel Open in Ramat Hasharon. Spain's Javier Sanchez, seeded fourth, defeated No. 6 Javier Frana of Argentina 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Top-seeded Marcelo Rios stopped the run of Bulgarian qualifier Orlin Stanoychev 7-6 (7-0), 6-3 to reach the semifinals of the $400,000 Toulouse Grand Prix in France. Stanoychev, ranked 122nd in the world and playing in his fourth ATP Tour tournament, had won three matches to make the main draw of the tournament.

BOXING

A cocaine-possession charge in Cincinnati against former WBA heavyweight champion Tony Tubbs has been dropped because a Hamilton County grand jury declined to indict him, a prosecutor said.

GOLF

Rick Fehr, who hasn't won on the PGA Tour since the 1994 Disney Classic, shot another 7-under-par 65, giving him a 14-under 130 and a one-stroke lead over Payne Stewart, Jim Carter and Frank Lickliter at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Tiger Woods worked himself toward the top of the leaderboard again. He was two strokes back after shooting a 63.

South Korea's Park Se-ri shot a 5-under-par 67 to share with defending champion Annika Sorenstam the second-round lead in the World Championship of Women's Golf in Seoul, South Korea. Emilee Klein, an alumna of Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks, shot a 74 and was at 140.

Ernie Els overcame a six-hole deficit to beat Steve Stricker 1-up, keeping alive the South African's bid for a record third straight title in the World Match Play Championship in Virginia Water, England.

MOTOR SPORTS

Dale Jarrett, third behind Jeff Gordon and Terry Labonte in the closest three-way points race in NASCAR history, easily won the pole position for Sunday's AC-Delco 400 with a lap of 157.194 mph on the 1.017-mile Rockingham oval in North Carolina.

ETC.

A memorial service for sportswriter/investigtive reporter Jack Tobin, who died of cancer Sept. 26, will be held Sunday, Oct. 27, 1 p.m., at Temple Beth Am, 1039 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. Tobin's extensive sports files have been donated to the library of the Amateur Athletic Foundation of L.A. . . .

Alexei Zhamnov practiced with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks after ending his holdout by signing a five-year, $15 million contract.