BRIEFLY : SAMPRAS ACES AGASSI AGAIN.

Pete Sampras' 6-2, 6-1 victory over Andre Agassi in their opening round-robin match at the ATP Tour World Championship in Hanover, Germany, was the epitome of dominance Wednesday.

Sampras served nine aces, never faced a break point and, during one stretch, won 20 of 21 points. The match lasted only 46 minutes, making it the most lopsided victory in their seven-year rivalry.

Agassi said stomach problems and cold symptoms had caused him to delay his arrival in Hanover by a day, and three hours after the rout, ATP Tour officials announced his withdrawal from the tournament.

Goran Ivanisevic became the first semifinalist, clinching a spot with a 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-1) victory over the Wimbledon champion, Richard Krajicek. Michael Chang became the first player to be eliminated from contention, losing his second straight round-robin match, to Thomas Muster 6-4, 6-3.

FOOTBALL

Army coach Bob Sutton was given a three-year contract extension through the 2000 season.

Coach Al Molde was fired after 10 seasons at Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, a decision that he described as ``grossly unfair and wrong for the university.''

BASEBALL

Pitcher John Smoltz will stay with the Atlanta Braves for a $31 million, four-year contract - a record deal for a pitcher.

Jim Rice, whose future had been in flux during Boston's 50-day search for a manager, will return as the Red Sox hitting coach, the team said.

BASKETBALL

Louisville's basketball team was placed on probation for two years but will remain eligible to appear on television and play in the postseason.

The school was cited by the NCAA for 10 violations concerning recruiting, extra benefits and preferential treatment. It was spared more severe penalties because of its internal investigation.

Guard Miles Simon, Arizona's only returning starter, will not play for the 19th-ranked Wildcats because of what coach Lute Olson called ``failure to fulfill an academic commitment.''

High school basketball star Melvin Ely has signed a national letter of intent to play at Fresno State, coach Jerry Tarkanian announced. Ely, a 6-foot-10 senior center from Thornton Township High in Harvey, Ill., was called by Sports Illustrated ``the most sought-after post player in the class of '97.''

Although Hakeem Olajuwon's heartbeat was back to normal, the Houston Rockets' center remained hospitalized for more tests. He was hospitalized at halftime of the Rockets-Minnesota Timberwolves game Tuesday with an abonormal heartbeat.

GOLF

Kelli Kuehne of McKinney, Texas, who won her second consecutive U.S. Women's Amateur championship this year, will make her pro debut at the JCPenney Classic next month. Her partner in the male-female better-ball event will be Tiger Woods.

OLYMPICS

Four unidentified athletes from the Atlanta Olympics could be banned for four years if the IOC orders the retest of potentially positive samples.

SOCCER

Carlos Hermosillo and Ricardo Pelaez scored first-half goals to lead Mexico to a 3-1 victory over El Salvador in an exhibition match at the Coliseum before an announced crowd of 54,512.