Chang Trips Muster To Endanger Chance To Annex No. 1 Spot

Michael Chang derailed Thomas Muster’s bid for the No. 1 world ranking Tuesday with a three-set victory over the Austrian in opening-round play at the ATP Championships.

Chang, beaten by Muster in the French Open final and 0-4 lifetime against him, rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory.

The third-ranked Muster, who has 12 tour titles this year, is bidding to replace Pete Sampras as the top-ranked player.

Because of the round-robin format featuring the world’s top eight players, Muster can still win the event and move to No. 1 if Sampras has a poor tournament.

Donning a white dress instead of the top and skirt she has worn in the past, Steffi Graf avenged an earlier defeat to Amanda Coetzer 6-2, 6-2 and earned a spot in the quarterfinals of the WTA Tour Championships at Madison Square Garden. Graf has won 44 of 46 matches this year.

In other matches, No. 8 Mary Joe Fernandez eliminated 19-year-old Chanda Rubin 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, setting up a quarterfinal match with Graf. Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, cranking up serves that reached 112 mph, overpowered No. 7 seed Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).

Monica Seles, forced to withdraw from her last two tournaments because of injuries, will lead the U.S. team that will play Spain this month for the Fed Cup.

Seles, a Yugoslavian who became a U.S. citizen last year, will be making her Fed Cup debut.

Seles will be joined by veterans Mary Joe Fernandez, Gigi Fernandez and Lindsay Davenport.