Sports People

Monica Seles dismissed error-prone Irina Spirlea with a 6-3, 6-3 victory in the semifinals of the Bank of the West Classic at Oakland, Calif., clinching her return to the co-No. 1 ranking in women’s tennis. Seles will meet Martina Hingis in today’s final. Hingis defeated Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 7-6 (7-5), 6-3… . Canadian Elvis Stojko beat Russian Ilia Kulik to win the $30,000 top prize at the Skate Canada competition at Kitchener, Ontario, where Irina Slutskaya won the women’s first prize with an error-free free-skating routine… . Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins missed his first game of the NHL season Saturday because oa stiff lower back.