Sampras, Becker Advance

Today’s Paris Open championship will be a rematch of the Wimbledon final - Pete Sampras against Boris Becker, with the American trying to celebrate his return to the world’s No. 1 ranking with another victory.

Sampras, who beat Becker in the Wimbledon final, automatically will regain the top ranking from idle and injured Andre Agassi whether or not he beats Becker again.

In the semifinals in Paris, Sampras topped Jim Courier 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Becker defeated South African Wayne Ferreira, 6-2, 6-1.

Despite recording 23 aces, top-seeded Brenda Schultz-McCarthy was stretched to the limit before defeating unseeded Lindsay Lee 6-4, 6-7 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) to reach today’s final of the Bell Challenge in Quebec.

Schultz-McCarthy will face Dominique Monami of Belgium, who beat Australia’s Rennae Stubbswon 6-2, 6-4.

In Oakland, Calif., Magdalena Maleeva took advantage of Mary Joe Fernandez’s sudden back problems to post a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory in the semifinals of the Bank of the West Classic. Maleeva of Bulgaria will played unseeded Ai Sugiyama, who advanced by default when third-seeded Lindsay Davenport withdrew with a lower back injury, in the championship.

Top-seeded Jimmy Connors won and Bjorn Borg finally beat John McEnroe in the semifinals of the Champions Tour event in Tokyo.

Connors defeated Britain’s John Lloyd 6-2, 6-4 while Borg outlasted McEnroe 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4).