Muster Masters Philippoussis

Thomas Muster, who bristles at being tagged a “claycourt specialist,” took another step toward shedding that label when he ended Mark Philippoussis’ winning streak at eight matches.

Muster, who has won all but three of his 43 career singles titles on clay, downed the hard-serving Philippoussis 6-3, 7-6 (10-8) to advance to the Newsweek Champions Cup semifinals at Indian Wells, Calif.

In the State Farm Evert Cup, running concurrently with the men’s event, Lindsay Davenport overwhelmed two-time champion Mary Joe Fernandez 6-1, 6-1 to move into today’s final against Irina Spirlea of Romania.

The United States, the reigning Fed Cup champion, will have to beat Japan in a playoff this summer to remain in the top flight of the women’s team event.

The Americans will have home advantage for the July 12-13 series, and will be relegated to Group II, where it would have to play its way back to the elite group, unless it defeats Japan.

Roscoe Tanner was ordered held in the county jail in Somerville, N.J., because he is wanted in Tennessee on charges that he bounced a check for more than $10,000. Tanner will be held until Tennessee extradites him within a few weeks.