Sporting Digest: Tennis

GABRIELA SABATINI, ranked seventh in the world, lost in straight sets to Romania's Irina Spirlea, ranked 58, in the second round of the Italian Open yesterday. Sabatini, who has won the event four times, had a bye through the first round.

ITALIAN WOMEN'S OPEN (Rome) Second round: I Spirlea (Rom) bt G Sabatini (Arg) 6- 4 6-3; A Grossman (US) bt L Golarsa (It) 3-6 6-1 6-2; S Cecchini (It) bt S Cacic (US) 6-4 6-2; P Tarabini (Arg) bt N Baudone (It) 2- 6 6-3 6-1; I Gorrochategui (Arg) bt K Quentrec (Fr) 6-3 6-0; B Schultz (Neth) bt S Stafford (US) 6-1 6-3; J Kruger (SA) bt C Wegink (Neth) 7-5 6-2; K Habsudova (Slovak) bt F Fortuni (It) 6-4 6-3; A Serra-Zanetti (It) bt A Huber (Ger) 2-6 6-3 6-3; J Wiesner (Aut) bt N Muns-Jagerman (Neth) 7-5 6-1; C Martinez (Sp) bt A Temesvari (Hung) 6-2 6-0.

GERMAN MEN'S OPEN (Hamburg) Second round: A Medvedev (Ukr) bt B Karbacher (Ger) 6-2 6-3; P Haarhuis (Neth) bt D Nargiso (It) 6-2 6-2; P Korda (Cz Rep) bt J Burillo (Sp) 6-3 3-6 6-2; A Chesnokov (Rus) bt J Apell (Swe) 6-4 6-2. Suspended (rain): E Sanchez (Sp) leads M Stich (Ger) 7-6 3-4; J Renzenbrink (Ger) leads T Muster (Aut) 6-3; J Sanchez (Sp) leads S Pescosolido (It) 6-3 1-1.

USTA CLAY COURT CLASSIC (Pinehurst, N Carol) First round: T Martin (US) bt B Dunn (US) 7-6 6-2; R Reneberg (US) bt A O'Brien (US) 6-3 6-3; J Morgan (Aus) bt A Mancini (Arg) 7-6 6-4; F Davin (Arg) bt T Woodbridge (Aus) 6-4 6-1; V Spadea (US) bt G Raoux (Fr) 6-0 6-2; C Bergstrom (Swe) bt J Garat (Arg) 6-1 1-6 7-6.

MEN'S ATP CHALLENGER (Malta - selected) First round: A Foster (GB) bt M Meneschincheri (It) 7-5 6-4. Second round: J Krocsko (Hung) bt Foster 6-3 4-6 6-3.

LTA SPRING SATELLITE TOURNAMENT (Lee-on-Solent) Men's first round: N Bruno (It) bt M Huard (Fr) 3-6 6-6 6-4; G Carraz (Fr) bt S Herdoiza (US) 6-2 6-7 6-1; A Richardson (GB) bt T Hand (GB) 6-2 4-6 7-5; T Larkham (Aus) bt L Milligan (GB) 6-4 6-3; N Weal (GB) bt R Koenig (SA) 3-6 6-2 6-2; T Spinks (GB) bt P Hand (GB) 7-5 7-5; G van Derveeren (Neth) bt C Beecher (GB) 1-6 7-5 6-1; N Gould (GB) bt J Baily (GB) 6-2 6-1; M Maclagan (GB) bt J Fox (GB) 5-7 6-4 6-2; S Noteboom (Neth) bt M Wyeth (GB) 6-3 6-2; R Matherson (GB) bt J Delgado (GB) 7-6 6-1 6-2; J Davidson (GB) bt P Langvardt (Den) 6-3 7-6; B Cowan (GB) bt G Saffery (GB) 6-4 6-1; L Manta (Swit) bt C Wall (GB) 6-3 6-2.