Rafter

WIMBLEDON, England - A funny thing happened on the way to an all-American men's final at Wimbledon. Patrick Rafter crashed the party. The gutsy Australian with the graceful game overcame swirling, autumn-like winds yesterday and ousted No. 2 Andre Agassi, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. It was a gorgeous match with a classic finish, as No. 12 Rafter served Agassi out of Wimbledon to reach his first Wimbledon final, only 10 months after undergoing major shoulder...

WIMBLEDON, England - Patrick Rafter is playing on borrowed time. He doesn't know how many serves are left in his surgically repaired right shoulder. He doesn't know how many last best chances he'll have to win Wimbledon. But today, he'll try to turn back the clock and attempt to defeat Andre Agassi in a potentially compelling Wimbledon semifinal. It's a classic encounter of a serve-and-volley specialist (Rafter) against a baseline return artist (Agassi). Last year, Agassi routed the Australian in three sets.

Pro football Arena League reinstates season after declaring players formed union The Arena Football League reinstated its 2000 season yesterday, saying most of its players have agreed to form a labor union. However, a lawyer for players opposed to forming a union claims a majority of the players are in his camp, and vowed to pursue an antitrust lawsuit filed three weeks ago that led owners to cancel the season last week. Neither side would disclose numbers. About 450 players are involved.

Howard County jurors will return to deliberations today in the trial of a Baltimore man charged with shooting a Columbia pizza delivery woman on New Year's Day, 1999. The jury went home last night after spending nearly nine hours considering the fate of 21-year-old Naim Quinton Abdul-Muhaimin. The defendant is accused of robbing Martha Lunsford, 31, dragging her across a parking lot and shooting her in the jaw. Abdul-Muhaimin is charged with attempted murder, assault, robbery, attempted carjacking and use of a handgun in a felony.

One of two Baltimore men accused of robbing and shooting a pizza delivery woman in Columbia early last year pleaded guilty yesterday to reduced charges in exchange for his cooperation at the trial of the other suspect. Charles A. Mosley, 20, pleaded guilty to armed robbery and use of a handgun in a felony under an agreement with prosecutors, who are expected to drop nine other charges, including attempted murder, in exchange for his testimony. The other suspect, Naim Quinton Abdul-Muhaimin, 21, is scheduled for trial this month.

NEW YORK -- Goran Ivanisevic was in the middle of the second set of his first-round match at the U.S. Open yesterday when his "guys" showed up. He calls them, "Me, Me and Me." They tell him how to play, debate with him on what to play, and, at times, simply leave him in an all-out state of confusion."I never know which of me is going to come to play the game," said Ivanisevic, an 11-year-veteran, who advanced to the second round yesterday with a 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-2 victory over qualifier Ville Liukko.

NEW YORK -- The U.S. Open has proved to be an unhealthy place for top tennis players this week.First, No. 1 Pete Sampras withdrew before his first match with a herniated disk in his back. Now, No. 4 Patrick Rafter's injury has been diagnosed as a small tear in his right rotator cuff.Rafter withdrew from the Open in the fifth set of his first-round match Tuesday night because of shoulder pain. A magnetic resonance imaging scan yesterday revealed the tear."It's tough for the tournament," Rafter said.

Marie E. Deel, 81, homemakerMarie E. Deel, a homemaker and former Ellicott City resident, died Dec. 15 of lung failure at Oak Crest Village retirement community in Parkville, where she had lived for two years. She was 81.The former Marie Fahrman, who enjoyed gardening, was born in Baltimore and graduated from Eastern High School.A memorial service was held Saturday.She is survived by her husband, Lawrence A. Deel, whom she married in 1951; a son, Robert J. Svehla of Ellicott City; a daughter, Judith A. North of Preston; a brother, Joseph Fahrman of Easton; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Charles A. Frock told a Carroll County judge yesterday that he was frightened March 15 when a man came to his home and beat him for a $15 debt, but should have let police handle the matter, instead of chasing the suspect into downtown Westminster with his deer rifle.The jury that heard Frock's case in August agreed, convicting him of first-degree assault on Eric G. Webb, 31, of Manchester, and reckless endangerment.Sentencing guidelines call for 18 to 25 years in the state prison system for Frock, according to Assistant State's Attorney Tom Rafter of Howard County.

Charles A. Frock told a Carroll County judge yesterday that he was frightened March 15 when a man came to his home and beat him for a $15 debt but should have let police handle the matter instead of chasing the suspect into downtown Westminster with his deer rifle.The jury that heard Frock's case in August agreed, convicting him of first-degree assault on Eric G. Webb, 31, of Manchester and reckless endangerment.Sentencing guidelines call for 18 to 25 years in the state prison system for Frock, according to Assistant State's Attorney Tom Rafter of Howard County.