LONDON. July 6; Boris Becker seeded number three brought up tfa rear of the processton late in the evening defeating the unseeded Freni liman (cdrk PioHne 6- 3,6-1.6-’. 6 9 “ in a gruelling four-hour drama al (ourt No. 1.

Becker joined three other top

seeds. Andre Agassi. Pete Sampras and txiran tvanirevic, seeded number four who have all reached tfa semifi nal round. In tfa historvrf tfa cliam-ptonships only twice before tfa Seed ing ( ommittee had such success of . watching their judgement come true since setding w as first introduced 68 y ears ago.

In 192" Reix lanwte. Bill lilden. Jean Bormra and Henry oefat all reached the semifinal round and in 1993. in tfa Open Era. Pete Sampras. Mefan Edberg, Jim Courier and Boris Bicker reached tfa semifinal

But in tfa ladies semifinal round has been reac hed by the top four Mt-ds for tfa first time in tfa history of tfa Clumpionships. Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sanches-Vicario, ( onchiu Martinez and Jana Novotna in that onkT.

Tfa ladies semifinal matches will fa played today at Centre and ourt Number Oik .

Bev ker kept his fans on the edge of their seats as he drifted away toning a k-ad of two sets whidi fa won al «ill Hut tfa thin I rem hman with gen enxw Mipp- KI from tfa s|KCtalors re i ualised himself and took two lie lireak sets from tfa former chant pton. But Becker was no stranger al U imblcdoii. He been playing on rlx-se gnxinih tax tfa last IJ years and il was his 10th quarterfinal. He has won 43 lMe». more than any active player except Jimmy Connors, an oilier former * imbkdon champkxi. After the match the three time lormer champkxi lalmfy said.' Every year 1 have a match like that. Last year it was round before and I was out llxn- for the hours

But I think It was hi* wife Bar bara, who covered her face by her haixf* and at times with a towel had

a more agonizing time than her clunipion husband

Becker will be playing Agassi on Friday in the semifinal and who kixiws what the prowling German lion will do.

Meanwjiile according to British press reports the Becker-Pioline match has made two of Britain's betting houses poorer. According to reports bets of k 1000 and £ 10,000 were placed on PioUix in addition to a £13.000 punt on Tuesday. William Hills suxxl to lose £250.000 in Britain alone and Ladbrokes were facing losses of £100.000.

said Becker. "I didn't know about the bet But I don't know w Ix ther tlx- people invoh ed know anything abixit tennis. I think I was 'upposed to win.'

Men s sems will be played tomorrow afternoon