Graf guns down Nagyova in straight sets
Posted: Tuesday August 25, 1998 09:30 PM
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Anke Huber returns a forehand to Silvia Farina during their first round singles match AP |
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (AP) -- A business-like Steffi Graf dismantled Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia 6-1, 6-3 Tuesday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Pilot Pen International women's tournament.
Graf, tournament's No. 4 seed and the winner of 21 Grand Slam singles titles, pounded Nagyova deep with powerful, sideline-hugging groundstrokes. She won the first set in 20 minutes, breaking the No. 24-ranked Nagyova twice.
"That was my main goal, just to go as relaxed out there as I can," said Graf, who decided to enter the tournament to work on her admittedly suffering confidence and consistency. She has won only one match in each of her last two tournaments.
Nagyova, who had won two tournaments this year and both her Fed Cup matches against Belgium, could not even capitalize on several service break opportunities Graf allowed in the second set.
Graf, 29, is in the midst of a comeback bid, with the Pilot Pen her ninth tournament. Ranked 38th in the world, she has reached the semifinals three times this year.
"Obviously I want to play that kind of tennis against the top players," she said.
Graf will face the winner of Wednesday's match between Russian sensation Anna Kournikova and Amanda Coetzer of South Africa.
Also Tuesday, sixth-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland used her impressive forehand to beat Rita Grande of Italy 6-4, 6-3 and advance to the second round.
Schnyder used a combination of precision and power to prevent the taller Grande, a qualifier, from setting up at the net.
"I think I can still play more aggressive," said Schnyder, who has won five tournaments this year and is ranked No. 10 in the world.
Even with her victories, Schnyder, 19, said she has become used to staying out of the spotlight now being lavished on the younger, rising stars of women's tennis.
"I like my life. I wouldn't want to change with them," she said of players such as Martina Hingis and Kournikova. "Of course, I would like to play more Center Court ... [so] I think they have an advantage, but still, I mean, as long as I win my matches it is all right also."
Schnyder will play Anke Huber, who beat Silvia Farina of Italy, 6-2, 6-3. Huber returned to the tour two weeks ago in Boston following a four-month rehab after Achille's tendon surgery.
In other matches Tuesday, Chanda Rubin beat Elena Likhovtseva of Russia 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, and qualifier Virginia Ruano-Pascual beat Anne Miller 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
Rubin, who improved her career record against Likhovtseva to 3-0, will next face Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, the tournament's No. 2 seed and the third-ranked player in the world.
"I have to go out and play a solid match -- keep fighting, be aggressive," Rubin said.
Ruano-Pascual will face top-seeded Lindsay Davenport in the second round.
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