Unseeded Laura Arraya of Peru stunned second-seeded Hana Mandlikova of Czechoslovakia 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday night in the second round of the $200,000 United Airlines Tournament of Champions in Lake Buena Vista. Arraya won the 12th game of the opening set after a delay caused by Mandlikova‘s dispute over an apparent ace that was overruled by the chair umpire.
Mandlikova, who had been expected to play top-seeded Martina Navratilova in Sunday’s final, just last week extended Navratilova to three sets at Amelia Island. In the event’s first upset earlier, Lisa Bonder of Saline, Mich., knocked off eighth-seeded Virginia Ruzici of Romania 6-1,1-6, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Late Wednesday night, Arraya took advantage of an overruled ace from Mandlikova to pull off a big upset Last Saturday, Mandlikova extended Navratilova to three sets at Amelia Island. Mandlikova cursed at tour referee Lee Jackson, who had intervened in the controversy, and hit a ball toward her. “It’s just a pity,” Mandlikova said through WTA representative Peggy Gossett Lewis. “If it were Chris (Evert Lloyd) or Martina … it would have been different”
Mandlikova, Kohde take doubles title By Tim Povtak OF THE SENTINEL STAFF LAKE BUENA VISTA Hana Mandlikova and Claudia Kohde were virtual strangers just two weeks ago, wanting to play doubles but lacking teammates. Both had lost their regular partners. Today they are the hottest doubles team in women’s tennis. Mandlikova and Kohde captured their second consecutive title Sunday, winning the American Express Tournament of Champions by outclassing top-seeded veterans Wendy Turnbull and Anne Hobbs, 6-0, 1-6, 6-3. “Considering we don’t know each other’s moves yet, I’d say we’re doing pretty well,” Mandlikova said. “We’re still getting used to each other, but two wins isn’t a bad way to start.” Mandlikova and Kohde have won eight consecutive matches since teaming at Hilton Head, S.C., where they were wandering around looking for a partner only hours before a tournament started. They won that tournament, which made them the last team to qualify for the Tournament of Champions at Grand Cypress Resort. They were the last to leave Sunday night after winning three matches and the $10,000 first prizeDOUBLES
From C-1 “At this point, we’ll get better each time we play together,” Kohde said. “We’re just now beginning to get the rhythm. The longer we’re together, the better we’ll get.” The two expect to continue playing together as the tour moves to Europe next month and they should be a factor at the French Open. “I think we can make things work,” Mandlikova said. “At least we’re not hitting each other anymore with the rackets.” Utilizing Kohde’s reach she is 6 feet 1 and Mandlikova’s quickness and power, they overwhelmed Tumbull and Hobbs in the first set, faltered in the second, then recovered to blitz the tournament favorites. Kohde and Mandlikova swept the first set almost before Turn-bull’ and Hobbs realized itJ had started. The crowd of 2,712 start- VICTOR JUNCO SENTINEL Anne Hobbs stretches for ball . . . she, Turnbull lose in 3 sets. ed yawning. The top seeds had not played a match all week because of a first-round bye and a second-rour.d default caused by Marcella Mesker’s withdrawal. “We were totally out of the first set,” Hobbs said. “Not playing earlier hurt us. They had some match experience under their belts, but still we came back and were buzzing away. We just lost it at the end.” Mandlikova and Kohde blitzed Sandy Collins and Elizabeth Say-ers in the first round, 6-0, 6-0, then fought Kathy Horvath and Virginia Ruzici to a 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 victory Saturday. After losing the first seven games of the match, Turnbull and Hobbs won eight games in a row. But Mandlikova and Kohde made a dazzling rally starting in the third game of the third set. All four players were within a racket’s length of the net and the ball started ricocheting between them like a pinball before Mandlikova hit a winner, bringing the crowd to its feet and the game to the winners. Mandlikova and Kohde lost only one more game, utilizing their power and stamina in the mid-afternoon heat.
