2D RD vs ELISE BURGIN
Hana Mandlikova, the No. 3 women’s seed, bounced back from the brink of defeat to win.
Mandlikova, her left knee bleeding and her shirt covered in red clay after three tumbles on the center court, came from behind to beat American Elise Burgin 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 in a match that lasted nearly 2 h 1/2
The left-handed Rurgin, just two weeks younger than the 23-year-old Mandlikova, twice was a point away from taking a 5-2 lead in the final set after the Czech had squared the match at one set all.
But Mandlikova saved the first point with a smash and Burgin squandered the second one by hitting a forehand into the net.
Mandlikova, who won the singles title here four years ago, moved into a 5-4 lead, but the drama at Roland Garros Stadium continued as she lost four match points after holding a 40-0 lead on the American’s serve.
Burgin, from Baltimore, saved the first by producing a lob that landed on the line and Mandlikova wasted the second by hitting long and the third by hitting wide. When the fourth match point arrived, Mandlikova hit the ball into the net.
Burgin was able to square the match at 5-5 and then moved within a point of a 6-5 lead, but she hit the ball wide. Mandlikova then opened up a 40-0 lead and won on her fifth match point when Burgin volleyed wide.
Mandlikova admitted she was less than steady when she squandered four match points at 5-4 in the final set. “1 became a little nervous because she was taking a really long time between serves a little too long I thought,” she said of Burgin. “But I finished the set with confidence.”
“I expected a tough match, but not that tough,” she added. “She played very well. She played a very good tactical match.”
4th RD vs DEBBIE SPENCE
Mandlikova who struggled to beat Elise Burgin in a second-round match had to win an 8-6 tiebreaker to post a straight-set victory over Debbie Spence of Cerritos Calif That puts the 1981 French Open winner in a quarterfinal matchup against Kohde-Kilsch the No 7 seed who came from behind to beat West Germany’s Sylvia Hanika 5-7 6-0 6-3.
QF vs CLAUDIA KOHDE KILSCH
Hana Mandlikova’s dream of repeating her 1981 French Open triumph evaporated in the sunshine yesterday at Roiland Garros Stadium.
Mandlikova, seeded third in women’s singles, was stopped by seventh-seeded Claudia Kohde-Kilsh of West Germany, 6-4, 6-4, in the quarterfinals.
“I thought I was in good shape, but maybe I should get in better shape,” Mandlikova said.
Kohde-Kilsch broke Mandlikova’s serve in the ninth game of each set and then her her own service to capture both sets and the match.