1984 Virginia Slims of Houston

Houston – Astro Arena, Feb. , 1984

Third consecutive indoor victory for Hana on the 1984 Virginia Slims of Houston circuit!

The will to win ! Hana Mandlikova

3 OUT OF 4 FOR HANA

Hana Mandlikova and Manuela Maleeva, born about 675 miles apart in Eastern Europe, came halfway around the world to meet in the final of the Virginia Slims of Houston.

Mandlikova, since 1981 a Boca-Raton resident, , captured her third straight Virginia Slims-named title of the year and won her third championship in the four tournament she entered this year. Maleeva, a native of Sofia, who upset Zina Garrison and Wendy Turnbull, reached her first major tour final .

Hana Mandlikova’s 6/4 6/2 win earned her $30.000 and increased her winnings in the inaugural Virginia Slims world Championships Series to $249.737 .

Although she has dominated women’s tennis this year and her wins include the victory-streak ending triumph over Martina Navratilova in Oakland. Mandlikova is not ready to claim Navratilova’s No. 1 ranking.

« I beat Martina only once and she has beat me nine times (NDLR : on the past two years). I still have to prove I can beat her more than she can beat me, » Hana analyzed quite logically.

The win over Maleeva gave Mandlikova a solid spot on the No. 3 spot on the Virginia Slims point total. She only trails Chris Evert-Lloyd by only 54 points. However, Mandlikova returned to Czechoslovakia after the Houston tournament and is not due to play again until the Virginia Slims Championships start on Feb. 27 in NYC.

I’m going home, » she said. « My body needs a rest and my head does, too . »

Maleeva and Mandlikova both go off to slow starts, exchanging serves breaks in the first two games. Hana said she had trouble sleeping after defeating Barabara Potter, 6-4, 6-4, in the semifinals. Maleeva had every right to be tired after playing five matches, plus two doubles in one week, the first time in her pro-career.

After losing her first serve, Hana Mandlikova was near perfect in that department. She lost a total of only 10 points on her next eight games of serve.

« I guess I was a little tired, » said Manuela Maleeva. « I don’t think I played well, and she just played better than I did. »

Manuela also thinks Hana is playing better than she was when Maleeva defeated her in three sets during the Family Circle Cup last year.

« Everything is better. She is serving better and you have to hit very good passing shots. If they’re not good, you’re in trouble. Her second serve is harder than most players and she is most steady than most. »

It was not a good tournament for seeded players : Jo Durie and Bettina Bunge were ill or injured, Top-seed Andrea Jaeger and Zina Garrison, Helena Sukova and Pam Shriver all lost before their seedings.

Only Hana Mandlikova, seeded third, and Wendy Turnbull, the seventh seed made it to the semifinals .

1st Round in 1984 Virginia Slims of Houston : Hana Mandlikova vs Lisa Bonder

Hana Mandlikova Battles Injury to Secure First Round Victory

Third seeded Hana Mandlikova had to overcome pulled back muscles in the second set before defeating Lisa Bonder of the United States 7-6, 3-6, 6-1 In a first round match. ‘ ‘- “I played on clay last week and It might have been coming from a soft surface to a hard surface,” Mandlikova explained. – Mandlikova fell behind 0-3 in the first set tiebreaker before winning it 9-7, including serving up two aces.

Mandlikova called for a trainer at the end of the second set and decided to continue the match. Mandlikova said she would decide Thursday if she would be able to continue in the tournament, which already has had four withdrawals.

2d round in 1984 Virginia Slims of Houston : Hana Mandlikova vs Laura Gildemeister

Efficiency Prevails: Hana Mandlikova Advances to Quarterfinals with Dominant Performance

To make the quarterfinals, Hana Mandlikova says she didn’t need to do anything fancy. Hana, recovering from a pulled muscle in her back, breezed past Peru’s Laura Arraya 6-1, 6-1 Thursday in a second-round match. She aced Arraya four times in a match that took only 43 minutes.

“Laura seemed late on every shot,” she said. “She was missing her forehand. If she hits it, she can run you around. Personally, I didn’t think she played well.”

Mandlikova meet Carling Bassett of Canada in a quarterfinal match today

Quarterfinal in 1984 Virginia Slims of Houston : Hana Mandlikova vs Carling Bassett

Mandlikova Storms into Semifinals with Commanding Victory Over Bassett

In quarterfinals, Hana Mandlikova needed only 42 ; minutes to eliminate Carling Bassett of Canada 6-1 6-1 to earn a semifinals.

Bassett had breezed to two easy tournament victories but could not match Mandlikova’s power. Bassett broke Mandlikova in the sixth game of the second set and won the first two

points of the seventh game before Hana Mandlikova took the next four points and the match, Hana’s opponent in Saturday’s semifinals will be Barbara Potter

Semifinal : Hana Mandlikova vs Barbara Potter

Mandlikova Triumphs Over Potter to Secure Final Berth Despite Seeded Jinx

In her semifinal played on Saturday night, Hana overcame the Jinx of the seeded players by defeating Barbara Potter 6-4, 6-4 to gain the finals.

Mandlikova played on even terms until the ninth game of the first set when Mandlikova broke her opponent on Potter’s forehand volley error. Potter overcame a double-break point deficit to bold service in the first game of the second set but she was broken in the fifth game when she served a double fault at break point Mandlikova won it in the 10th game at the first match point with a backhand cross-court winner. Maleeva, 16, forced Turnbull away from her serve and volley game to continue her string of upsets.

Final : Hana Mandlikova vs Manuela Maleeva

Mandlikova Ends Maleeva’s Run with Commanding Victory in Houston Final

Hana Mandlikova ended the Cinderella charge of Bulgaria’s Manuela Maleeva Sunday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory . Mandlikova, the No. 5-ranked women’s player in the world, used an overpowering serve to finally wilt her 16-year-old opponent.

Maleeva lost her serve in the first game of the match but surprisingly broke back in the second game when Mandlikova double-faulted at game point. Mandlikova lost only four points on her serve the rest of the first set and broke Maleeva in the seventh game. Mandlikova’s serve was just as devastating in the second set and she broke Maleeva in the third and fifth games to take control of the match. Mandlikova lost only three points on her serve in the second set with the exception of the sixth game when Maleeva took her to deuce before Mandlikova held with a service winner at game point, in front of a cheering crowd of 6,000 at the Astro Arena.

She already won theHouston event in 1981 Houston, part of the Avon Championships Tour then but at the Summit Arena.