Vilas Gets Off to Slow Start but Still Defeats Amritraj

Argentine Guillermo Vilas struggled early but regained his form Tuesday night to defeat India’s Vijay Amritraj, 7-5, 6-2, in the first round of the $100,000 River Oaks Tennis Tournament.

The 11th game of the first set, which was the turning point in the match, went to five deuces before Vilas broke Amritraj to go ahead, 6-5.

Vilas then held his serve without dropping a point to win the set.

In earlier matches, Ramesh Krishnan of India took advantage of numerous errors by Sammy Giammalva to record a 6-0, 6-4 victory, and Boris Becker of West Germany defeated John Boytim, 6-4, 6-4.

Krishnan captured the first set easily. Giammalva trailed, 3-1, in the second set before rallying to within 5-4.

But at deuce in the 10th game, Giammalva, who finished second in the tournament last year, double faulted, then hit a backhand shot wide giving Krishnan the victory.