French Open : Mandlikova Is Upset by Kohde-Kilsch, 6-4, 6-4

Hana Mandlikova’s dream of repeating her 1981 French Open triumph was shattered Monday by Claudia Kohde-Kilsch.

But Jimmy Connors was still in the running for his first-ever French Open final after he rallied to reach the quarterfinals in the men’s singles.

Mandlikova, seeded No. 3, was expected to meet defending champion Martina Navratilova in the semifinals, but she was stopped by the No. 7-seeded player from West Germany, 6-4, 6-4.

“I thought I was in good shape, but maybe I should get in better shape,” the 23-year-old Czech said after her loss.

Connors, the men’s No. 3-seeded player whose best performances at Roland Garros were in reaching the semifinals in 1979, 1980 and 1984, lost the first set to Francesco Cancelotti of Italy before running off with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-2 victory.

Said Connors: “I would love to make the final here. Being in the quarterfinals doesn’t make my day.”

Defending champions Ivan Lendl and Martina Navratilova each dropped only four games as they continued their march toward the final. Lendl stopped No. 10-seeded Aaron Krickstein, 6-2, 6-2, 6-0, while Navratilova eliminated Italy’s Anna Maria Cecchini, 6-2, 6-2.

Lendl will face Argentina’s Martin Jaite, and Connors will take on Stefan Edberg in the men’s quarterfinals. Jaite advanced with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Heinz Gunthardt of Switzerland, while Edberg, seeded No. 14, upset his Swedish Davis Cup doubles teammate, the No. 6-seeded Anders Jarryd, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Kohde-Kilsch broke Mandlikova’s serve in the ninth game of each set and then held her own service throughout.

Of her clash with Navratilova in the semifinal, Kohde-Kilsch said: “I think I have a chance because I have nothing to lose.”

Connors’ forehand errors virtually presented the first set to Cancelotti. But he bounced back to take the next set in 34 minutes, yielding only six points, and then blasted his way to victory with his best tennis of the tournament.

“There was some pretty good tennis from me,” Connors said afterward. Explaining why he lost the first set, he said: “I was rushing myself. I felt so good out there I had to slow myself down.”

It was Edberg’s third victory over Jarryd in seven career meetings.

The two play doubles on Sweden’s Davis Cup squad and have reached the quarterfinals here in the men’s doubles, where they are one of the favorites.

Last December, Edberg and Jarryd teamed to defeat John McEnroe and Peter Fleming and clinch Sweden’s Davis Cup victory over the United States.