Tennis Roundup : Lendl, Becker Advance at London; Borg Beats McEnroe in Exhibition

Ivan Lendl, the world’s No. 1 player, advanced to the quarterfinals of a $375,000 Grand Prix tournament Thursday at London by defeating fellow Czechoslovakian Tomas Smid, 6-2, 6-0, in just 44 minutes.

Meanwhile, Boris Becker, playing in his first tournament in Britain since becoming the youngest Wimbledon men’s champion, had several anxious moments before disposing of Britain’s Jeremy Bates, 7-5, 7-6.

In today’s quarterfinals, Lendl will meet South African-born American, Johan Kriek, the No. 6 seed, who was an easy 6-2, 6-2 winner over Todd Nelson.

In an upset Thursday, David Pate of Las Vegas beat third-seeded Stefan Edberg of Sweden, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5.

Bjorn Borg never trailed in either set and went on to post a 6-4, 7-5 exhibition victory over John McEnroe at Bloomington, Minn. The match at the Met Center was played before a crowd of 15,175 and was the third stop in a six-city, six-night exhibition tour between the two.

At Brisbane, Australia, Britain’s Sara Gomer defeated Australia’s Annabel Croft, 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the quarterfinals of a $150,000 Virginia Slims tournament. Second-seeded Pam Shriver beat France’s Sophie Amiach, 6-0, 6-2, and hometown favorite, Wendy Turnbull beat American Ann Henricksson, 6-2, 6-0.