Tennis Roundup : Gomez Gives Ecuador 1-0 Lead Over U.S. in Davis Cup

Ecuador took a 1-0 lead over the United States when Andres Gomez defeated Jimmy Arias, 7-5, 4-6, 4-6, 9-7, 6-4, Friday at Guayaquil, Ecuador, in a Davis Cup match that lasted 4 1/2 hours.

The match was played before 6,000 spectators at Francisco Segura Cano stadium.

In the day’s second match, Aaron Krickstein led Ecuador’s Raul Viver, 8-6, 6-1, 2-2, before play was suspended. The match is scheduled to be resumed today at 8 a.m. PST.

A doubles match between Ken Flach and Robert Seguso of the United States and Gomez and Raul Ycaza is scheduled for 10 a.m. PST.

“I was tremendously affected by the heat,” Arias said, following his match. “The sun made me feel bad at the end of the first set. Fortunately, a big gray cloud protected me in the second and third sets.”

Mexico tied West Germany, 1-1, at Mexico City when Francisco Maciel defeated Michael Westphal, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2, in another Davis Cup competition. Earlier, West Germany’s Boris Becker beat Leonardo Lavalle, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

The 18-year-old Becker, ranked No. 5 in the world, dominated the 18-year-old Lavalle before about 5,000 spectators.

Becker, the Wimbledon champion, and Lavalle, the junior Wimbledon champion, are considered the best players on their teams.

Helena Sukova, who had not won even a set from Hana Mandlikova in nine previous meetings, defeated the No. 2-seeded player, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 to gain the final of the $150,000 U.S. Women’s Indoor championships at Piscataway, N.J.

Today, Sukova will meet No. 1-seeded Martina Navratilova, who beat Pam Shriver, 6-4, 6-4.