Rinaldi Upsets Sukova to Reach WTA Semifinals

Sixth-seeded Kathy Rinaldi upset third-seeded Helena Sukova Friday, while top-seeded Steffi Graf overcame an upset stomach to win her quarterfinal match in the $275,000 Women’s Tennis Assn. Championships.

Rinaldi defeated Sukova, 6-1, 7-5, to advance to the semifinals against Graf, who beat unseeded Laura Gildemeister of Peru, 6-3, 6-2.

“I think I ate too close to the match,” said Graf, of West Germany. “I didn’t feel well and I didn’t play well. It’s good when you cannot play well and still win.”

There was nothing sluggish about Rinaldi’s victory over Sukova. After blitzing the Czechoslovakian in the first set, Rinaldi fell behind, 3-2, before breaking Sukova’s serve to tie the score. The players alternated serves until 6-5, when Rinaldi broke Sukova to win the match.

“I felt very tense out there,” Rinaldi said. “And I think she was, too. Every time we’ve played each other, it’s been a tough, close match. We’ve both had a history of being up and losing.”

In the other half of the draw, second-seeded Claudia Kohde-Kilsch of West Germany beat unseeded Angeliki Kanellopoulou of Greece, 6-0, 6-0, in 51 minutes.