Tennis Roundup : South Africans’ Nationality Concealed

Christo Steyn and Danie Visser, South Africans whose nationality was concealed by tournament officials, Tuesday advanced to the second round of the $375,000 Canadian Open Tennis Championships in Toronto.

Steyn defeated Canadian Stephane Bonneau, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), and Visser eliminated Scott Davis from Bardmoor, Fla., 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

Tournament officials listed both Visser and Steyn as Americans. The South African flag is not among those flying above center court. A tournament spokesman said the move was made to “avoid possible embarrassment and protests, and because the two players live much of the time in the United States.”

At one point in Visser’s match a fan yelled: “South Africans go home.” Visser said he heard the remark.

Visser lists his residence as Pretoria, South Africa, and Steyn lists his as Potchefstroon, South Africa. The players said they were unaware they had been identified as Americans.

Tournament chairman John Shipton, however, said: “They were asked and they gave their permission. We don’t change peoples’ nationalities without telling them.”

Steyne said neither he nor Visser was asked by officials how they wished to be identified.

“We are proud to be South Africans,” Steyne said.

A tournament spokesman said the decision to conceal the nationalities of the two South African players was made on the weekend.

The spokesman said the South African flag will be raised alongside the others, and the players will be properly identified beginning with their second-round matches Wednesday.

Tim Wilkison, the No. 13 seed from Ashville, N.C., held off a strong challenge from Frenchman Guy Forget before winning, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

South African-born Kevin Curren, playing only his second tournament since his first-round elimination at Wimbledon, disposed of Mike Leach of Laguna Beach, 6-2, 6-4.

In other matches, 10th seed Slobodan Zivojinovic of Yugoslavia beat Mark Edmonson of Australia, 6-2, 6-4 and Ramesh Krishnan, the 16 seed from India beat Peter Fleming from Glen Cove, N.Y., 6-2, 6-3.

Third-seeded Paul McNamee of Australia defeated Stansialv Birner of Czechoslovakia, 6-2, 6-3, to advance to the second round of a $100,000 men’s Grand Prix tennis tournament in Saint Vincent, Italy.

McNamee, 31, a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion, needed a little more than an hour to beat Birner.

Other seeds who advanced Tuesday were No. 4 Pavel Slozil of Czechoslovakia and No. 5 Argentine Eduardo Bengoechea.

Slozil mowed down Italian Eugenio Rossi with minimal resistance, 7-5, 6-3. Bengoechea eliminated compatriot Gustavo Tiberti 6-3, 6-4.

McNamee knocked off Birner, who became frustrated and error-prone in the swirling wind that plagued the match.

McNamee built a 3-0 first set lead on Birner, a clay-courter who couldn’t acclimate himself to the strong mountain wind. The Czechoslovakian claimed two games to move to 2-3, but the Australian relied on his strong baseline game to win the set, 6-2.

Unseeded Andre Agassi of Las Vegas defeated Brett Dickinson, also of Las Vegas, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5, in the opening round of the Pilot Pen Open tournament in New Haven, Conn.

Agassi, 16, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Volvo International last week, beating Scott Davis and Tim Mayotte, before losing to John McEnroe.

Other winners in Tuesday’s opening round of the $25,000 tournament on Yale University courts included No. 3 seed Ben Testerman of Knoxville, Tenn. Testerman defeated Craig Campbell of South Africa, 6-2, 6-2.