Steffi Graf Returns to Action With an Easy Victory

West German Steffi Graf, ranked No. 3 in the world, defeated Angeliki Kanellopoulou of Greece, 6-2, 6-0, in 35 minutes Wednesday night to advance to the third round of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida women’s tennis tournament.

Seeded second to Chris Evert Lloyd, who won her second-round match Tuesday, Graf suffered just one lapse in her match. She double-faulted twice and lost service in the third game but quickly recovered to take the next 11 games, losing only 11 points.

“The first few games were not easy for me,” Graf said after her first tournament match since last November. “But I think she did not serve as well as she can. I haven’t played tournaments, but I have practiced well and I’m playing well.”

In another second-round night match, sixth-seeded Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina beat Annabel Croft of England, 6-2, 6-4.

Earlier in the day, third-seeded Pam Shriver of Lutherville, Md., downed Dinky Van Rensburg of South Africa, 6-3, 6-2, and fourth-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia eliminated Jo Durie of Great Britain, 6-4, 6-3, after a four-hour rain delay.