Lloyd Returns to Action, Is Upset by Gompert in Florida, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2

Chris Evert Lloyd’s comeback to tournament tennis ended quickly as Kate Gompert upset the world’s second-ranked player, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, Thursday night in the third round of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida.

The tournament was Lloyd’s first since a five-month layoff forced by a knee injury. After getting a first-round bye, the top-seeded Lloyd had trouble subduing Elna Reinach of South Africa, 6-4, 6-2, in the second round Tuesday.

“I think Kate played a great match, maybe the match of her life,” Lloyd said. “Especially in the third set, she hit some great angle shots and didn’t miss many.

“I guess five months is a long time. Even though I felt 100% out there, I may be going through some apprehension.”

Gompert, named the tour’s most improved player in 1986, said she felt mixed emotions after the victory. “I felt guilty, almost, in beating Chris,” the 24-year-old left-hander from Rancho Mirage, Calif., said. “I always looked up to her.”

In the other night match, second-seeded Steffi Graf of West Germany needed only 34 minutes to beat Sara Gomer of England, 6-0, 6-0, allowing 19 points in the 12 games.

Thursday afternoon, Gigi Fernandez of Puerto Rico upset eighth-seeded Catarina Lindqvist of Sweden, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Also reaching the quarterfinals were Pam Shriver, Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch of West Germany, Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina and Bettina Bunge of Monaco.