Sabatini Puts End to Gompert’s Upset String

Sixth-seeded Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina ended the surprising run of unseeded Kate Gompert, 6-2, 6-1, Friday night in the quarterfinals of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida tennis tournament.

Gompert, who upset top-seeded Chris Evert Lloyd Thursday and 11th-seeded Carling Bassett Monday, never was in her match with Sabatini. The 16-year-old Sabatini needed just an hour to finish off Gompert.

“Trite as it sounds, it’s hard to come back after beating a legend the day before,” Gompert said.

Earlier Friday, second-seeded Steffi Graf survived her first real challenge of the week, beating fellow West German Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, 7-6, 6-2.

In today’s semifinals, Graf will play third-seeded Pam Shriver, who beat Gigi Fernandez of Puerto Rico, 6-3, 6-3, and Sabatini will go against fourth-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia. Sukova defeated seventh-seeded Bettina Bunge, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6.