Tennis Roundup : Connors, McEnroe Fall Short

Stefan Edberg of Sweden overcame John McEnroe, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, Sunday in the final of the $315,000 ABN World tournament at Rotterdam. It was the 21-year-old Swede’s first win against McEnroe in six matches.

Edberg collected $50,000 for his third tournament victory this year and increased his earnings to more than $263,000, the most on the pro tour in 1987.

McEnroe, in the midst of another comeback after a series of injuries, won $25,000. In their five previous matches, he never lost a set to Edberg.

After winning the first set, breaking Edberg in the sixth game, McEnroe began playing cautiously.

“I was tentative in certain situations,” McEnroe said. “I lost a little zip on my first serve and didn’t feel as confident.”

Edberg said McEnroe looked tired and wasn’t moving well.

In the third game of the third set, Edberg broke McEnroe’s serve to lead, 2-1.

In the fifth game, McEnroe was broken at love and trailed, 4-1. In the next game, McEnroe had three break points on Edberg’s service but couldn’t convert. Edberg saved the game with some booming serves and service-winners to lead, 5-1.

He then served out the set and match.

Jimmy Connors’ 29-month victory drought continued when little-known Christo van Rensburg of South Africa stunned him, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, in the final of the $315,000 Paine Webber tournament at Orlando, Fla.

Connors, who hasn’t won a tournament since the Tokyo Indoor in October of 1984, has lost eight finals in a row. Connors had trouble with his serve throughout the match and lost all three of his service games in the final set.

Van Rensburg, playing in his first Nabisco Grand Prix singles final, won $50,000. Connors collected $25,000.

Connors was disappointed. “I just couldn’t hold my serve,” he said. “I don’t think I played badly. Maybe I have to play (John) McEnroe, (Boris) Becker or (Ivan) Lendl to win a final.”

Top-seeded Chris Evert Lloyd won her first tournament since last year’s French Open with a 6-1, 6-3 blitz of second-seeded Pam Shriver in the final of a $250,000 Virginia Slims tournament in Dallas.

Lloyd, rounding into form in her third tournament after a five-month break, earned $50,000 for her 149th professional title. Shriver, who has never beaten Lloyd in 10 career matches, won $22,500.

Shriver made a brief rally in the second set, narrowing Lloyd’s edge to 4-3. However, Lloyd broke back in the eighth game, then held when Shriver hit a backhand wide at match point.