Newport Beach Tennis : Curren Gains Sweep of Gerulaitis : South African’s Powerful Serve Isn’t Broken in Final Set

South African Kevin Curren, ranked 20th in the world, defeated Vitas Gerulaitis of New York, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1, Friday night in the quarterfinals of the $75,000 Hartmarx Tennis Classic at the John Wayne Tennis Club in Newport Beach.

Gerulaitis, who retired after the 1985 season, was the 1977 Australian Open champion and was runner-up in the 1979 U.S. Open and 1980 French Open.

At 33, he proved to still possess the speed he was known for in his pro circuit days. He took Curren into a 7-5 tiebreaker before losing the first set.

“I hardly play at all, so I was surprised that I was hitting some of the shots I hit,” Gerulaitis said.

Curren, however, came back with a series of ripping forehands and lobs in the second set that Gerulaitis just couldn’t get to.

“I felt good out there,” said Curren, who was a 1985 Wimbledon finalist. “The second set is when I really started to get my shots in.”

Curren, 29, is known for his powerful serve, and he used his weapon wisely in the second set. Gerulaitis couldn’t break his serve once in that set.

“I’ve had good matches, and I haven’t been losing to just anybody,” Curren said of his tournaments this year. “But I’m still not satisfied with my performance.”

He said Friday night was good practice: “Great opportunity to work on those first volleys.”

Curren was out for most of the 1986 season with a wrist injury that caused him to miss the indoor season and part of the clay season.

He is looking forward to today’s semifinal match against Richey Reneberg, who defeated Scott Davis on Thursday.

In the first match Friday, Australians John Fitzgerald and Phil Dent, who lives in Newport Beach, took center court for a mismatch.

Fitzgerald, 26, ranked 180th in the world, had little trouble defeating 37-year-old Dent, 6-4, 6-2. Dent, who has played in only one other tournament in five years, was a singles runner-up in the 1974 U.S. Open. He filled in at the last minute for Jimmy Grabb, who sprained his ankle Wednesday.

Fitzgerald will face Wimbledon champion Pat Cash in a semifinal today. Cash defeated Vijay Amritraj in three sets on Thursday.