Mecir Wants to Extend Streak Over Wilander : Czechoslovakian Tennis Star Has Won Last Three Meetings, Eight of Nine Sets

Last year, Mats Wilander was upset in the fourth round of the U.S. Open by Miloslav Mecir, who went on to become runner-up.

The two will play again this year in the quarterfinals. According to the seedings, No. 2 Wilander will be favored over No. 5 Mecir. But the Czechoslovakian holds a 5-2 advantage in career meetings and has won their last three encounters and eight of the last nine sets.

Wilander says the reason for his losses to Mecir is “I don’t have enough power on my groundstrokes and he can get to all my balls and puts a little more speed on all the balls back to me.

“Maybe it is all mental. It always feels like I play bad against him. I need to get psyched up and, mentally, I have to forget about the past.”

Martina Navratilova shares a sense of unity with Chris Evert as the long-time tour veterans try to fight off the challenges of younger players.

Asked Wednesday about the 32-year-old Evert’s quarterfinal loss to Lori McNeil, Navratilova, 30, said it was inevitable.

“It was obviously just a matter of time, whether they’d get to us first before we retired,” she said.

Arthur Ashe, former winner of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, Wednesday was named national spokesman for the Volvo Tennis Collegiate Series. The $3 million program is designed to benefit players, both men and women, at more than 800 NCAA, NAIA, junior colleges and community colleges.

The Omega Watch Company has announced the establishment of a fund designated exclusively to help junior players with their travel costs.

The fund was established to supplement travel costs for youngsters who qualify for national tournaments from their sections, and resulted from a survey done by Seena Hamilton, a sports marketing consultant, on the high expenses involved for junior players.

Omega already sponsors the Easter Bowl, the top multi-age junior tennis tournament for Americans.