Tennis Roundup : Graf Advances When Sukova Quits With Injury

Top-seeded Steffi Graf advanced to the semifinals of the Virginia Slims tennis championships Thursday night in New York when No. 7-seeded Helena Sukova retired in the second set with a neck injury.

Sukova cried as she left the court at Madison Square Garden, trailing, 6-2, 2-0.

Sukova took a five-minute injury timeout after she fell behind, 5-2, in the first set. She returned to the court after being treated, but was still in pain. An official said Sukova had muscle spasms in her neck that caused pain in her left shoulder.

Graf broke Sukova’s serve to take a 2-1 lead and then cruised to victory in the first set. Sukova took 40-love leads in the first two games of the second set, but Graf fought back to win both games.

Graf, who has won 73 of 75 matches this year, said she let down after the first injury delay.

The West German opponent in Saturday’s semifinals will be Sylvia Hanika of West Germany, who defeated Raffaella Reggi of Italy, 6-2, 4-6, 6-0.

In the other semifinal, the Martina Navratilova-Gabriela Sabatini winner will face the Pam Shriver-Manuela Maleeva winner. Both quarterfinal matches are tonight.

Top-seeded Pat Cash of Australia defeated Matt Anger, 6-3, 6-2, in the second round of the $375,000 South African Open at Johannesburg, South Africa.

Second-seeded Andres Gomez of Ecuador beat Guy Forget of France, 6-2, 6-4, and Kevin Curren downed Tim Wilkison, 6-4, 6-4.