Tennis Roundup : By Winning Tiebreakers, Shriver Gets Past Novotna

Top-seeded Pam Shriver outlasted Jana Novotna, 7-6, 7-6, Sunday at Brisbane, Australia, to win a $162,000 women’s tournament in 90-degree temperatures that caused one spectator to faint during the match.

It took the world’s fourth-ranked player almost two hours to beat the 19-year-old from Czechoslovakia. Novotna had chances to win both sets, but Shriver fought back on each occasion.

She was forced to save four set points in a first-set tiebreaker before clinching it, 8-6. Shriver also broke Novotna twice when she was serving for the second set.

“It was just one of those matches when you have to hang in there,” Shriver said. “I came up with good shots when I had to.”

Novotna was ahead, 6-2, in the first-set tiebreaker when she committed a foot fault and then double-faulted.

With Novotna serving for the set at 6-5, Shriver appealed to the umpire to halt play to enable a woman spectator overcome by the heat to be carried from the stands.

Novotna fought back in the second set, breaking Shriver’s serve twice to lead 3-0. Shriver pulled back to 5-5, but dropped her next serve. Shriver then broke Novotna to force a second tiebreaker, which she won 7-4.

“I was ready to die on the court,” Novotna said. “I was up 3-love in the second set, but I didn’t have enough power to win it.”

Shriver won $25,000, while Novotna, playing in her first Virginia Slims final, earned $12,750.

“Jana played unbelievably,” Shriver said. “It was hard to believe it was her first final.”

Sixth-seeded Ramesh Krishnan of India beat fourth-seeded Andrei Chesnokov of the Soviet Union, 6-7, 6-0, 6-4, 6-3, to win the New Zealand Open at Wellington.

At Adelaide, Australia, third-seeded Mark Woodforde upset fellow Australian Wally Masur, 6-2, 6-4, to win the $93,400 South Australian Open.