Top Players Advance in Australia

Top-seeded Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia and longtime rivals Martina Navaratilova and Chris Evert posted easy victories today in the opening round of the $1.9-million Australian Open Tennis Championships.

Lendl, the world’s No. 1 player, outclassed 18-year-old Australian Bryan Roe 6-3, 7-6, 6-2. Evert, seeking her third women’s singles title in this Grand Slam event, routed fellow American Gretchen Magers 6-4, 6-0, while Navratilova, seeded No. 2 and seeking her third consecutive Grand Slam singles title, downed Australian Elizabeth Minter 6-3, 6-0. Australian Pat Cash, who was the target of anti-apartheid protesters for playing in the South African Open last year, won his first-round match in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4, against Thomas Muster of Austria.