Tennis Roundup : Graf Comes Back With a Win

Steffi Graf of West Germany bounced back from her loss to Gabriela Sabatini by downing Jana Novotna of Czechoslovakia, 6-2, 6-2, Wednesday in the first round of the $2.1-million Lipton International Players Championships at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Graf said Sunday’s defeat by Sabatini in the final of a tournament at Boca Raton, Fla., will help her. “It was hard for me, but I’m going to be much tougher now,” Graf said. “I think I’m more eager than before.”

In other matches, eighth-seeded Zina Garrison beat Jill Hetherington of Canada, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4; ninth-seeded Barbara Potter turned back Andrea Holikova of Czechoslovakia, 6-4, 7-6; No. 13 Nathalie Tauziat topped Dinky Van Rensburg of South Africa, 7-6, 6-3, and No. 15 Mary Jo Fernandez eliminated Halle Cioffi, 6-2, 6-2.

In the men’s draw, Kevin Curren suffered a thigh injury and retired while leading Thomas Muster of Austria, 1-0, in the fifth set.

In other matches, ninth-seeded Andre Agassi advanced to the third round by beating Tom Nijssen of the Netherlands, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; No. 4 Tim Mayotte of Bradenton, Fla., rallied past Niclas Kroon of Sweden, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3; No. 8 Martin Jaite of Argentina eliminated Libor Pimek of Czechoslovakia, 6-4, 6-0, 6-3, and Aaron Krickstein outlasted No. 24 Peter Lundgren of Sweden, 4-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.