Tennis Roundup : Berger Wins in 5 Sets, Gives U.S. 1-0 Lead
Jay Berger defeated Peru’s Pablo Arraya in a five-set marathon Friday to give the United States a 1-0 lead in their Davis Cup American Zone semifinal match at Lima, Peru.
Berger, ranked 37th in the world, outlasted Arraya, who is 134th, 7-5, 6-1, 5-7, 1-6, 7-5, in a match that lasted 5 hours 45 minutes.
The second singles match, between the U.S. team’s best player, Andre Agassi, 17, and Jaime Yzaga, 19, was suspended because of darkness after the two players split the first 10 games. Davis Cup rules forbid match play under artificial light.
Yzaga is ranked No. 71 in the world; Agassi is No. 15.
Their match will resume today before a scheduled doubles match between Robert Seguso and Ken Flach of the United States against Yzaga and Carlos Di Laura.
In singles play Sunday, Berger will face Yzaga and Agassi will play Arraya.
Eighth-seeded Paul Annacone upset top-seeded Jimmy Connors, 7-5, 6-1, in the quarterfinals of a $315,000 Volvo tennis tournament at Chicago.
It was Annacone’s first victory over Connors.
“I hate to say this, but there were a lot of bad calls, both ways,” Annacone said. “I think that bothered Jimmy a little more than me.”
Annacone’s opponent in today’s semifinal will be third-seeded Brad Gilbert, who eliminated Gary Muller of South Africa, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3.
In other matches, second-seeded Tim Mayotte defeated Dan Goldie, 6-1, 6-1, and Scott Davis beat John Ross, 6-3, 6-1.
At Hilton Head Island, S.C., top-seeded Martina Navratilova overcame Rafaella Reggi of Italy, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, in the quarterfinals of the $300,000 Family Circle Magazine Cup.
Navratilova will meet third-seeded Manuela Maleeva of Bulgaria in the semifinals. Maleeva beat fifth-seeded Lori McNeil, 7-6, 6-4.
Earlier, Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina eliminated Sylvia Hanika of West Germany, 6-2, 6-2, and Zina Garrison beat Helen Kelesi of Canada, 7-6, 6-1. Kelesi, 18, had upset fourth-seeded Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Thursday.
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