Tennis Roundup : Hlasek to Play Leconte in Brussels Final

Jakob Hlasek of Switzerland, one match away from his third consecutive Nabisco Grand Prix title, and top-seeded Henri Leconte of France won Saturday to reach today’s final of the $490,000 Belgian Indoor Championship at Brussels.

Hlasek led Patrick Kuhnen, 7-6, 3-0, when the West German retired because of illness.

Leconte was erratic, but he overcame fourth-seeded John Fitzgerald of Australia, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

Leconte, ranked 13th in the world, struggled as he failed to concentrate throughout the match, allowing Fitzgerald to take the initiative before he rallied.

Hlasek said the forfeit will help because he has traveled intensely over the past 3 weeks in compiling his 14-game and 2-tournament winning streak. Hlasek will try to become the first player since West Germany’s Boris Becker in 1986 to win 3 straight titles.

“Now I have a full day to rest,” he said.

Kuhnen said he had slept only 1 hour Friday night because of diarrhea. But he did not look tired in the first set.

He and Hlasek tried to dominate on their serves, but Hlasek looked stronger with 8 aces in the first set.

“His reactions were not always that good,” said Hlasek, referring to Kuhnen’s health.

“I was just too weak to play,” Kuhnen said.

Hlasek is trying to add the Brussels title to his first Nabisco Grand Prix title, which he won in London 2 weeks ago, and last week’s event in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Top-seeded Robin White of San Jose and Gigi Fernandez of Puerto Rico and the U.S. pair of Katrina Adams and Zina Garrison will play today in the final of the Virginia Slims World Doubles Championship at Tokyo after semifinal victories.

White and Fernandez beat Patty Fendick of San Francisco and Jill Hetherington of Canada, 7-5, 7-5. Adams and Garrison defeated Eva Pfaff of West Germany and Elizabeth Smylie of Australia, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1.