Wilander and Becker Get to Quarterfinals

Mats Wilander and Boris Becker, the top two seeds, played streaky tennis but still qualified for the quarterfinals of the $607,500 Monte Carlo Open tennis tournament today.

Wilander, ranked second in the world, ran off four games in a row in both the first and second sets to beat Uruguay’s Marcelo Filippini 6-4, 6-4.

The Swede, a two-time French Open champion, was joined in the quarterfinals by two-time Wimbledon champion Becker. The No. 2 seed downed 16th-seeded Jordi Arrese of Spain 6-1, 6-3, winning six games in a row in the second set.

In other third-round play, Carl Uwe Steeb of West Germany made short work of Paolo Cane, Monday’s winner over Jimmy Connors, 6-4, 6-1. Horst Skoff of Austria, the 13th seed, ousted last year’s finalist, Martin Jaite of Argentina, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5). Alberto Mancini of Argentina, seeded 14th, topped Carl Limberger of Australia 6-1, 6-3.

Also, Ronald Agenor of Haiti, the No. 10 seed, eliminated the last Frenchman, Guy Forget, 6-2, 7-5; Guillermo Perez-Roldan of Argentina, seeded eighth, beat ninth-seeded Jonas Svensson of Sweden 7-5, 7-6 (7-5); and Jan Gunnasson of Sweden defeated Patrick Kuhnen of West Germany 7-5, 6-2.

‘Good Mental Test’

After an early rain, the sun broke out in the afternoon, but it started raining again in the middle of Wilander’s match.

“It’s difficult conditions to play in, but it’s a good mental test,” Wilander said.

Wilander came from 2-4 down in both the first and second sets, turning his game around and forcing mistakes from the 21-year-old Uruguayan, rated 46th in the world.

Wilander has had a poor season after losing his No. 1 ranking after the Australian Open. He has failed to go past the third round of any tournament in 1988 and lost twice in the Davis Cup against Austria, although Sweden won.

“I’m not putting any pressure on myself yet. Maybe later, before the French Open,” Wilander said. “But I’m happy with every win.”