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Connors Gone, Graf Wins in French Open : Heat Takes Its Toll of ‘Miracle Man’ in 4 1/2-Hour Match

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From Associated Press

Jimmy Connors, so often the miracle man of tennis, battled in the sun for almost 4 1/2 hours but ran out of miracles today and lost 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 to fellow American Jay Berger in the second round of the men’s singles at the French Open.

But defending women’s champion Steffi Graf hardly broke into a sweat as she overwhelmed Bettina Fulco of Argentina 6-0, 6-1 in 47 minutes to charge into the third round in pursuit of a third straight French title.

The tenacious Connors, the No.9 seed and possibly making his last appearance at the French Open at age 36, was cheered on by a packed, excited Center Court crowd. He tried everything he knew to fight off Berger and stay in the hunt for the one Grand Slam event he never has won.

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But Berger, the world’s 28th-ranked player enjoying a season that has reaped victories over Boris Becker and Mats Wilander, wore down the street-fighting Connors after 4 hours, 26 minutes of energy-sapping base line tennis.

It was Connors’ earliest exit at Roland Garros since 1973 when he lost in the first round.

“This is just a great win for me after losing three times to him,” Berger said. “It was such a battle. I’m so drained right now I can barely talk.”

Connors said he has nothing to be ashamed of after putting on a typically never-say-die performance.

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“All I can do is go out and fight till death. It was not exactly like a walk in the park. I could have played a fifth set. My mouthpiece wasn’t knocked out,” he said.

Connors began in typical fashion, rallying from a 4-1 deficit to win five straight games and take the opening set.

But once Berger had squared the match, the veteran Connors had a fight on his hands against an opponent 14 years younger.

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Later in the day, the No. 2 and No. 3 men’s seeds, Becker of West Germany and Sweden’s Stefan Edberg, both gained the third round in straight sets.

Becker ousted Eric Winogradsky of France 7-6, 7-5, 6-2, while Edberg eliminated Venezuela’s Nicolas Pereira 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 after trailing 4-1 in the opening set.

Following Connors out of the tournament was another American seed, No. 14 Aaron Krickstein, who blew a two-set lead against Australia’s Mark Woodforde and lost 1-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Earlier, Gabriela Sabatini, edging closer to a confrontation with defending champion Graf, became the first player to reach the third round of the championships, sweeping past Alexia Dechaume of France 6-3, 6-1.

As Sabatini came off the court after her 1-hour, 12-minute victory, her half of the draw suddenly opened up as the player due to meet her in the last eight, Helena Sukova, was upset in straight sets on a side court. The fifth-seeded Czechoslovakian lost 6-1, 7-5 to Japan’s Akiko Kijimuta.

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