Shriver Loses Again; Career Doubts Grow

The career of American tennis star Pam Shriver took another downward turn today when she was swept out of a pre-Wimbledon Virginia Slims event in the third round.

Shriver, who has cast doubt in recent weeks on her future in the game, was beaten 7-6, 7-5 by fellow American Ann Henricksson. Shriver was seeded third and is a four-time winner of the event.

“I don’t have a lot of ambition in singles,” Shriver said. “I’m questioning the values of it and don’t know how much I want to play, if at all.”

Second-seeded Zina Garrison dropped the last four games of the second set to 11th-seeded Kathy Rinaldi, but she recovered to reach the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 victory.

Henricksson said Shriver should walk away from the game for a while in order to regain her competitive spirit.

“I don’t think she should be playing. She should get completely away and not come to the courts, not play singles or doubles, just get away,” Henricksson said.

“She is in two minds about whether she wants to play, and no one can play under those circumstances. She’s having a tough time getting her game together, and I was able to take advantage.”

Garrison said that Shriver’s answer may rest within herself and that turning her back on the game would solve nothing.

“The first thing she should do is stop complaining about it,” said Garrison. “I watched her, and she’s not playing that badly.