Kruger Makes Most of Rare Tennis Tournament Appearance

Jack Kruger of La Jolla has given new meaning to the term “tournament tough” during the 73rd Robins Group La Jolla Tennis Championships.

Kruger, who hadn’t played a singles match in a tournament since he reached the semifinals of the La Jolla tournament two years ago, upset competition-tested and top-seeded Yoram Baron, 6-4, 6-4, at the La Jolla Recreation Center to reach today’s men’s singles final.

Baron, who plays No. 1 singles at U.S. International, never could seem to get his rhythm against an attacking Kruger, who played collegiately at USC. Kruger broke Barom once in each set and held serve throughout the match, which lasted just over an hour.

“My second serve and my volleys were really key today,” Kruger said.

After graduating from USC in 1981, Kruger briefly played the satellite tour, but he lately has been limiting his tournaments to one a year--La Jolla. Last year, he stuck to doubles here.

Kruger, seeded fourth, said his aggressive style seemed to offset his tournament rustiness.

“With my game, if I’m playing well, I can play with anybody,” said Kruger, who won the tournament in 1980.

Because of Kruger’s constant pressure, Baron never was able whack away from the baseline.

“He’s a ground stroker, and he’s not used to the chips,” Kruger said. “He’s got a big looping swing, and I never really gave him a chance to take full swings.”

Kruger’s opponent today, second-seeded Scott Patridge of La Jolla, is almost a mirror image. Patridge, who defeated unseeded Jim Ferrari of San Diego, 6-3, 6-0, also likes to serve and volley.

“I try to hit and get to the net,” Patridge said. “It should be a race to the net (today).”

Although he won rather easily, Patridge said he must raise his game a level or two if he is going to beat Kruger.

“I don’t think either one of us was really on today,” said Patridge, who played four years at USD, including No. 1 and 2 singles in 1988. “At the beginning I wanted to keep the points short and not let him get his game going. I think that seemed to work.”

In the women’s semifinals, top-seeded Lisa Seemann of Solvang advanced to the final with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over fourth-seeded Carolyn Reed of Escondido, and unseeded Luann Klimchock of Tempe, Ariz., won a 2 1/2-hour match over Shelley Zeeman of Kapalua, Hawaii, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Seemann, who played collegiately at UC Santa Barbara, said the key was getting her service.

“I wanted to get my first serve in so I could come in and serve and volley,” Seemann said. “I stayed patient and aggressive, but I have to play better (today).”

Seemann is using the La Jolla tournament to prepare for the U.S. Tennis Assn. satellite circuit, which she begins July 30 in Virginia.

Klimchock, a freshman at Arizona State, said Zeeman’s keep-the-ball-in-play style was a good test for her.

“It’s nice to play against somebody who hits a lot of balls,” she said.

The fifth game of the third set, though, was a little ridiculous. At one point, Klimchock yelled to Zeeman, “Do you want to just flip for it?” The game lasted 35 minutes and included 15 deuce scores.

Klimchock lost the first set, 6-4, after coming back from a 4-0 deficit. But in the second set, an umpire’s call seemed to bring Klimchock to life.

“It kind of got me mad,” she said. “It woke me up.”

The women’s final begins at 9 a.m. today, the men’s at 10:30 a.m.