Tennis Roundup : Navratilova Defeats Seles for Dallas Title

Martina Navratilova played her first match against 15-year-old Monica Seles Sunday, and she was impressed. Not overwhelmed. Navratilova did prevail, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, to win the $250,000 women’s professional tennis tournament in Dallas.

Navratilova, ranked No. 2 in the world, admitted a great respect for the young woman from Yugoslavia after the match. “If she keeps improving, we’ll all be in trouble,” Navratilova said.

Navratilova was steady against the newcomer--even when Seles had two set points in Navratilova’s serve at 5-6 in the first set.

Navratilova saved the first one with a big second serve to Seles’ forehand. When the 30-40 point developed into a baseline rally, Seles’ specialty, the teen-ager tried for a big shot, a down-the-line forehand off her opponent’s crosscourt shot. She pushed it wide. Navratilova quickly won that game to get into a tiebreaker.

It was the ninth Dallas singles title for Navratilova, who won a $50,000 first prize.

Andres Gomez of Ecuador defeated Horst Skoff of Austria to win a $500,000 tournament in Barcelona, Spain.

Gomez, seeded 12th, won, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, before about 6,000 at the Royal Tennis Club.

Gomez, who upset top-seeded Ivan Lendl in the semifinals Saturday, gained an easy victory over the 10th-seeded Skoff.

Gustavo Luza and Christian Miniussi of Argentina won the men’s doubles final by defeating Sergio Casal of Spain and Tomas Smid of Czechoslovakia, 6-3, 6-3.