TENNIS ROUNDUP : It’s Another Easy Victory for No. 1 Graf

Steffi Graf beat Mary Joe Fernandez, 6-3, 7-5, Thursday in the second round of a $500,000 women’s tournament at Essen, West Germany.

Graf, the world’s No. 1 player, had few problems in the first set, using her powerful forehand and well-placed returns. She had a 5-0 lead 15 minutes into the match.

In other second round matches, Bulgaria’s Manuela Maleeva beat Arantxa Sanchez of Spain, 6-2, 6-7 (7-1), 6-2, Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina beat Czechoslovakia’s Helena Sukova, 6-2, 6-3, and Yugoslavia’s Monica Seles rallied to beat Zina Garrison, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Second-seeded Jay Berger defeated Mark Koevermans of the Netherlands, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, in the quarterfinals of a $305,000 tournament at Itaparica, Brazil.

Defending champion Jaime Yzaga of Peru also advanced to the semifinals with a 6-1, 1-6, 7-5 win over Marcelo Filippini of Uruguay.

Spain’s Emilio Sanchez beat Brazil’s Luiz Mattar in a three-hour match, 6-1, 6-7 (7-1), 6-4.