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Capriati Wastes No Time Beating Sukova Again

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From Associated Press

Jennifer Capriati, America’s neatest 13-year-old, continues to clean up.

Capriati beat 10th-ranked Helena Sukova for the second time in eight days Saturday. The 6-3, 6-2 victory in the second round of the International Players Championships took only 51 minutes.

Capriati, 7-1 since turning pro this month, said she was glad to prove that her straight-set victory over Sukova in last week’s Virginia Slims of Florida was “not a fluke.”

“Now I know it wasn’t lucky the first time, you know?” she said. “And that the second time I can play as well and beat her again.”

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Sukova, seeded No. 6, was joined on the sidelines by two upset victims, No. 2 Zina Garrison and No. 8 Tim Mayotte. Top-ranked Ivan Lendl and No. 3 Stefan Edberg dodged early elimination by winning three-set matches.

Garrison blew a 4-0 lead in the third set and lost to Julie Halard, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Former champion Mayotte was eliminated by Alexander Volkov, 6-1, 6-4.

Edberg needed more than two hours and a late service break for a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Roger Smith, ranked No. 291. Lendl rallied to beat Jens Wohrmann, 6-7 (7-3), 6-2, 6-1.

Women’s seeds advancing included No. 1 Gabriela Sabatini (6-3, 6-4 over Sandra Wasserman), No. 3 Monica Seles (6-1, 6-4 over Linda Harvey-Wild) and No. 4 Manuela Maleeva (6-0, 6-2 over Donna Faber). All seeds were playing their first match in the tournament after opening-round byes.

Capriati’s second victory over Sukova was even easier than the first. Capriati committed just 11 unforced errors, while the Czech struggled throughout.

Capriati, who would be ranked No. 83 if she had played in enough tournaments to qualify, next faces Patty Fendick, ranked No. 48.

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Mayotte struggled with his usually powerful serve against Volkov, finishing with no aces and three double faults. The American won this tournament in 1985, but has been eliminated in his first match each of the past two years.

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