TENNIS INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPS : Fleurian, Seeded 32nd, Upsets Becker in Third Round

Jean Fleurian went into his match against Boris Becker with reservations.

He had to cancel them.

Fleurian upset the second-ranked Becker, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, Tuesday in the third round of the International Players Championships.

Fleurian, seeded 32nd in the tournament and ranked 46th in the world, had trailed 3-1 in the first set when play was suspended Monday because of rain.

“I was supposed to take my plane flight home Monday night, and I was really mad because I didn’t make it,” the Frenchman said.

“So I made it for tonight. Unfortunately, I won, and now I have to cancel it again.”

Fleurian said he was being realistic, not pessimistic, in booking a flight before the match.

“When you play Boris, you’d better get ready to go back home,” he said.

Fleurian also had to borrow a pair of shorts that were too big for him. He had to use a safety pin to get them to fit.

Another upset winner was 30th-seeded Javier Sanchez of Spain, who beat No. 4 Brad Gilbert, 6-3, 6-7 (14-12), 7-6 (7-4). Gilbert delayed his defeat by surviving five match points, including four in the second set.

Top-ranked Ivan Lendl advanced to the fourth round over Uruguay’s Marcelo Filippini, 6-0, 6-2, in another match suspended Monday because of rain.

Fifth-seeded Andre Agassi defeated Jan Gunnarsson of Sweden, 6-1, 6-3.

In a women’s quarterfinal match, No. 1-seeded Gabriela Sabatini, who has yet to lose a set in nine matches this month, beat Susan Sloane, 6-2, 6-2.

Also, No. 3 Monica Seles beat No. 13 Rosalyn Fairbank, 6-3, 6-4, and No. 4 Manuela Maleeva eliminated No. 10 Raffaella Reggi, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.