TENNIS ROUNDUP : Graf Returns, Scores Thumbs-Up Victory

Steffi Graf, sidelined since breaking her right thumb on Feb. 6, said she felt fine Tuesday and needed only 45 minutes to beat Petra Langrova, 6-1, 6-0, in the Bausch & Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, Fla.

The world’s top-ranked women’s player said the thumb, broken in a skiing accident in Switzerland, was not a problem and predicted the layoff will help her in the long run.

“I missed maybe two or three tournaments, but I don’t think it hurts me at all,” Graf said. “I felt good being away. It should keep me fresh for other tournaments.”

The match was the first for Graf since Feb. 4, when she beat Arantxa Sanchez the final of the Pan Pacific Open in Japan. Two days later, Graf fell on her right hand trying to evade photographers at St. Moritz, Switzerland. She originally hadn’t planned to return until April 30, but the thumb healed quicker than expected.

Also, Graf has lost to Gabriela Sabatini in this tournament each of the last two years. Sabatini defeated Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, 6-2, 6-1, in their second-round match.

“It’s a tournament where I haven’t done as I have in others, but I lost twice with Gabriela playing above her level,” Graf said. “I want to (win) this time.”

Graf said it took hours of practice to regain command of her game. At times during the layoff, she said, she played left-handed because of stiffness in her right wrist.

“It took days to hit my first backhand,” she said. “It took me days to hit my first overhand, the first volley. It was kind of funny, but it was good because there was always something new to be happy about.”

Other second-round winners included No. 4 Zina Garrison, 6-3, 6-7 (7-1), 6-0 over Barbara Romano; No. 5 Natalia Zvereva, 6-2, 6-2, over Ann Grossman, and No. 8 Gretchen Magers, 6-1, 6-4, over Camille Benjamin.

Martin Jaite of Argentina, seeded No. 2, beat West German Markus Zoecke, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1), to advance to the third round of the Count of Godo tournament at Barcelona, Spain. Carlos Costa of Barcelona upset ninth-ranked Petr Korda of Czechoslovakia, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, and eighth-seeded Thomas Muster of Austria lost to Goran Prpic, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.