Fairbank-Nideffer Loses Her Balance, Is Felled by Paulus

The psychological see-saw Escondido’s Ros Fairbank-Nideffer has been riding all week tottered back and forth, then finally knocked her off Thursday afternoon.

The beneficiary was Barbara Paulus, and the Austrian went on to defeat Fairbank-Nideffer, 7-5, 6-3, in a quarterfinal of the $225,000 Great American Bank Tennis Tournament at the San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club.

It has been an suspenseful week for Fairbank-Nideffer. One day, she’s psyched to play a first-round match against Martina Navratilova--before Navratilova withdrew Tuesday because of an ankle injury--and the next day, she’s orchestrating a comeback victory against hometown rival Angelica Gavaldon.

Less than 24 hours later, she’s falling apart at the seams against Paulus, playing what she said was a match she wouldn’t have paid to see.

“I felt I could get back (in it) because the match had been so awful,” Fairbank-Nideffer said. “At that point, I found myself thinking, ‘This is terrible. I wouldn’t pay a dime to be watching this match.’ Both of us were making terrible errors.”

Paulus was less critical of the level of play but agreed that it wasn’t tennis at its best.

“I played well, but I’ve had many better matches,” she said.

After falling behind, 5-2, in the first set, Fairbank-Nideffer got even at 5-5 but eventually lost, 7-5.

The second set was service disaster. Fairbank-Nideffer doubled-faulted seven times, and when she served trailing 5-3, she lost game, set and match by serving double-faults on the final three points.

“It didn’t help that I didn’t have any rhythm on my serve,” she said. “I had been serving well until today, but I’ve made some changes in my serve, and I was having to think too much about it.”

While Fairbank-Nideffer will remember her match against Gavaldon, she said the loss to Paulus will also stay with her.

“I’m very disappointed to lose this match, especially like I did,” she said. “Losing to someone you shouldn’t lose to can shake you up. I wasn’t expected to win, but I believe I can beat her. I usually play well against players ranked ahead of me (she is No. 25 in the world, Paulus No. 18). And I didn’t.”

In the featured evening match, Ann Grossman and fourth-seeded Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere of Bulgaria played out what was a test of baseline longevity, and Grossman lost, 7-5, 6-1.

“Basically, I ran out of gas. I think that’s what it came down to,” said Grossman, who played three consecutive days. “If I had a day off, I definitely would have been stronger in the second set.”

Earlier in the day, third-seeded Zina Garrison of Houston made quick work of France’s Nathalie Herreman, needing a little over an hour to win, 6-2, 6-1.

The field of 32 in the singles draw has been streamlined to six. Joining semifinalists Maleeva-Fragniere and Paulus, who will play Saturday, and quarterfinalist Garrison, are New York’s Terry Phelps, France’s Nathalie Tauziat and West German Steffi Graf, the overwhelming favorite.

But Maleeva-Fragniere figures her chances to win are good, mainly because she’s feeling good.

“I really think I have good chances,” she said. “I think because I’m aggressive, I’ve been hitting the ball really well, I’m confident. And I’m happy with the way I’m playing all week.”

Working in Maleeva-Fragniere’s favor is what some players have described as a vulnerable Graf and that her sister, Katerina Maleeva, might have some advice after playing and losing to Graf in the final of the Canadian Open Sunday in Montreal.

“We haven’t talked yet about (a possible meeting with Graf),” she said. “We’ve talked about her match, we always talk, but I’m sure she’ll give me some advice.

First, she must get past sixth-seeded Paulus. For what it’s worth, Magdalena Maleeva, a third tennis-playing sister who is visiting here this week, says Maleeva-Fragniere’s chances of winning the tournament are “100%.”

“I don’t know Paulus plays,” said Maleeva-Fragniere, ranked ninth in the world. “I suppose it will be a baseline match, because she hits the ball hard. Whoever’s more aggressive will win.”

Grossman missed opportunities. She came back from a 5-2 deficit to even the match in the first set at 5-5 but lost the next two games.

The second set took all of 30 minutes.

“I’m discouraged because I couldn’t win the first set,” Grossman said. “But I’ll use this as a learning experience. Sometimes I want it so bad, I rush, I try to go too fast. I have to slow down. But I learned I can be up there someday. I will be up there.”

Tennis Notes

Terry Phelps, who can be seen here at the pool as often as on the tennis courts, meets Zina Garrison in tonight’s featured match. An avid football fan and friend of the Jets’ Tony Eason, Phelps has snagged some tickets to Saturday night’s Charger-Cowboy game. And the semifinals are scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 Saturday.