TENNIS ROUNDUP : Becker Too Much for Sampras

Boris Becker broke serve once in each set to defeat fourth-seeded Pete Sampras, 6-4, 6-4, Saturday in the semifinals of the $1.1-million Stockholm Open.

The German star will meet Stefan Edberg of Sweden, who overcame a shaky start to beat Alexander Volkov of the Soviet Union, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

Becker’s third consecutive straight-set victory in the tournament improved his indoor record to 24-1 for the year and 77-5 in the past three years.

Sampras, the U.S. Open champion, said Becker’s experience gave him an edge.

“The difference between Boris and myself is that when it comes to crunch time, to a break point, he’s going to get his first serve in at 120 m.p.h. while I’m going to miss it,” Sampras said.

“That’s what happened in the first set when I double-faulted on a break point. That cost me the set. He’s more experienced. He’s been in these situations much more.”

Becker set up his first break point with sharp service returns. Down 30-40, Sampras then double-faulted, giving Becker a 3-2 lead.

The 19-year-old from Rancho Palos Verdes had two chances to break back to 5-5, “but he served well and there was nothing I could do,” he said.

“His serve was very difficult to read,” Sampras said. “I had no idea where it was going.”

Playing Becker for the first time was about what Sampras expected.

“I knew it would be a very hard-hitting match and it was,” Sampras said. “Boris played unbelieveably well today.”

Becker broke Sampras’ serve in the ninth game of the second set to lead 5-4 as Sampras netted a low backhand volley. He moved to match point with an ace and Sampras then returned wide as Becker came to the net on his first serve.

Becker, who made 65% of his first serves, had eight aces and 18 service winners in the match.

“Sampras is a good player,” Becker said. “He has nice strokes and a good serve. He has the potential to be there for more than just a year.

“But he still has a way to go.”

Top-seeded Steffi Graf of Germany defeated Catarina Lindqvist of Sweden, 6-2, 7-5, in the semifinals of a $350,000 tournament at Brighton, England.

Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia, seeded No. 3, beat second-seeded Katerina Maleeva of Bulgaria, 6-4, 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, to reach her first final in four months and get another shot against her nemesis.

Today’s championship match will be the 18th meeting between the two. Sukova has won only once--in Brisbane, Australia, when Graf was 14. Sukova has won only three sets against Graf since then.

Second-seeded Jennifer Capriati used an overpowering baseline game to defeat No. 6 Gigi Fernandez, 6-2, 6-1, in the semifinals of a $150,000 tournament at San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Top-seeded Zina Garrison also advanced to the final with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Carrie Cunningham.

Stanford teammates Debbie Graham and Sandra Birch posted straight-set victories in the semifinals of the Riviera All-American Championships.

Graham, the 1990 NCAA singles champion, needed only 53 minutes to sweep No. 12-seeded Emilie Viquiera of California, 6-0, 6-0. Birch, the defending champion here and the 1989 NCAA singles champion, rolled past Stanford teammate Heather Willens, 6-2, 6-4.