TENNIS ROUNDUP : Fromberg Sweeps to New Zealand Title

Australian Davis Cup player Richard Fromberg beat Sweden’s Lars Jonsson in straight sets Sunday to win the $175,000 BP Nationals tennis tournament at Wellington, New Zealand.

Fromberg, the third-seeded player, won the opening event of the 1991 Assn. of Tennis Professionals tour, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

The No. 3-seeded player was more relaxed in difficult windy conditions and played more consistent tennis than unseeded Jonsson. Fromberg had seven aces.

After winning tournaments last year in Bastad, Sweden, and Bologna, Italy, Fromberg played steady throughout the match.

“I took my chances and came to the net,” Fromberg said. “I felt good and got an early start.”

Fromberg, 20, earned $21,000 for his victory and Jonsson, also 20, pocketed $12,700.

Niclas Kulti of Sweden overcame a mid-match slump and defeated Michael Stich of Germany, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2, to win the Australian Hardcourt championship at Adelaide.

Stich appeared hampered by an injury to his right forearm, but said the injury was not a factor in his loss.

Stich served 12 aces to Kulti’s one, but Kulti hit several impressive forehand winners and made only 32 errors to Stich’s 58.

The tournament, played on synthetic Rebound Ace courts, was a tuneup for the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 14 at Melbourne.

Second-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia defeated unseeded Akiko Kujimuta of Japan, 6-4, 6-3, to win her third Australian Women’s Hardcourt title at Brisbane.

Kujimuta was back on court only half an hour after completing a three-set semifinal against Larisa Savchenko of the Soviet Union.

“She’s a tough player and she had a great week,” Sukova said after collecting her $27,000 champion’s check.

Kujimuta is 22 and ranked 115th in the world.