TENNIS ROUNDUP : Becker-Edberg Showdown Looms as Both Win at Brussels

Top-seeded Boris Becker and No. 2-seeded Stefan Edberg, playing for the world’s No. 1 ranking, both scored straight-set victories Friday and moved into the semifinals of the Donnay Indoor Championship at Brussels.

Becker, who holds a narrow margin over Edberg in the ATP rankings, beat seventh-seeded Michael Chang, 7-5, 6-1. Edberg defeated Jakob Hlasek of Switzerland, 6-1, 6-2.

Edberg will meet Guy Forget of France in the semifinals today. Forget beat Marc Rosset of Switzerland, 6-2, 7-5.

Becker plays Andrei Cherkasov, a Soviet wild-card entry who beat compatriot Andrei Chesnokov, 7-5, 6-1.

Becker’s lead over Edberg in the world standings is 133 points. This tournament has 180 points at stake.

Becker was in control from the outset against a hesitant Chang, and turned the match into an exhibition of confident attacking play in the second set.

Edberg hit lob shots with lots of spin and moved to the net with timely rushes against Hlasek, ranked 15th in the world.

Top-seeded Ivan Lendl survived a spill in the second-set tiebreaker and beat Michael Stich of Germany, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7), in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Pro Indoor tournament at Philadelphia.

On match point in the tiebreaker, Lendl lunged to make a return and fell over the net, landing on his back on Stich’s side of the court.

Lendl got a second match point when Stich hit a forehand long, and won it when Stich double-faulted.

Lendl moves into today’s semifinals against third-seeded Brad Gilbert, who defeated Kevin Curren, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0.

In today’s other semifinal, John McEnroe faces defending champion and second-seeded Pete Sampras. McEnroe advanced by beating Aki Rahunen of Finland, 7-5, 6-3, and Sampras beat Petr Korda of Czechoslovakia, 6-4, 6-0.

In the quarterfinals of the Virginia Slims of Chicago, sixth-seeded Helena Sukova beat fourth-seeded Jennifer Capriati, 6-4, 6-4, and third-seeded Zina Garrison, ranked fifth in the world, upended No. 2-seeded Katerina Maleeva 6-2, 1-6, 6-1.

Sukova, ranked 13th in the world, faces top-seeded Martina Navratilova in the semifinals today, with Helen Kelesi facing Garrison.