Hillebrand Wins Two Matches in One : Tennis: La Jolla’s Suella Bowden falls short in the mental, physical struggle. She places second at the National Women’s Hard Court Championships.

They might as well have been eye to eye trying to beat each other in a game of chess rather than on opposite ends of a tennis court.

The mental aspect in the match between San Pedro’s Charleen Hillebrand and La Jolla’s Suella Bowden was even more taxing than the physical part of the struggle.

Top-seeded Hillebrand defeated second-seeded Bowden, 7-6, (7-4), 4-6, 6-4, in the women’s 50s singles of the USTA National Women’s 50 and 60 Hard Court Championships at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Sunday.

In the women’s 60 singles, San Francisco’s Helen Lum defeated top-seeded Marjorie Kohler of Carmel, 6-2, 6-4.

Both players, new to the age division, walked onto the court with more on their minds than just winning the national title.

Hillebrand’s mind was racing with thoughts of her undefeated season this year, claiming a second national championship and the fact that she had never lost to Bowden, most recently defeating her in the finals to win the National Indoor Championships in Febuary.

Just four days before this tournament, Hillebrand returned from the International Tennis Federation Veterans World Championships in Perth, Australia, where she won the 50s singles.

“It was a mental game right from the start,” Hillebrand said. “I have never lost to her so I was expected to win.”

Bowden felt the pressure, not only from never defeating Hillebrand, but from playing on her home court and never winning a singles title there.

“I’m not quite mean enough,” Bowden said. “You can run all day but the mental saps your energy. I try to block it out and block out the score.

“It was a good match. She just beat me today. I didn’t give it to her. She played certain points better.”

After winning the first set in the tie-breaker, Hillebrand won the first game of the second set before falling behind, 4-1. Hillebrand rallied back to trail just 4-3 but after Bowden won the next game Hillebrand felt she had just blown the chance of winning the match in two sets.

“I was annoyed with myself,” Hillebrand said. “I should have won that game. If I had led I could have won that set. If you let opportunities slip by they will.”

Lum, seeded eighth, rolled by her opponents, first knocking off defending champion Nancy Neeld of Albuquerque in the quarterfinals, then upsetting Kohler, last year’s runner-up.

She attributed her success to good old “tender loving care” by friends. When her husband was unable to make the trip, a friend, Paula Wolper, volunteered to come. Lum said Wolper took care of the little details so she could concentrate on tennis. Wolper’s friend, Edy Bishop of Rancho Bernardo, cooked Lum pasta and provided other groceries for the two.

“It sounds strange but that’s what did it,” Lum said. “Paula ironed my clothes and I even had my own pasta chef. Not too many people get all this attention.”

Lum, in her first year in the 60s division, had taken a year and a half off of tennis after being diagnosed as having lupus.

“I think I’m playing better each match,” Lum said. “My concentration is pretty good.”