Maleeva’s Poor Outing Not Costly : Mazda Classic: Po, an amateur from UCLA, takes first set before falling to third-seeded Maleeva-Fragniere.

The sun finally came out Wednesday at the Mazda Tennis Classic--and so did the seeded players.

Of the top five at the La Costa Resort and Spa this week, only No. 1 Monica Seles had played through the tournament’s first two days. But after a two-hour rain delay Wednesday, three more finally played their first singles matches.

And another, fourth-seeded Jennifer Capriati, was brought into the media room before her doubles match for what was apparently an I’m Still Here Even Though I Haven’t Played Yet press briefing.

Capriati, who was spotted coming back from the spa Wednesday afternoon, said she hasn’t done much this week. She will not play her first singles match until tonight, when she faces Lori McNeil.

The tournament almost got off to a lousy start for third-seeded Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere, who became reacquainted with Kimberly Po, a sophomore-to-be at UCLA. Maleeva-Fragniere won, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-2.

Po, an amateur who is ranked 286th, lost eight of the first nine points before coming back to win the first set. Her downfall came when she lost eight consecutive service games to Maleeva-Fragniere over the final two sets.

Maleeva-Fragniere remembered that Po once was one of the best junior players in the United States. After that?

“I thought she must be going to college, because I didn’t see her,” Maleeva-Fragniere said. “I heard she turned professional a few months ago. Is this true?”

No, Po still was an amateur. Regardless, Maleeva-Fragniere survived. And since she made it to the finals in San Diego last year before losing to Steffi Graf, she is looking forward to the rest of her week.

“I’m very happy to be back,” she said. “I feel good here. I feel like I know the place.”

In the meantime, Capriati was checking out the place.

“I’m just working out and hanging around,” said Capriati, 15. “Practicing and getting rest.”

That was about as insightful as her first public appearance here this week got. She is still trying to get the interview thing down--in a much-publicized move, she is attempting to limit her “you knows,” but she inadvertently forgot to throw out her chewing gum Wednesday before stepping up to the podium.

So, chomp, she answered a couple of questions, chomp, looked to a tour official for help, chomp, made eye contact with him, chomp, and he scurried off to get her a scrap of paper so she could, chomp, spit out the gum.

From there, she touched on several subjects.

The highlight of her professional career?

“Beating Martina (Navratilova, at Wimbledon).”

What emotional fulfillment has she gotten from the tour?

“Beating Martina.”

How has she enjoyed the tour?

“It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of movie stars.”

Whom in particular has she enjoyed meeting?

“Tom Cruise.”

Does she think she will be playing professional tennis in 10 years?

“Mm-hmm.”

Then she can’t foresee any burnout?

“Uh-uh.”

Hmmm. Now back to Center Court . . .

Fifth-seeded Zina Garrison quickly disposed of Ros Fairbank-Nideffer of San Diego, 6-3, 6-4, in her opener.

“I usually play well here,” Garrison said. “That’s one reason I come back.”

In returning this year, Garrison had to come a long way: from England and the Federation Cup. She arrived Monday night at La Costa.

“It was good for me it rained this morning,” Garrison said. “I got to sleep in a little later.”

And, she got to catch a couple of her beloved cartoons. Her pre-match routine included The Flintstones and The Jetsons.

Another player seeded in the top five who debuted Wednesday was No. 2 Conchita Martinez, who defeated Marianne Werdel, 6-3, 6-1. Martinez polished off Werdel in 1 hour 11 minutes, winning 12 of the final 13 games. She, too, got in Monday night from England and the Federation Cup and was tired, she said.

Seventh-seeded Barbara Paulus was victim of the biggest upset of the day, losing to Debbie Graham, 3-6, 4-6. Graham, who attends Stanford, was the NCAA singles champion last year.

Tennis Notes

Sunday’s final is sold out. . . . A total of 2,571 watched the morning session Wednesday at La Costa and 2,957 attended the evening session. . . . Sixth-seeded Nathalie Tauziat, who defeated Alysia May Wednesday, 6-3, 6-4, receives the Most Emotional Player of the Day award. Tauziat, who eliminated Kathy Rinaldi Monday, let out several shrieks of frustration during the match and, at one point in the second set, she slapped herself in the face.

Gigi Fernandez and Jana Novotna, the top doubles tandem on the tour, have split, according to Fernandez. Novotna is No. 1 in the current Kraft General Foods point standings, and Fernandez is the No. 1-ranked doubles player in the world. . . . Sportscasters Dick Enberg and Jim Laslavic will play in an exhibition with wheelchair tennis players Brad Parks and Jim Lachman tonight at 8:30 on Center Court. Parks, 34, is ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles and No. 3 in singles. Lachman, 32, is No. 2 in doubles and No. 7 in singles in the United States.

Thirty-six women professional tennis players have earned more than $1 million in their careers and seven of them are playing at La Costa this week: Pam Shriver ($4,410,908), Zina Garrison ($2,984,128), Monica Seles ($2,838,841), Claudia Kohde-Kilsch ($2,107,248), Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere ($2,092,882), Lori McNeil ($1,522,604) and Ros Fairbank-Nideffer ($1,300,208).

Today’s Highlights

Center Court, noon: 1-Monica Seles vs. Anne Minter; followed by 5-Zina Garrison vs. Karine Quentrec; followed Isabelle Demongeot/Conchita Martinez vs. Jessica Emmons/Debbie Graham.

Center Court, 7 p.m.: Lori McNeil vs. 4-Jennifer Capriati; followed by Laura Gildemeister/Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere vs. 3-Jill Hetherington/Kathy Rinaldi.

Court 17, 2 p.m.: 1-Gigi Fernandez/Nathalie Tauziat vs. Erika deLone/Sarah Loosemore.

Site: La Costa Resort and Spa (Interstate 5 to La Costa Avenue exit, east to El Camino Real, left to the facility).

Tickets: For information, call 438-LOVE. Parking is $5.