TENNIS ROUNDUP : Sabatini Keeps Navratilova on Hold

Gabriela Sabatini dashed Martina Navratilova’s hopes of posting an unprecedented 158th singles victory Sunday at Tokyo by winning the $350,000 Pan Pacific Open for the second consecutive year with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory.

Navratilova remains tied with retired Chris Evert, who established the record of 157 singles victories.

Sabatini needed 1 hour 55 minutes to beat the second-seeded Navratilova, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, and register her second singles title of the season and the 22nd of her career.

The victory earned the Argentine $70,000, while Navratilova, playing her first tournament since a self-imposed two-month lay-off, received $31,500.

“I think I played very well, especially my returns and passing shots,” Sabatini said. “My groundstrokes were working very, very well.”

Navratilova recovered from a 3-1 deficit to win the second set, 6-4.

But Sabatini regained control by quickly taking a 4-1 lead in the final set and won a long and decisive sixth game with a service winner after nine deuces.

Navratilova attributed defeat to her failure to break Sabatini’s serve on a regular basis, which stemmed from the ineffectiveness of her own serve.

Top-seeded Bryan Shelton used a booming serve to power his way to the championship of the Humana Hospital-Abilene Pro Indoor tournament at Abilene, Tex.

Shelton defeated Ken Flach, 7-5, 6-2, to win $20,000 from a purse of $100,000.

Flach, ranked fourth in the world in doubles, and his brother, Doug, repeated as champions.

The Flachs defeated Christo Van Rensburg of South Africa and Johan Kriek, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7).