TENNIS / PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPS : Becker and McEnroe Lose; Graf Struggles to Beat Date

Boris Becker has entered the International Players Championships six times and still has never reached the quarterfinals. Alberto Mancini of Argentina eliminated the third-ranked German in Tuesday’s fourth round, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

“I have some time off now--five more days than I expected to,” said Becker, who has a 9-6 record in this tournament.

Also sidelined was John McEnroe, who lost to Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4. McEnroe had three set points in the first set and blew a 40-love lead serving the final game.

“That was the whole match,” he said. “I could have won in straight sets. I don’t have any explanation. I just didn’t play the big points well.”

The top women’s players continued to win. Steffi Graf had the toughest time, eking out a 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-4 victory over Kimiko Date, who double-faulted on the final point.

The second-ranked Graf and No. 3 Gabriela Sabatini were both stretched to three sets for the first time in the tournament. Sabatini defeated Brenda Schultz of the Netherlands, 6-1, 6-7 (7-1), 6-0.

Top-ranked Monica Seles, who has lost 11 games in three matches, beat Radka Zrubakova, 6-1, 6-2. Fourth-seeded Arantxa Sanchez Vicario won when Barbara Rittner retired with a back injury, and No. 5 Jennifer Capriati beat No. 9 Zina Garrison, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Also advancing to the quarterfinals were Amanda Coetzer, Mary Joe Fernandez and Amy Frazier.

In men’s play, top-ranked Jim Courier swept Carl-Uwe Steeb, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. No. 4 Pete Sampras beat Wally Masur, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-2, and Michael Chang rallied past Markus Zoecke, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Qualifier Robbie Weiss, who upset Stefan Edberg on Monday, lost to Jakob Hlasek of Switzerland, 6-2, 6-2. The other quarterfinalists are Russian Andrei Cherkasov and unseeded Diego Nargiso of Italy, ranked 100th.