TENNIS ROUNDUP : Becker Still Cannot Solve Clay Surface

Top-seeded Boris Becker, playing on clay for the first time since June, lost to 230th-ranked Jordi Burillo, 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, in the Conde de Godo tournament at Barcelona, Spain.

Becker, who has never won a tournament on clay and often struggles on the slow surface, took control of the rain-delayed match early but lost his touch.

Becker had a break point at 5-5 in the second set, and would have been able to serve out the match had he won that point.

But Burillo held his serve and went on to win the tiebreaker.

Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier, locked in a tight battle for the world’s top ranking, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Japan Open at Tokyo.

Edberg, ranked No. 1, relied on his serve to beat 15th-seeded Wally Masur, 6-3, 6-3.

Courier, trying to regain the top ranking he held in February, defeated 16th-seeded Gianluca Pozzi, 6-3, 6-3.

Edberg leads Courier by 22 points in the rankings.

Fourth-seeded Michael Chang, No. 6 Richard Krajicek, No. 8 Amos Mansdorf and unseeded Todd Woodbridge also advanced.

Top-seeded Steffi Graf beat Brenda Schultz, 6-2, 6-2, and defending champion Gabriela Sabatini defeated Kathy Rinaldi, 6-0, 6-3, to advance to the quarterfinals of the $350,000 Bausch & Lomb tournament at Amelia Island, Fla.

Seventh-seeded Leila Meskhi, No. 3-seeded Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, No. 4 Conchita Martinez and No. 8 Zina Garrison also advanced.