TENNIS / EVERT CUP : Austin Surprises Even Herself, Upsets Maleeva

Today’s tennis puzzle: How does the No. 12-ranked player in the world lose to a woman playing her second match in four years?

“I cannot figure it out,” Katerina Maleeva said.

She wasn’t the only one. Maleeva was rolled over by the Tracy Austin comeback bandwagon, which steadily picked up speed Wednesday in the Matrix Essentials/Evert Cup at Hyatt Grand Champions.

Austin, whose only other victory on the women’s tour in the last nine years occurred the day before, upset the second-seeded Maleeva, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, an outcome that caught more than a few off guard. It was a crowded field of semi-unbelievers that included Austin herself.

“Do I look like I just got hit by a stun gun?” Austin said.

So now, here’s the new, revised Tracy Austin forecast for the weekend: A chance of showers.

Then again, maybe not. Austin, who has bridal showers scheduled Saturday and Sunday, may have a conflict this weekend.

“Cancel them if I’m in the semis, I don’t care,” said Austin, who meets 19-year-old, 76th-ranked Stephanie Rottier in the third round.

Austin said she has no idea how Rottier plays, but at least she knows what she looks like. Maleeva pointed her out in the locker room before their match.

While the latest step in Austin’s comeback fell somewhat short of a tour de force, she once again served notice that she can still pound ground strokes and win important points, like the third game of the third set when she held five break points and missed them all before finally bagging the sixth.

“That’s when the heart had to come through,” Austin said. “That gave me a lot of confidence.”

Austin seemed dazed by the result of the match. She mistakenly referred to Maleeva as Manuela, who is Katerina’s older sister.

“I think it is tough to believe,” Austin said. “I’m not going to say that I didn’t have a chance to win, but I haven’t played a player of that caliber in a long time.”

Maleeva didn’t exactly play the caliber of tennis normally associated with a highly ranked player, a fact that she attributed to some unknown reason.

“I can only say that I definitely didn’t play my best,” she said.

It was simpler for Austin, Maleeva said.

“I think it is easier because it is her first tournament,” she said. “People will expect more from her and there will be more pressure. Let her play a few months and then we’ll talk.”

Tennis Notes

Top-seeded Mary Joe Fernandez completed her rain-postponed second-round match and scored a 6-2, 6-7 (7-4), 6-2 victory over qualifier Rachel Jensen.