TENNIS ROUNDUP : Sanchez Vicario, Graf Make It Look Easy

Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario won easily Saturday to advance to today’s final at the Virginia Slims of Florida at Delray Beach.

Sanchez Vicario beat Amanda Coetzer, 6-2, 6-2. Then Graf turned in an even more dominating performance against fellow German Anke Huber to win, 6-1, 6-1.

The final should be closer, even though Graf has a 17-3 record against Sanchez Vicario.

“I was very happy with the way I played,” Sanchez Vicario said. “I put pressure on her, and I was aggressive.”

Sanchez Vicario recently began working with Carlos Kirmayr, formerly the coach for Gabriela Sabatini. He has encouraged Sanchez Vicario to diversify her game.

It seems to be working. In one sequence against Coetzer, she hit two service winners, then an ace, then moved in to the net and put away a backhand overhead.

“I’m feeling a lot more comfortable coming to the net,” she said. “That’s what I’m working on with Carlos.”

Against Coetzer, second-seeded Sanchez Vicario had three aces and won 15 points at the net. But what she still does best is return the ball, and she repeatedly chased down shots in the corners.

Graf, seeded No. 1, is seeking her first title since winning the Virginia Slims of Philadelphia in November.

Huber has lost every set against Graf in their five matches.

Nicklas Kulti of Sweden eliminated New Zealander Brett Steven, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, in the semifinals of the Copenhagen Open.

Russian Andrei Olhovskiy will be Kulti’s opponent in the final, advancing when defending champion Magnus Larsson of Sweden pulled out of their match because of a stiff neck.