TENNIS / WOMEN AT INDIAN WELLS : Second-Seeded Fernandez Is Upset by Coetzer

On a day when top-seeded Steffi Graf’s greatest lament was a lack of focus, defending champion Mary Joe Fernandez had more pressing concerns in the quarterfinals of the Evert Cup.

In a rematch of last year’s final, the second-seeded Fernandez squandered a 3-0 lead in the third set and was upset by sixth-seeded Amanda Coetzer, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), at Hyatt Grand Champions on Friday.

“You’re not really supposed to have the past coming into your mind when you’re playing, but last year’s match kept coming back to me,” said Coetzer, who squandered two match points in last year’s final.

“It was very much the same match. I won the first set pretty easily and she came back, and I was behind in the third again.”

Graf never trailed in defeating Ginger Helgeson, 6-1, 6-3, in 79 minutes, but still found fault with her play.

“She’s obviously a better player than my first two opponents,” said Graf, who dispatched Gigi Fernandez and Tracy Austin in less than an hour apiece. “On the other hand, I don’t think I played a very good match. . . . “I’m upset right now. Even though the score is 6-1, 6-3, it doesn’t matter. I’m just not happy with the way I performed.”

What concerned her?

“Concentration,” Graf said. “I played some good points when it was needed and some very loose points in between. So, it was very up and down. I just didn’t focus very well.

“It’s always difficult to play at the highest standard, and to always be ready on the court, always do the right thing and do the right shot.”

Her opponents should have such problems.

In one semifinal today, Graf will play Iva Majoli, a 16-year-old from Croatia who has lost three times to the German in the last year.

“When you play Steffi, sometimes it’s hard to look your best,” said Majoli, who upset fourth-seeded Natalia Zvereva, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2). “If you play less than great, you’re going to lose.”

Majoli’s formula against Zvereva was simple: “I tried to put my serve in and not make stupid plays. That’s all, really.”

In today’s other semifinal, Coetzer will meet third-seeded Lindsay Davenport, a 17-year-old senior from Murrieta Valley High who defeated eighth-seeded Judith Wiesner of Austria, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0.

Coetzer, a South African, rallied after Fernandez held serve in the third game of the third set, continuing a strong comeback.

“At that point, I was upset with the way I was playing,” Coetzer said. “I was making many errors. I really didn’t think I had a chance to even get back into the match.

“She was playing the ball pretty well, but then she just started spraying the ball all over, making unforced errors. I started getting into the points a little bit, and before I knew it, it was 3-all.”

Coetzer served for the match at 5-4, but won only one point, losing the last on a double fault.

“I was really disappointed,” she said.

In the tiebreaker, Coetzer took a 5-2 lead before Fernandez rallied. She appeared to pull even on an overhand smash, but the chair umpire called the shot long, giving Coetzer match point.

Fernandez argued, gave in after being issued a warning for delaying play and hit a forehand into the net, ending the match.