TENNIS / EVERT CUP : Sanchez Vicario Wins No. 1 as No. 1

Having worked years to become the world’s No. 1 player, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario has discovered how little life changes after having attained it.

Although Sanchez Vicario became No. 1 for the first time a few weeks ago, she was amid a break from the tour. Thus, the $430,000 State Farm Evert Cup is the first tournament in which the Spaniard can enjoy the experience. Such as it is.

As she had routinely done when she was No. 2, Sanchez Vicario, who had a first-round bye, breezed through her opening match at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort on Wednesday, defeating Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia, 6-3, 6-1.

“It’s not very different,” Sanchez Vicario said of her No. 1 ranking. “I’m the same person I was before. I am talking to everybody, I’m not going to change. I’m not going to be cocky.

“Players are the same to me. Some of the players who hadn’t seen me for a while congratulated me. They may look at me differently. They know I am No. 1. But it’s a little too soon to think there will be any changes.”

If there are changes, they present themselves in subtle ways. The ball kids who swarm the players for autographs are especially respectful of Sanchez Vicario, who is always friendly to children. Because of her ranking, her autograph becomes more sought.

Basuki, who had the dubious honor of being the first player to face Sanchez Vicario since she has taken over the top spot, said she detected a change in attitude.

“I can see a difference,” said Basuki, who played Sanchez Vicario for the fourth time. “She seems more comfortable and confident on the court. Obviously, she’s happy to be No. 1, and it’s going to make her better as a player, psychologically.”

With Steffi Graf’s return to the tour after a back injury, it seems likely that she and Sanchez Vicario will spend the season trading the No. 1 position.

It was Graf whom Sanchez Vicario overtook when she became No. 1 for the first time on Feb. 6. She was home in Barcelona and celebrated with her family. As one of four children who have played on the pro tour, Sanchez Vicario did not expect to get special treatment from her family, but her parents presented her with a gold necklace with a “1” charm.

However, during one of her vigorous practice sessions here, Sanchez Vicario broke the necklace chain. It was a reminder of how fleeting the time at the top can be.

Notes

In other second-round matches on a cool, breezy day, second-seeded Conchita Martinez of Spain defeated Katerina Maleeva of Bulgaria, 6-2, 6-2; fourth-seeded Natasha Zvereva of Belarus defeated Lisa Raymond, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), and Chanda Rubin defeated Amanda Coetzer of South Africa, 6-4, 6-4.