Seles Gets a Test, and She Passes It : Tennis: She struggles past Huber, 6-3, 6-2, and will face Sabatini in semifinals.

Some had suggested that when Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Mary Pierce were eliminated from the du Maurier Ltd. Canadian Open, it was good for Monica Seles, who would not have to face those players while still so untested in tournament tennis.

In fact, the best thing that could have happened to Seles was facing Anke Huber in Friday night’s quarterfinal. Huber, No. 10 in the world, gave Seles her toughest test in the three matches she has played since she came back to the tour this week. Match toughness gleaned from such matches will ultimately aid Seles’ return much more than seeded players losing and paving the way to a hollow victory.

Seles won, 6-3, 6-2, in a match that was not as easy as the score indicated. Seles was broken twice in the first set and she double-faulted on her first match point, but her four aces and numerous service winners pinned Huber in the backcourt.

Pierce was the latest seeded player to fall. Amanda Coetzer, who had shown her mettle by ousting Graf, eliminated the fifth-seeded Pierce, 6-4, 5-7, 6-0.

Pierce, whose season has been dreadful since winning the Australian Open, offered her usual vague excuses. Only late in her post-match discourse did she mention that the unseeded Coetzer had played well.

Her fragile mental state is always suspect but rarely alluded to by those around her. But, finally, Pierce’s longtime mentor, Nick Bolletieri, and coach, Sven Groeneveld, have suggested their charge see a sports psychologist.

Gabriela Sabatini defeated Helena Sukova, 6-2, 6-1, and will play Seles in today’s semifinal. Coetzer will play Jana Novotna, who defeated Iva Majoli, 6-4, 6-2.

Seles’ mental state is not being questioned. Huber broke Seles twice in the first set and was clubbing the ball with authority, allowing Seles ample opportunity to crumble. She didn’t, choosing instead to bear down and fight back.

“We all knew that if she’s coming back [to the tour], she’d be [physically] ready for it,” Huber said of Seles. “But mentally, she’s stronger. That, nobody expected.”

Seles will only be helped by these matches that tax her physically and mentally. She came into the tournament filled with questions and will emerge, whether or not she wins it, with a pretty good assessment of where she is going into this month’s U.S. Open.

Seles’ sore left knee is holding up but is requiring constant attention. She has decided upon a compromise--she takes anti-inflammatory pills that deaden the pain of chronic tendinitis, but the strength of the drug is such that it leaves her with a stomachache.

Seles’ fitness presents a more visible problem. Because she has had trouble with her knee, she has not been able to run as much as she would like. Although she is not gasping for air after points, her opponents have perceived a vulnerability and have adopted the tactic of running her around the court.

Huber tried that in the first few games Friday but abandoned that plan as Seles got to all but the most extreme shots.

“I decided to hit it down the middle to cut down her angle,” Huber said.

She also chose to clobber the ball just as Seles did, unafraid to deliver her shots with the kind of pace that Seles might thrive on. Huber said she considered the problem, but reasoned, “If I play slower, I can just look behind me [to find the ball].”

Huber, seeded No. 7 here, made it apparent that she intended to put up more of a fight than other seeded players had before they left the tournament.

“I could tell she meant business,” Seles said. “Anke came out from the first point on and started hitting hard. There were some amazing points. There was not one point that I won easily. Every point I had to work hard for.”

When the players engaged in long rallies, Huber came up with excellent shots, but Seles prevailed on the more important points.

Huber’s best chance to control the match came in the first set, serving at 40-15 to draw even at 4-all. Seles had three break points and eventually broke the German.

“I thought that was the key game,” Seles said. “After that I felt in control. I think it was just a matter of one or two points. I’m getting more comfortable each match. I’m excited.”