U.S. OPEN NOTES : Graf Takes On Top-Seeded Look With Second-Round Rout

Steffi Graf did not struggle during her second-round U.S. Open match against Rita Grande of Italy, advancing, 6-1, 6-3, Wednesday night. Her greatest obstacle was answering questions from reporters after the 44-minute match.

Graf limited her responses to yes, no and maybe. Appearing irritable and tired, she spent perhaps three minutes answering questions.

She was far happier on the court, playing more loosely than she had in her opening match against Amanda Coetzer.

Coetzer had handed Graf a rare opening-match loss two weeks ago and ended her 32-match winning streak. After persevering through her first-round match, the top-seeded Graf admitted that she was distracted by the imprisonment of her father on tax evasion charges.

With personal problems added to her chronically aching back, Graf’s tennis game has understandably suffered. This week, for perhaps the first time, the German conceded she lacked confidence. Such an admission from a player of Graf’s stature would seem to buoy her opponents.

If Grande, ranked No. 96, gained confidence from Graf’s weakness, there was little evidence of it.

Graf won 89% of her first-serve points and, in a promising sign for her, won all of her points at the net, a sign of confidence.

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Chanda Rubin continues to knock off ranked players with great dispatch. On Wednesday, the unseeded player eliminated 15th-seeded Helena Sukova, 6-1, 6-3.

Rubin beat Gabriela Sabatini and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario to reach the finals of the Acura Classic at Manhattan Beach a few weeks ago. The 19-year-old from Lafayette, La., won an exhibition tournament last week and is rapidly gaining confidence.

It started with her comeback against Jana Novotna at the French Open. Rubin was down, 0-5, in the third set, facing triple match point, and defeated the fifth-ranked Novotna. The match is still talked about by players.

“It definitely gave me a lot of confidence,” Rubin said. “It showed me what I can do and how well I can play.”

The other seeded player to lose Wednesday was eighth-seeded Magdalena Maleeva, beaten by 14-year-old Martina Hingis of Switzerland, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Keri Phebus of UCLA, still an amateur, was defeated in the second round. Phebus, the NCAA champion who was given a wild card into the main draw, was defeated by Amy Frazier, 6-2, 6-1.

UCLA’s Justin Gimelstob won his first match at a Grand Slam event, defeating David Prinosil, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3.

Gimelstob gained entry to the tournament as the U.S. boys’ 18 national champion. His victory earned him $8,500, but he said he will forsake the prize money to remain an amateur.

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Beware of Andre Agassi approaching with a sharp instrument.

After winning here last year, Agassi won a bet with his coach, Brad Gilbert, that called for Gilbert to shave his chest. Agassi had already done that to himself at Wimbledon.

Following his own trend, Agassi shaved his head earlier this year.

Then, two weeks ago, Agassi won the right to shave the head of tournament director Jim Westhall after winning at New Haven, Conn.

Now, Gilbert will lose the hair on his head should Agassi win here.

“He’s going to shave his head if I win,” Agassi said. “And I’m going to assist.”