More Talent Drains From Evert Cup

By JULIE CART

March 7, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

INDIAN WELLS —

Tournament director Charlie Pasarell was just warming up to his the-glass-is-half-full speech when, late Thursday afternoon, the glass leaked again.

Mary Pierce became the third seeded player to withdraw from the State Farm Evert Cup because of injury.

The Cup that once overflowed with such marquee names as Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Pierce, is now down to five of the top 10 players. Graf and Seles had withdrawn earlier. The tournament begins today at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort.

Pierce strained a muscle in her right calf during last weekend’s Fed Cup match in Japan and had been limping this week. Pierce, who was seeded seventh, consulted a WTA tour trainer before notifying officials she was withdrawing.

“Players get injured,” Pasarell said. “I don’t think anyone can question Mary Pierce--she’s here. Obviously, we’re disappointed, again. But I really think we are going to have a very exciting event. It will give a chance for other players to shine.”

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, the tour’s sturdiest player, is top-seeded here, followed by countrywoman Conchita Martinez, Anke Huber of Germany, Lindsay Davenport of Newport Beach and Iva Majoli of Croatia.

Sanchez Vicario, who has withdrawn from tournaments only twice in her 12-year career, shook her head when asked about the wreckage left in the draw.

“It’s definitely not good for the tournament,” she said. “It hurts the tournament.”

Because of the lateness of Pierce’s withdrawal, the draw closed before tournament officials could find a replacement player. No. 2-ranked Martina Hingis is in Switzerland practicing this week, but officials here already had tried to get her, without luck.

The withdrawals are a blow to the tournament, which has become a fixture on the tour and had been elevated to Tier I status, the WTA tour’s highest level.

Pasarell noted that the event had reached that level because top players had entered. Getting them to play is out of Pasarell’s control.

“It’s the risk you take,” he said. “All you can do is put on a great event. After that, it’s up to luck.”

The loss of the three players leaves the field open to upsets, which invigorates the lower-ranked players.

“It’s anybody’s ballgame,” said Lisa Raymond, seeded 16th. “If they don’t want to play, it definitely gives the lower-ranked players an opportunity to win a top tournament, especially a Tier I. There is much more depth than before. It’s not like there’s no good players here.”

Sanchez Vicario said it made no difference to her who was here. She was busy breaking in her new coach, her older brother, Emilio.

“He knows me better than anyone,” she said. “I think I finally found the right person to be on my team.”

Emilio Sanchez, a former Spanish No. 1, is still playing on the men’s tour but will travel with his sister to most stops on the women’s tour.

Sanchez Vicario said she didn’t think the coach-pupil relationship would damage their closeness.

“There will be tight moments, that’s for sure,” she said. “We have good communication. He’s my brother.”

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Tennis at a Glance

STATE FARM EVERT CUP (Women)

* Site: Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, Indian Wells

* Dates: Today through March 15

* Times: Day sessions 10 a.m.; evening 6:30 p.m. (starting Monday)

* Top seed: Arantxa Sanchez Vicario