NEWS
MATCH REPORTS
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
ARCHIVES

Graf dumped at Toshiba Classic

In Carslbad, California, four time champion Steffi Graf experienced something she is not too familiar with, at least at this venue -- defeat.

Her last 21 matches here have resulted in victories, but on Wednesday, Graf was ousted from the Toshiba Tennis Classic by unseeded Ai Sugiyama of Japan, 6-4 1-6 7-5.

In the process, the 17th-ranked Sugiyama overcame cramps in her right thigh and hamstring, a few points before the end of the match.

"I never really felt I was playing well from the beginning," said the sixth-seeded Graf, who has fallen to 44th in the world following a nine-month layoff due to left knee surgery.

In their only previous meeting, Graf had smashed Sugiyama 6-0 6-1 last March at Indian Wells, California.

"Last time she couldn't keep the ball in the court," Graf said. "Today she played a very good match. She hit some amazing shots when it was important and didn't make a lot of easy mistakes. She went for everything and did it very well."

"I had to move her around, take advantage of my strengths, and come in and attack," said the Japanese baseliner, talking of her strategy for this game.

Graf served for the match at 5-4 but Sugiyama held for a 6-5 advantage. Three times the German star fought off match points on her serve, before spraying a backhand long to give Sugiyama another chance.

The point was nearly costly when Sugiyama came up limping. She called for a WTA Tour trainer during the two-minute on-court injury timeout before resuming.

Sugiyama claimed victory on the next point, however, when Graf smacked a forehand into the net.

"I knew I had to win this game against her," Sugiyama said. "I had to finish the match there."

World number one Martina Hingis, playing her first tournament after a semifinal exit at Wimbledon, took the first step towards defending her title by beating Natasha Zvereva of Belarus 6-3 6-2.

"I am quite happy I played Zvereva, because she gave me a lot of time to prepare," Hingis said. "She is not one of the big hitters, so I could get the feel of the court."

Hingis had a service break in the fourth game of the first set, when Zvereva popped a string on her racket and the ball landed beyond the baseline.

"Once I broke her I just tried to concentrate on my serve, especially," she said. "Sometimes you just wait for the mistake of your opponent. That's what I did today when I really needed some points."

In the second set, Hingis relied on two quick service breaks to put her ahead 4-1. At 5-2, she closed her opponent out on the third match point as Zvereva knocked a backhand long.