Helena Sukova

Americans Mary Joe Fernandez and David Wheaton won singles titles at Beckenham, in the opening tournament of the English grass-court season. Top-seeded Fernandez beat Czechoslovakia's Helena Sukova, 6-4, 6-2, and third-seeded Wheaton beat Christo Van Rensburg of South Africa, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

Martina Hingis of Switzerland, who won five Grand Slam singles titles, has been nominated for induction in the International Tennis Hall of Fame along with two-time Wimbledon singles champion Michael Stich of Germany and doubles star Helena Sukova of the Czech Republic. The three are nominees for the 2013 class in the recent players category. Induction requires 75% support from a selection panel. "Martina Hingis, Michael Stich, and Helena Sukova worked hard to achieve the ultimate prizes in tennis -- top world rankings, Grand Slam titles, Fed Cup and Davis Cup success, and Olympic medals.

Americans Mary Joe Fernandez and David Wheaton won singles titles at Beckenham, in the opening tournament of the English grass-court season. Top-seeded Fernandez beat Czechoslovakia's Helena Sukova, 6-4, 6-2, and third-seeded Wheaton beat Christo Van Rensburg of South Africa, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

Czechoslovakia's Hana Mandlikova and Helena Sukova each scored a straight-set victory Thursday night to lead a parade of seeded players into the quarterfinals of the $150,000 Virginia Slims of Washington tennis tournament. Mandlikova, the tournament's No. 2-seeded player, ousted Australia's Elizabeth Smylie 7-5, 6-1, while Sukova, the No. 5-seeded player, downed Bonnie Gadusek 7-5, 6-4. Earlier Thursday, Australia's Wendy Turnbull, the No.

Steffi Graf of West Germany waited out a three-hour rain delay, then won six games in 19 minutes Saturday to beat Pam Shriver, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida tennis tournament. Graf, seeded No. 2, will meet No. 4-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia in today's final. Sukova earlier defeated Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Graf, 17, took the first set, then Shriver, the No.

Top-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia advanced to the third round of the $150,000 Danone Australian women's hardcourt tennis championship with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over unseeded Alexia Dechaume of France Wednesday. Sukova, the world's No. 8-ranked player, showed no signs of heat exhaustion, which earlier affected several players, during her straight-sets victory. Sukova is seeking her second singles title in the tournament. She won here in 1984.

Kathy Rinaldi won eight games in a row against a frustrated Kathy Jordan Thursday night to advance to the semifinals of the $500,000 Virginia Slims Championships at Madison Square Garden. Rinaldi, who had lost her previous three matches to Jordan, including one last week in Dallas, was in control from the start as she routed Jordan, 6-1, 6-3. In another quarterfinal match, Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia registered a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Catarina Lindqvist of Sweden.

Steffi Graf of West Germany waited out a three-hour rain delay, then won six games in 19 minutes Saturday to beat Pam Shriver, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida tennis tournament. Graf, seeded No. 2, will meet No. 4-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia in today's final. Sukova earlier defeated Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Sixth-seeded Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina ended the surprising run of unseeded Kate Gompert, 6-2, 6-1, Friday night in the quarterfinals of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida tennis tournament. Gompert, who upset top-seeded Chris Evert Lloyd Thursday and 11th-seeded Carling Bassett Monday, never was in her match with Sabatini. The 16-year-old Sabatini needed just an hour to finish off Gompert. "Trite as it sounds, it's hard to come back after beating a legend the day before," Gompert said.

Steffi Graf's last loss to Helena Sukova occurred in Brisbane. It was only Graf's second tournament on grass. Graf lost in straight sets. And she was 14 years old. Since that day in 1983, Graf has beaten Sukova eight times and has lost only two sets to her. Graf plays Sukova again in the final of the Australian Open as an overwhelming favorite to win her fifth consecutive Grand Slam event.

Top-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia advanced to the third round of the $150,000 Danone Australian women's hardcourt tennis championship with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over unseeded Alexia Dechaume of France Wednesday. Sukova, the world's No. 8-ranked player, showed no signs of heat exhaustion, which earlier affected several players, during her straight-sets victory. Sukova is seeking her second singles title in the tournament. She won here in 1984.

Top-seeded Steffi Graf routed Zina Garrison, 6-0, 6-3, Wednesday night in the opening round of the Virginia Slims Championships, sweeping the first eight games before losing her serve in the third game of the second set. But the 18-year-old West German regained control, broke Garrison's serve to take a 4-2 lead and closed out the 47-minute match at New York's Madison Square Garden with an ace. "I haven't played a tournament for three weeks, so I was eager to play the match," Graf said.

Top-seeded Martina Navratilova fought off a challenge by 15-year-old Arantxa Sanchez of Spain Wednesday to join Chris Evert Lloyd, Yannick Noah and Jimmy Connors as first-round winners in the $1.8-million International Players Championships. Hana Mandlikova, Pam Shriver and Helena Sukova--seeded fourth, fifth and sixth in the women's draw--also advanced as the rain-delayed tournament resumed at the International Tennis Center.

Steffi Graf of West Germany waited out a three-hour rain delay, then won six games in 19 minutes Saturday to beat Pam Shriver, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida tennis tournament. Graf, seeded No. 2, will meet No. 4-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia in today's final. Sukova earlier defeated Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Life has been good to Martina Navratilova. She says she feels fortunate. In fact, she said: "If I'd known this is what it's like to have it all, I would have settled for less." It's hard to imagine Navratilova settling for less--less in tennis, less in life. It was the search for more that led her to defect from Czechoslovakia at the U.S. Open 11 years ago. That's why, Navratilova says, it means more to her to win at the U.S. championships as an American.

Top-seeded Martina Navratilova fought off a challenge by 15-year-old Arantxa Sanchez of Spain Wednesday to join Chris Evert Lloyd, Yannick Noah and Jimmy Connors as first-round winners in the $1.8-million International Players Championships. Hana Mandlikova, Pam Shriver and Helena Sukova--seeded fourth, fifth and sixth in the women's draw--also advanced as the rain-delayed tournament resumed at the International Tennis Center.

Steffi Graf of West Germany waited out a three-hour rain delay, then won six games in 19 minutes Saturday to beat Pam Shriver, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida tennis tournament. Graf, seeded No. 2, will meet No. 4-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia in today's final. Sukova earlier defeated Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Graf, 17, took the first set, then Shriver, the No.

Sixth-seeded Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina ended the surprising run of unseeded Kate Gompert, 6-2, 6-1, Friday night in the quarterfinals of the $250,000 Virginia Slims of Florida tennis tournament. Gompert, who upset top-seeded Chris Evert Lloyd Thursday and 11th-seeded Carling Bassett Monday, never was in her match with Sabatini. The 16-year-old Sabatini needed just an hour to finish off Gompert. "Trite as it sounds, it's hard to come back after beating a legend the day before," Gompert said.