SPORTSLINE (05/26/96)

SPORTSLINE

TENNIS UPDATE

Davis Cup

Ukraine, which belongs to Zone 1 of the Euro-Africa Group in Davis Cup competition, was recently pitted against Croatia in group play, with matches held in Dubrovnik, and the former Yugoslavian republic emerged victorious, 3-0.

In the first match, Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic, sixth in the world, met Andriy Rybalko, 613th in the world, and a surprisingly hard-fought encounter resulted, ending in a 6-0, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 result in favor of the Croatian.

In the other singles match, Dmytriy Poliakov, ranked 497th in the world, lost 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 to Sasha Hirszon (382nd). The above-mentioned players paired up for a doubles match, and the Croatians came out on top again, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-2.

Rusedski drops in ranking

Given that he bolted from his native land in search of ratings, British tennis officials should not be surprised by former Canadian (still Ukrainian) Greg Rusedski's recent musing not to represent the U.K. at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

If they're upset, they're hiding it well. Richard Lewis of the Lawn Tennis Association was quoted in an Associated Press report of March 21 saying that "Greg has been having amicable discussions with us about what will be the best for him, not only so far as the Olympics are concerned, but also our revived men's international world series tournament ... in September."

Meanwhile, Mr. Rusedski is finding the going tougher in March, dropping to 46th in the world men's Associated Tennis Professionals tour rankings after a couple of early round exits at the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Fla., (March 11-17), and the Newsweek Champions Cup in Indian Wells, Calif. (March 18-31).

Seeded a high 13th at the Japan Open in held in Tokyo April 15-21, the former Montrealer beat Germany's Carl Uwe-Steeb 6-2, 6-1 in the first round, then took local hero and Hong Kong Open semi-finalist Shuzo Matsuoka, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4, but lost in the third round to the surging Thomas Enqvist of Sweden (now eighth in the world), 6-7 (6-4), 1-6.

Still in Asia the following week at the Korean Open in Seoul, he garnered a high seed (second). It paid off only marginally. After a breezy first two rounds, he was beaten in the quarterfinals by (eventual finalist) Martin Damm of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5.

Andrei drops down, too

Since his higher stature in tennis (15th in the world), earns him byes, Andrei Medvedev has made further headway into tournaments, but not as far as he'd like. In the Lipton tournament, he got past Frenchmen Gillaume Raoux (6-4, 6-4) and Cédric Pioline (6-2, 6-2) in impressive fashion, but bowed out in the fourth round to Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic, 7-6, (7-4), 6-4.

At the Monte Carlo Open, April 22-28, Mr. Medvedev was the 12th seed. He began by handling Spain's Alberto Berasategui, 6-4, 6-4, then crushing Australian teenager Mark Philippoussis (who shocked Pete Sampras at the Australian Open) 6-0, 6-2. Unfortunately, after a good first set for the Kyiv native, he was knocked out by Mr. Pioline, 6-4, 0-6, 2-6

Women's tour

Meanwhile, on the women's tour, Natalia Medvedeva benefited from Italy's Silvia Farina withdrawal due to injury at the April 8-14 Bausch & Lomb Championship in Amelia Island, Fla. Ms. Medvedeva had taken the first set 6-2, and had dropped the next, 4-6, when Ms. Farina withdrew. Ms. Medvedeva lost to Janette Husarova of Slovakia, 6-4, 7-6, in the next round.

Although ranked about 30 positions higher, Larisa Neiland (nee Savchenko), who plays for Latvia, also lost in the second round of the B&L tourney. Having bested Alexandra Fusai of France, 7-5, 6-1, she was knocked out by Wiltrud Probst of Germany, 7-5, 6-2.

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