Yayuk maintains giant-killing run in Canadian Open

Yayuk maintains giant-killing run in Canadian Open

MONTREAL (Agencies): Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia continued her
giant-killing run in the Canadian Open women's tennis tournament
here on Thursday when she defeated Russian 16th seed Elena
Likhovtseva for a place in the quarterfinals.

It was a tougher match for the unseeded Yayuk than her shock
elimination of world number four Iva Majoli of Croatia on
Wednesday. Composure and consistency helped Yayuk survive a nervy
time in the second set before posting a 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 win.

Yayuk, whose natural talent earned her the Rolex Female Rookie
of the Year award in 1991, plays most comfortably on grass. The
hardcourt here, however, gave her another surface where her big
serves and powerful forehands could be used to telling effect to
outgun Likhovtseva.

The 25-year-old Indonesian, bidding farewell to the tennis
circuit this year, will now meet 13th seed Amy Frazier of the
United States in the quarterfinals. Frazier produced another
upset when she beat eighth seed Mary Pierce of France 6-3, 6-3.

If Yayuk wins, she will reach her second career semifinal in a
U.S. Open warm-up tournament. Her first was in the Acura Classic
last year, with three straight victories over seeded players in
the process. Her victims then were ninth seed Mary Joe-Fernandez,
13th seed Nathalie Tauziat and fourth seed Lindsay Davenport.

In other third-round actions, top seed Monica Seles of the
United States and second seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain
recorded straight-set victories.

Seles ousted ninth seed Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, 7-6
(7-4), 6-1, and Olympic silver medalist Sanchez Vicario
eliminated 10th seed Amanda Coetzer of South Africa, 7-5, 6-1.

Seles now faces sixth seed Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria, who
was leading unseeded Jennifer Capriati of the United States, 6-2,
3-2, before Capriati retired with a hip injury. Capriati strained
her left gluteal muscle while going for a drop-shot and told
officials she could not continue.

Meanwhile, in the ATP Championship in Mason, Ohio, top seeded
Peter Sampras and Olympic gold medalist Andre Agassi struggled
through third round matches, as reigning Wimbledon champion
Richard Krajicek was upset at the $2.2 million event.

The top-ranked Sampras saved one match point in the third set
and was forced to go the distance before defeating the tenacious
31st-ranked Mark Woodforde of Australia 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-
4).

After losing the first set, the seventh-ranked Agassi gained
control of his match against 187th-ranked qualifier and fellow
American Alex O'Brien 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-0.

Seventh-seeded Krajicek of the Netherlands fell 7-6 (9-7), 6-2
to 10-seeded Thomas Enqvist of Sweden. The eighth-ranked
Krajicek, who had problems with his first serve throughout the
match, was a finalist at last week's Los Angeles tournament.

In a highly entertaining match, Sampras and Woodforde fought
to the bitter end and constantly alternated having the advantage.

"Mark was very crafty out there," Sampras said after the two
hour, 56 minute match. "He does everything very well. That's why
he was one point away from beating me."

Earlier, 1995 Roland Garros champion Thomas Muster of Austria,
the second seed, moved safely through, destroying Australia's
Wimbledon semifinalist Jason Stoltenberg 6-2, 6-2.

Rain disrupted the tournament, forcing matches to be halted
with former world number one Jim Courier holding a 1-0 lead in
the third set over South African Wayne Ferreira.