Tennis Roundup : Spain’s Martinez Upsets Sabatini

Conchita Martinez, a 17-year-old from Spain who did not have a computer ranking a year ago, upset top-seeded Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, 6-3, 6-2, Sunday to win the $200,000 Eckerd Tennis Open at Largo, Fla.

Martinez, seeded eighth, whose only previous tournament championships were in satellite events, did not lose a set during the tournament.

Martinez never trailed. She broke Sabatini in each of her first three service games and built a 5-2 first-set lead. After Sabatini held, cutting it to 5-3, Martinez struggled to close out the set. She had three set points, but made errors on each one. Finally, on Martinez’s fourth opportunity, Sabatini slammed a forehand long.

Andrei Chesnokov of the Soviet Union won the $200,000 Swatch Open tennis tournament at Nice, France, and said he--like countrywoman Natalia Zvereva--would try to keep more of his winnings.

Chesnokov defeated Jerome Potier of France, 6-4, 6-4. His $28,000 first-place earnings pushed his career total to more than $500,000--most of which has gone to the Soviet Tennis Federation.

“Out of the $500,000 I received, maybe $10,000 to $12,000,” Chesnokov said. “When I won $59,500 at Orlando, I got $496.”

Sweden’s Stefan Edberg defeated top-seeded Ivan Lendl, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, Monday at Tokyo to capture the men’s singles title in the rain-delayed Japan Open tennis championship.