STEVEN MANN, Stellenbosch | Friday 6.00pm.
AMANDA Coetzer served well and hit some blistering backhands to beat Steffi Graf in three sets on Friday, avenging her defeat at the hands of the German on Tuesday.
The diminutive South Africa’s victory draws the Spar Challenge exhibition series to one all, with a final match to be played in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Graf started strongly, breaking Coetzer’s serve in the fourth game, the only break of the set, which the German won 6-3.
But from then on everything went Coetzer’s way. She took the second set 6-3 and she broke Graf’s serve four times in the final set to win it 6-2.
Graf was unconcerned about her loss, saying she was having fun.
“I am not taking everything so seriously. I may try a few things here and there,” she told a post-match media briefing.
The German, who retired from professional tennis in August, is on a world exhibition tour to say thanks to her fans.
She said she was hardly practising at all and had no intention of making a comeback.
Coetzer called Graf the women athlete of the century, and said that despite her layoff she was still hitting the ball well.
South African fans have mobbed Graf at every appearance, and she drew louder applause from the 1500 crowd at Stellenbosch stadium that Coetzer.
“Everybody has been really sweet,” she said.