Change in Style Makes Coetzer a Winner

CARLSBAD, Calif. — Amanda Coetzer’s retooled playing style has changed her from a consistent but beatable player hovering in the top 20 to a player known as an irritant to her top-10 colleagues because of her tenacity and willingness to slug it out.

Radical changes are rare by the time a player reaches Coetzer’s professional level. But the fruits of nearly two years’ labor were on display Thursday, as the third-seeded South African defeated Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia, 6-3, 6-4, in the quarterfinals of the Toshiba Tennis Classic at the La Costa Resort.

In the day session’s other second-round singles match, seventh-seeded Conchita Martinez defeated Helena Sukova, 6-1, 6-0, and will face top-seeded Martina Hingis in a quarterfinal today.

Coetzer will play Monica Seles in the semifinals. The second-seeded Seles defeated Natasha Zvereva Thursday night, 6-1, 6-3, in a match that featured brilliant shotmaking by both players. Zvereva’s ability has never been questioned, but her stability is always an issue. She served effectively, when she got her first serve in, and hit more winners than Seles but also nearly three times as many unforced errors.

Three double faults by Zvereva in the ninth game of the second set brought Seles to match point, which Zvereva fended off with a deep backhand winner. Seles prevailed two points later.

“I wasn’t giving up today and that’s what I wanted to do going into the match,” Seles said. “I knew I had to attack more and be aggressive, so I’m happy with that.”

The change in the diminutive Coetzer’s game was not motivated by any real defect but brought about because her advancement had stagnated. As Michael Chang did with his game about the same time, Coetzer assessed what she lacked and set about improving.

“I had to get a weapon into my game,” she said. “I changed my forehand, taking a more open stance. It opened up the court. I’ve really worked on my serve. There are so many possibilities now.”

Coetzer’s decision in 1995, with coach Gavin Hopper, to rethink everything about her game was a gutsy one. Had the experiment failed, her career might have been in tatters. Tinkering is one thing, but re-grooving strokes born of years of practice is a daunting undertaking.

“Thinking back, it was a bit crazy,” Coetzer, 25, said. “I was at a stage [where] I really had to change my game. I needed to do something. It was tough in the beginning. I didn’t take time off and stayed on the tour and played.”

The results didn’t come immediately, but an emphasis on fitness became an instant weapon. Her ability to get to balls and willingness to stay on court for hours, if necessary, gave her wins that otherwise might have slipped away.

Coetzer is the well-known conqueror of Steffi Graf, gaining victories at a time when Graf was nearly unbeatable. Coetzer defeated Graf in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, in the quarterfinals at Berlin in May and in the quarterfinals at the French Open in June.

Last year, Coetzer got to one semifinal; this is her ninth semifinal this year.

“I haven’t been counting,” Coetzer said. “But I’m happy with the way I played. This match was a big test, it’s the kind of match I wanted to get over with.”

Basuki has a reputation as a dangerous player, but unforced errors did her in Thursday.

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Toshiba Classic

Today’s quarterfinal matches at La Costa Resort:

STADIUM COURT, Beginning at noon

* Martina Hingis (1) vs. Conchita Martinez (7)

Beginning at 7 p.m.

* Sandrine Testud vs. Mary Pierce (6)