Former Champs Ousted On An ‘Upsetting’ Day In Lipton Tennis Play

The Lipton Championships lost three former champions Monday - Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Michael Chang and Jim Courier.

Marianne Werdel Witmeyer, a hard-hitting Californian ranked 33rd, upset Sanchez Vicario, the world’s No. 1 female player, 6-2, 7-5 in the third round. It was the earliest departure by a top seed in the tournament’s 11-year history.

Sanchez Vicario, the Lipton champ in 1992 and 1993, will remain No. 1 even if Steffi Graf wins Lipton.

“I am not disappointed,” Sanchez Vicario said. “There are many more tournaments to play. You cannot win everything; that is the way I see it.”

Chang, seeded third, fell to Dutchman Jan Siemerink 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Australia’s Mark Woodforde swept Courier, the seventh seed, 6-3, 6-4.

“I just had one of those days,” Courier said. “I haven’t had too many so far this year, and hopefully I won’t have too many more.”

Top-ranked Pete Sampras withstood the wave of upsets, advancing to the fourth round by beating Jared Palmer 6-4, 6-4.