Women’s Tennis at San Diego : Gurney Upsets No. 2 Seed Rehe in Slims Final

SAN DIEGO — Reunions can turn into ticklish affairs, especially when a pivotal new party enters the picture.

That was the case at Sunday’s final match of the $75,000 Virginia Slims of San Diego at the Hilton Beach and Tennis Resort.

Melissa Gurney of Palos Verdes, unseeded in the tournament and ranked No. 73 in the world, beat the tournament’s second seed, Stephanie Rehe of Highland, who is No. 16 in the world, 6-2, 6-4.

Co-holders of the No. 1 ranking in the 18-and under division in 1984, Gurney and Rehe met the first time in two years and for the first time as professionals Sunday.

“Walking out there again with Stephanie was weird,” said Gurney, who at 17 is almost five months older than Rehe. “It reminded me of all our matches.”

During most of their matches as junior players, both Gurney and Rehe were coached by Robert Lansdorp.

As Tracy Austin’s coach, Lansdorp gained a reputation on the West Coach as being strict, successful and expensive. And he was constantly in demand.

Rehe broke off with Lansdorp, but Gurney remained one of his students.

Sort of.

When Gurney accepted her check Sunday, she thanked her coaches, Mike Newberry and Robert Lansdorp.

Coaches?

Doesn’t Lansdorp require a student to work exclusively with her?

In “Courting Fame,” a recent book by Karen Stabiner on the experiences of young players on the verge of turning professional, she writes: “To formally consolidate his position, Lansdorp issued an ultimatum to the members of his new academy (West End Tennis and Racquet Club): if they worked with any other coach, they would no longer be allowed to work with him. The man who wanted his pupils to wear his likeness on their backs was not going to let anyone else take credit for his current crop of prodigies.”

So, where does Newberry fit in?

“I never knew he worked that much with her,” said Lansdorp, who did not sit with Newberry at Sunday’s match. “I think he plays sets with her.

“It doesn’t really bother me. As long as I get credit for what I did, it’s all right. Melissa is very nice about giving credit.”

On Sunday, a lot of the credit seemed to go to Newberry, an assistant pro at the Jack Kramer Club in Rolling Hills.

“I think Melissa is giving credit where it’s due,” Newberry said.

Gurney has been taking lessons from Newberry for two years, but it has only been in the past six months that the two have started playing and plotting strategy on a regular basis.

“Robert mainly coached me through juniors,” Gurney said. “Lately, it’s been Mike. He’s a player and Robert’s not.”

How does Newberry feel about being one of two coaches?

“I think we (Lansdorp and Newberry) get along fine,” Newberry said. “I have no first-hand knowledge of what pupils do with him. But his record speaks for itself. He must be doing a lot superlatively.”

It is an awkward situation for Gurney, who has really blossomed in the past month since she has worked almost exclusively with Newberry.

“It’s kind of troublesome,” Gurney said. “I’m really good friends with Robert. But it’s a real advantage when you have a coach that can play. Lately, Mike’s been really helping me think on the court.”

Said Newberry: “What we’ve been doing is actually working on smarts. On strategy and percentage shots. On exploiting an opponent’s weakness.”

In Gurney’s convincing win against Rehe Sunday, she followed Newberry’s advice. She chipped her powerful backhand more than usual and looped balls to Rehe’s forehand.

“In watching (Kate) Gompert play Rehe Saturday,” Newberry said, “I saw that Rehe had a shaky forehand when Gompert hit a topspin loop.”

Gurney listened and began to put Newberry’s words into practice.

“Her confidence in me is recent,” Newberry said. “It’s been a gradual process. Everything I said she feels has paid off. It has kind of exploded in the last month.”

On Sunday, Gurney continually frustrated Rehe and forced her to commit more unforced errors than usual.

“Employing that strategy helped keep Rehe from getting into the match,” Newberry said. “It kind of retarded her game a little.”

Gurney, playing her machine-like steady baseline game, broke Rehe’s service three times in the opening set and cruised to a 6-2 win in 35 minutes.

“She kept the ball in play and kept moving the ball around,” a teary-eyed Rehe said after the match. “Maybe I was trying to make too good of a shot today. I made too many quick errors.”

Said Lansdorp: “Melissa really wanted it today. I don’t know if Rehe wanted it.”

In the second set, Gurney raced to a 4-0 lead, but Rehe kept her composure and won four straight games.

“At 4-4 in the second set,” Rehe said, “I finally felt like I was getting into the match. I felt I had a chance. Maybe I went for it a little too much.”

Gurney broke Rehe’s service to take a 5-4 lead and then held serve to win the match and the title.

“I was getting tentative when she started coming back,” Gurney said, “so I started playing loose again.”

Learning to adjust her game in midstream is something Newberry has preached to Gurney.

“For a while there,” Newberry said, “Melissa kept losing all her three-set matches. That means your opponent is getting wise to your game and you are not getting wise to their game.”

Working with Newberry, who spent last week in Berkeley and the past two days in San Diego with Gurney, has made a big difference.

What does the future hold for Gurney and her coaches?

“I hope I can always go to Robert,” Gurney said. “But in the past, he was bitter about Stephanie Rehe when she left him. I hope it doesn’t come to that. That would be really immature.”

Before leaving the clubhouse Sunday, Gurney tapped Newberry on the shoulder. They both smiled.

Gurney walked over to Lansdorp.

“Thanks for coming,” Gurney said.

“Sure,” Lansdorp said. “Call me soon.”

Virginia Slim Notes Beth Herr and Alycia Moulton defeated Elise Burgin and Rosalyn Fairbank, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, to win the tournament’s doubles title.