Pierce debut in doubt

Tennis

BY JOHN ROBERTS

Mary Pierce, who withdrew from Wimbledon for "personal reasons" 48 hours before the championships began last year and because of 'flu after the tournament had started in 1993, may again be prevented from making her debut for health reasons.

The 20-year-old Australian Open champion is due to have an injured shoulder examined by a doctor in Paris before returning to her base in Florida for a complete medical check-up.

Since March, the world No 3 has also been afflicted by groin strains and a variety of viral infections and was taking a course of antibiotics here at the French Open, where she lost in straight sets to Iva Majoli of Croatia in the fourth round on Sunday.

"Before Mary plays again I want her to be thoroughly checked," Pierce's coach, Nick Bollettieri, said yesterday. "It's not normal for somebody to have all these health problems. If the doctor says Mary needs a rest, she will take a rest. We will take care of what needs to be taken care of."

Pierce had originally intended to play in an exhibition event in Prague before practising for Wimbledon in London. Last year she prepared by entering the Under-21 event at the Eastbourne tournament, and lost in straight sets in the second round to the 15-year-old Ludmila Varmuzova.

Steffi Graf may compete in the main event at Eastbourne for the first time in her career in order to compensate for the match practice she lost during the spring because of injuries and illness. In the quarter-finals in Paris today, she meets Gabriela Sabatini.

"It depends how things go here at the French Open and how the weather is in England," said Graf, who became the first defending champion to be eliminated in the first round of the Wimbledon women's singles when losing to the American Lori McNeil last year.

Graf, whose only previous visit to Eastbourne was 10 years ago for the Under-21 event, said she would decide whether she needed to rest or play more matches after the French Open.