Tennis: Wimbledon '93 / Top seeds end hope of Bates and Durie repeat

JEREMY BATES and Jo Durie failed in their attempt to repeat their 1987 Wimbledon mixed doubles triumph, losing to the top seeds, Todd Woodbridge and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, in the quarter-finals yesterday.

The British pair, who won another Grand Slam title in Melbourne in 1991, were beaten 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. But the efforts of the old guard of domestic tennis, as they recovered from a one-set deficit, captivated the crowd on Court One until Sanchez Vicario drilled a winning backhand volley into an open court with the light beginning to fade after one hour and 41 minutes.

Durie, her right knee strapped following surgery six weeks ago, proved the more brittle of the two Britons, surrendering her serve twice in the first set, once in the second to allow their opponents a reprieve when they trailed 5-0 and decisively in the final set.

Woodbridge, a doubles specialist, was left to serve out for a place in the last four and he nearly 'choked' when he double-faulted to make the score 30- 30. But a crisp forehand volley secured a match point, before the Spaniard's winning shot.

Sanchez Vicario, meanwhile, has parted company with her coach, Carlos Kirmayr, who said he was terminating their relationship for personal reasons. The Spaniard, who is ranked No 3 in the world, won three tournaments during the five months that they worked together.