Steffi Graf, Mats Wilander Polish Off First Opponents

NEW YORK — Defending singles champions Steffi Graf and Mats Wilander made short work of their opening-round opponents today to launch the 1989 U.S. Open tennis championships.

Graf, the world’s No. 1 and winner of six of the last seven grand slam events, overwhelmed Etsuko Inoue of Japan 6-3, 6-1 in the tournament’s opening match at the Louis Armstrong Stadium’s center court.

“I am not totally happy with how I played,” the 20-year-old West German said after her 56-minute victory. “In the first set I was rushing too much. I wasn’t being patient enough to wait for the right shot.”

Wilander, men’s defending champion, mired in a slump all year, shrugged off what could have been a tough challenge with a confident 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Austrian Horst Skoff, ranked 29th in the world.

Graf’s victory under overcast skies opened what promised to be a busy day at the noisy National Tennis Center with 64 opening-round matches scheduled.

Other stars due to take to the courts included four-time champion John McEnroe and Wimbledon champion Boris Becker.

Graf’s compatriot, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, fell 6-4, 6-0 to Nathalie Herreman of France.

Natalia Zvereva of the Soviet Union escaped the dubious distinction of being the first seed to fall when she pulled out a 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 win over Pascale Paradis of France.

Other women winners included Americans Camille Benjamin and Ann Grossman and France’s Nathalie Tauziat.

Benjamin beat Brazilian Andrea Vieira 6-2, 6-2, and Grossman eliminated Dinky van Rensberg of South Africa 6-4, 6-1.

Tauziat defeated American Andrea Farley 6-1, 6-3.