Tennis: Tauziat maintains run against Zvereva

NATHALIE TAUZIAT of France beat Natasha Zvereva of Belarus 6-3, 6-1 at the season-ending Chase Championships yesterday to add another win to a memorable 1998 campaign.

Tauziat, who reached her first Grand Slam final in 43 attempts at this year's Wimbledon at the advanced age of 30, booked a spot in the quarter- finals and will meet the winner of last night's match between her compatriot Sandrine Testud and the world No 1, Lindsay Davenport.

The attacking Tauziat reached the Wimbledon final this summer against Jana Novotna with a victory over Zvereva on the All England Club grass.

On the blue carpet of Madison Square Garden, Tauziat took advantage of Zvereva's erratic serve, pressed the action and used her own precision groundstrokes to control the play.

"I played a solid match," said Tauziat, who has won five of her last six meetings with Zvereva to lead their personal series 6-4. "I know how Natasha is playing. She knows my game, but maybe right now I am better than her. That is it," she added.

Zvereva double-faulted nine times, setting up critical break points for Tauziat, who converted five of 14 of them on her way to a one-hour, eight- minute victory.