Fatigue, the nemesis of all new parents, had its effect Sunday on France`s Yannick Noah. His wife, Cecilia, gave birth to a baby girl Saturday night in New York, just 12 hours before Noah lost 6-3, 6-2 to Joakim Nystrom of Sweden in the final of the $325,000 Monte Carlo Open tennis Championship.
The baby`s name? Joakim, of course.
”I was not into the game,” said Noah, obviously tired throughout the match. ”I wasn`t thinking about the match because this morning I had a little daughter–and that for me is more important.”
The final was reduced to three sets because a shower held up the start for 90 minutes. Nystrom collected $58,500. Noah won $29,250.
Noah won just three of his eight service games.
”I knew he was tired,” Nystrom said, ”and I didn`t have to get so close to the lines with my passing shots.”
Deflating experience
A severe thunderstorm Saturday night caused several rips in the roof of the Metrodome in Minneapolis and sent fans and baseball players scurrying for cover.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth and the Twins leading the California Angels 5-1, time was called when the building began to shake and lights above the stands started to sway. Fans were told to exit to the concourse. Players from both bullpens rushed to the dugouts. After a few moments, air was pumped into the dome to stabilize the roof, and the 31,966 fans returned to their seats.
”When they called the game, I thought it was all over for sure,” the Angels` Wally Joyner said. ”I didn`t want to get back out there, and no one else did either.”
Play was resumed, but in the ninth inning the roof fell in on the Twins. The Angels hit three homers to win 7-6.
— That and Sunday`s 8-7 loss to the Angels signaled how bad the Twins need pitching, so they signed free agent right-hander Frank Pastore, who was released after spring training by the Cincinnati Reds. Dennis Burtt, with an earned run average of 31.50, was sent to the minors.
— Leron Lee of the Lotte Lions blasted his 246th homer in Japan to tie the record for foreign players.
