TENNIS / WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT AT MANHATTAN BEACH : Sanchez Vicario Looks Out for No. 3 and Advances Into Semifinals Again

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario scuttles around in the court in turquoise shoes. She runs from corner to corner to chase down balls and slap them back with a swish of her racket.

When Sanchez Vicario plays tennis, the race is on. She is the pace car of the women’s game. Even so, there is one race that doesn’t go to the swiftest, at least as far as she is concerned.

That would be the race for No. 1, the sport’s pole position, currently occupied by Steffi Graf. In this race, Sanchez Vicario said she is happy to be third.

“Number 1 in the world, I’m in no hurry,” said Sanchez Vicario, who arrived in today’s semifinals of the Virginia Slims of Los Angeles with her No. 3 ranking safely in tow.

“I think everybody is trying to be No. 1. Right now, to be No. 3 is great. I think I am getting close. I think I am a player who can win a lot of matches, win a Grand Slam. That makes a difference.”

For Sanchez Vicario, there is a fast difference. So far, Sanchez Vicario is not merely a footnote on the Kraft Tour, she is running with the fast crowd.

In 13 tournaments, she has won three titles, reached three other finals and is now in her fifth semifinal. And if she gets past Lori McNeil today, Sanchez Vicario may find that the next step in her journey to the top will take a lot less time than she thinks, especially with No. 2-ranked Monica Seles sidelined indefinitely.

Then again, maybe not. Gabriela Sabatini, who will match her groundstrokes against Martina Navratilova’s serves in the semifinals, isn’t sure Sanchez Vicario will never occupy the No. 1 position in the game.

“She has improved a lot in her game,” Sabatini said. “I don’t know if she can be No. 1, though. She has to improve a couple of things, but for sure, she has the chance.”

Navratilova said it seems to her that Sanchez Vicario could be No. 1, but it won’t be easy.

“It’s a long way to Tipperary, No. 3 to No. 1,” she said. “It’s not like No. 35 to No. 33. It’s pretty tough.”

In Friday’s quarterfinals at Manhattan Country Club, Zina Garrison Jackson had a chance to dump Sanchez Vicario but failed, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

As a result, Sanchez Vicario, not Garrison Jackson, will meet McNeil, a 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 winner over Magdalena Maleeva.

Obviously not getting paid by the minute, Navratilova swept past Amanda Coetzer, 6-1, 6-1, in 42 minutes. To reach the semifinals, Navratilova is averaging 51 minutes.

“If I could bottle that and sell it, I’d be the richest person on earth,” Navratilova said.

Her plan against Sabatini is to move in on the topspin and take the ball early. Said Navratilova: “If you back up, you’re out in the cheap seats.”

Sabatini didn’t have to work very hard to defeat Kimberly Po, 6-4, 6-2. As it turned out, Po was in over her head trying to solve Sabatini’s looping topspin.

“Maybe if I was a bit taller,” said Po, who is 5 foot 3.

By design, the Sabatini topspin is easier trapped with a butterfly net than a racket. Po said it’s a very difficult shot to track down.

“She jerks you around the court so much,” Po said. “The ball jumps around so much. A lot of people hit topspin with more pace so it’s easier to step into it. She just hits the spin.”