Over-35 Tour Gets a New Script: Kriek Makes Final

Actors in soap operas know their job prospects are shaky when their character is written out of the script.

Not that the Nuveen Tour over-35 circuit is scripted, but Andres Gomez may want to consider a rewrite. Johan Kriek defeated Gomez, 6-4, 7-5, in the semifinals Sunday night of the Coopers & Lybrand Champions tournament at the Riviera Country Club. That result precluded the usual Gomez-Jimmy Connors final the tour has come to expect.

Connors, at least, will be in tonight’s final. He beat John Lloyd, 6-3, 6-1, after blowing a handful of break-point opportunities.

Connors and Gomez are such fixtures on the tour that one or both of them appeared in 10 of 13 finals last season. They met in the final of the tour’s first stop last week--Connors won--and Connors and Gomez are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

They met in the final here last year, which Connors won.

Kriek upset that pattern by asserting his serve on the slow clay court. He served 10 aces, four of them coming on his second serve, and gave up only one service break.

Kriek’s aggressive serve was all-the-more impressive as it was generated from a stocky frame.

“I have the brain of a 6-6 [Mark] Philippoussis, but I’m me, 5-8,” Kriek said. “I just go for it. When it’s on, it’s on.”

Kriek’s attitude on his serve provided the entertainment in the otherwise pedestrian match. Both players were not strong off the ground and points ended quickly, halted by an unforced error.

It was the first time Kriek has beaten Gomez on the over-35 tour.

Connors and Kriek have met in seven finals, with Connors holding a 6-1 advantage. Tonight’s final is at 7.