Goolagong Punches to Easy Va. Slims Win; Fromholtz Sweeps to Victory Over Stevens

Heavily favored Evonne Goolagong combined a potent serving punch with an artistic display of cross-court passing shots to easily advance past Carrie Meyer 6-2, 6-1, in the second round of the Virginia Slims Tennis Tournament at Boston University last night.

Goolagong maintained her winning form of last week's Slims win as she treated the crowd of 3200 to a textbook lesson in the art of perfect placement.

"I'm playing much more consistently now." Goolagong said after the match. "This is the longest I've been playing well since my first year on the tour."

In other action yesterday, Dianne Fromholtz, opening-round ouster of top-seeded Chris Evert, continued in her role as the Cinderella entry of the tournament when she outslugged Greer Stevens in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.

The left-handed Aussie maintained a tenacious attack that swept her past Evert on Tuesday by keeping Stevens at bay on the baseline all evening long.

Fromholtz explained how she avoided a letdown from her stunning Evert upset. "If you play and beat a top player," she said, "you have to keep on that level and not stay in the clouds."

In afternoon play, England's Virginia Wade was extended to three sets before downing cross-Channel challenger Betty Stove 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. Wade now faces Natasha Chmyreva, a strong young Russian player who has won impressively in her opening matches.

In a four-game exhibition match, the doubles teams of Gov. Michael S. Dukakis and Billie Jean King battled Wendy Overton and State Commerce Commissioner John Marino to a 2-2 tie. The Duke's dismal serving performance (four consecutive double faults) was largely attributed to a court full of Republican line judges.