Becker, Wilander to Play at La Quinta

Boris Becker and Mats Wilander will make their first appearances in Southern California in the $405,000 Pilot Pen tournament Feb. 24-March 2 at the La Quinta Hotel Tennis Club.

Becker, 18, of West Germany was the surprise winner at Wimbledon last summer, and Wilander was a member of Sweden’s recently victorious Davis Cup team.

Among the other entrants in the Grand Prix tournament are Jimmy Connors, Yannick Noah, Paul Annacone, Henrik Sundstrom, Jimmy Arias, Aaron Krickstein, Brad Gilbert, Tim Mayotte and Pat Cash.

Connors, 33, has just returned to tournament play after being out for several weeks with a back injury.

This year will mark the last appearance of the 10-year-old tournament at La Quinta. In 1987, it will be moved to a new facility now under construction at Indian Wells.