Tennis Roundup : McEnroe Survives Scare and Gains Semifinals

John McEnroe won two matches Friday to gain the semifinals of the rain-delayed $150,000 Hamlet Challenge Cup Invitational tennis tournament at Jericho, N.Y.

Coming within two points of losing his first-round match, McEnroe recovered in time to stave off 18-year-old Jaime Yzaga of Peru, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6.

Later, he disposed of Paul Annacone, 6-3, 6-2, in 70 minutes.

In other quarterfinal action, Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia ousted Henrik Sundstrom of Sweden, 6-3, 6-4; Andres Gomez of Ecuador defeated Slobodan Zivojinovic of Yugoslavia, 7-6, 6-4, and Brad Gilbert beat Thierry Tulasne of France, 6-4, 6-3.

In the semifinals, it will be McEnroe against Gomez and Lendl against Gilbert.

Jimmy Connors defeated Kent Carlsson of Sweden, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, at Mason, Ohio, to join Sweden’s Mats Wilander, Stefan Edberg and Mikael Pernfors in the semifinals of the $375,000 Assn. of Tennis Professionals Championship.

Wilander edged Emilio Sanchez of Spain, 6-4, 7-6; Edberg beat Tim Wilkison, 7-6, 7-6, and Pernfors routed Kevin Curren, 6-1, 6-0.

Molly Van Nostrand, ranked 158th in the world, stunned second-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, to move into the semifinals of a $150,000 tournament at Mahwah, N.J.

Also advancing were Steffi Graf of West Germany, Jo Durie of England and Elna Reinach of South Africa. Graf beat Isabelle Demongeot of France, 6-3, 6-2; Reinach ousted Regina Marsikova of Czechoslovakia, 7-6, 6-3, and Durie downed countrywomen Sara Gomer, 7-5, 6-2.

In a third-round match earlier Friday, Graf beat 12th-seeded Melissa Gurney, 6-3, 6-3.