Tennis Roundup : Connors Gains Semifinals at San Francisco

Jimmy Connors, seeking his first title since November 1984, moved into the semifinals of the $289,000 Transamerica tennis tournament at San Francisco Friday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Peter Lundgren of Sweden.

Later, John McEnroe overpowered John Sadri, 6-1, 6-4. Sadri is ranked 30th in the world.

Connors, seeded No. 2, will play No. 3 Anders Jarryd today in an afternoon match, while McEnroe, seeded No. 4, will meet No. 1 Stefan Edberg in a night match. Edberg was runner-up to McEnroe last week in Los Angeles.

Friday, Jarryd defeated David Pate, 7-5, 6-2, and Edberg eliminated Jim Grabb, 7-6, 6-4.

Connors, who is experimenting with a prototype graphite racket this week, displayed an unusually strong serve in disposing of Lundgren.

“Six aces--that’s pretty good for me,” he said. “That’s good enough for the year.”

At San Diego, top-seeded Pam Shriver and fourth-seeded Stephanie Rehe completed a sweep by seeded players in the opening round of the $100,000 Audi Challenge women’s tournament.

Shriver, ranked fifth in the world, overpowered Kathy Horvath, 6-0, 6-1, and Rehe, 16, beat Wendy Turnbull, 6-1, 6-2, in the eight-player event at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.