Southern California Senior Tennis : La Jolla’s Rabbitt Upsets Davis to Advance to the Final

Unseeded Mike Rabbitt of La Jolla upset second-seeded Gordon Davis of Santa Monica, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, to reach the men’s 45 division final in the Southern California Senior Grand Prix Masters Tennis Tournament at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.

Rabbitt’s victory ended the chance for a rematch between Davis and top-seeded Jim Perley of Coronado. Perley defeated Jim Nelson of Newport Beach, 7-6, 6-4.

Davis and Perley, both 50, have split two meetings in major tournaments this year. Perley defeated Davis to win the men’s National 50 Hardcourt Championships and Davis beat Perley to win the men’s National 45 Hardcourt Championships.

One other San Diego resident advanced to today’s final at 10:30 a.m.

Second-seeded Suella Bowden of La Jolla will play top-seeded Sally Moore Huss of Irvine in the women’s 45 final. Bowden defeated Pat Cody of Paramount, 6-0, 6-0. Huss, a 1959 Wimbledon semifinalist, defeated Audrey Folden of Claremont, 6-1, 6-1.

In another upset, unseeded Mel Lewis of Inglewood defeated second-seeded Ed Kauder of Beverly Hills in men’s 55 division, 6-2, 6-3.