Tennis Roundup : Connors Forced Out by Injury, Hopes to Heal for U.S. Open

Jimmy Connors pulled out of the Assn. of Tennis Professionals Championship at Mason, Ohio, Thursday with an elbow injury, and Andres Gomez of Ecuador was disqualified after receiving four code violations.

Connors is suffering from medial tendinitis in his left elbow. He warmed up for his match against Kevin Curren but could not play.

“It’s a condition that will not improve the more he’s playing,” ATP trainer Bill Norris said.

Connors hopes rest will enable him to compete in the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 29. Norris said the elbow could recover in a week to 10 days with treatment and rest.

Gomez, ranked 16th in the world, was thrown out of the tournament after Carl Limberger of Australia took a 6-2, 3-1 lead against him. Gomez was issued code violations for two audible obscenities, hitting the court microphone and smashing his racket against the court. He was fined $2,350.

In other matches at the Jack Nicklaus Sports Center, 11th-seeded Anders Jarryd of Sweden defeated Joey Rive, 6-1, 6-2, Jakob Hlasek of Switzerland beat Gary Muller of South Africa, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and 12th-seeded Aaron Krickstein defeated No. 6-seeded Brad Gilbert, 7-5, 6-3.

Second-seeded Chris Evert won twice, advancing to the quarterfinals of the $315,000 Player’s Challenge at Montreal.

Evert completed a rain-delayed 6-1, 6-2 victory over Canada’s Rene Simpson and beat Isabelle Demongeot of France, 6-4, 6-2.

In other matches, top-seeded Martina Navratilova routed 11th-seeded Sylvia Hanika of West Germany, 6-1, 6-1; third-seeded Pam Shriver downed Nathalie Tauziat of France, 7-6, 6-4; fourth-seeded Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina beat No. 9 Zina Garrison, 6-1, 6-4; No. 5-seeded Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia ousted Catarina Lindqvist of Sweden, 6-3, 6-0; sixth-seeded Natalia Zvereva of the Soviet Union eliminated Nicole Provis of Australia, 6-4, 6-0; seventh-seeded Lori McNeil beat Helen Kelesi of Canada, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, and Terry Phelps upset No. 10 Barbara Potter, 6-0, 3-6, 6-0.

Marc Flur upset fourth-seeded Derrick Rostagno, 7-6, 6-1, in the $125,000 Mennen Cup Championships at Livingston, N.J.

In other matches, sixth-seeded Sammy Giammalva struggled past Tobias Svantesson of Sweden, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, and Simon Youl of Australia defeated Hugo Nunez of Ecuador, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1.