Tennis Roundup : Cane Knocks Connors Out Early, 7-6, 6-1

Jimmy Connors’ comeback in the $607,500 Monte Carlo Open was a short one.

The fifth-seeded Connors, making his first appearance in the tournament in eight years, was eliminated in the second round Wednesday by Paolo Cane of Italy, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.

“I haven’t played on clay courts in two years,” Connors said. “I’ll take my beatings on clay for something down the road. I’m over here for 14 weeks.”

In two other surprises, Guy Forget of France upset seventh-seeded Emilio Sanchez of Spain, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-1, and Carl Uwe Steeb of West Germany ousted No. 12 Andrei Chesnokov of the Soviet Union, 6-4, 6-4.

Top-seeded Chris Evert needed only 1 hour 8 minutes to beat South Africa’s Karen Schimper, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round of a Virginia Slims tournament at Houston.

Third-seeded Lori McNeil overcame Laxmi Poruri, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, in the second round.

In other second-round matches, seventh-seeded Gretchen Magers defeated Katrina Adams, 6-4, 6-2 and Monica Seles defeated eighth-seeded Amy Frazier, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Hu Na defeated Maureen Drake, 6-2, 7-6, in another first-round match.