Connors May Not Play in U.S. Open

Jimmy Connors, knocked out of the Gunze World Tennis Tournament today by fellow American Jim Courier, said he is tired and hinted that he might skip the U.S. Open.

“I may take a vacation--one week or one month, I don’t know,” Connors said after falling to the 18-year-old Courier 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 in a first-round match.

Asked what tournament he would compete in next, Connors said, “I don’t know.”

Courier, one of America’s fast-rising teen-age players, had 15 aces in his first-ever match against Connors, a five-time U.S. Open champion who is considered to have the best return of serve in the game.

Courier, of Dade City, Fla., said it was a “great opportunity” to play Connors, and said the American veteran played “great tennis” in the first set.

But Courier’s serve improved in the second set, while Connors faded during the two-hour, 17-minute match at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium.

Both players double-faulted and lost their first service games to begin the match. Then the 36-year-old Connors, who has won more career singles titles than any other man, 107, ran out the first set.

In the second-set tiebreaker, Courier moved out to a 6-3 lead before Connors netted a forehand from the base line.

In the third set, Courier broke Connors’ serve in the first game after they twice battled to deuce. He then served out the match.