THE SIDELINES : Upsets Mark New Zealand Open

Steve Guy of New Zealand upset second-seeded Czech Miloslav Mecir 6-3, 6-3 today in the first round of the Benson and Hedges New Zealand Open tennis championships. He will next face compatriot Brett Steven, a 6-3, 6-0 winner over Finn Veli Paloheimo.

American Glenn Layendecker also scored an upset today, ousting No. 4 seed Kelly Evernden of New Zealand, 6-2, 6-4. Top-seed Andrei Chesnokov of the Soviet Union, ranked 18th in the world, struggled past West German qualifier Marcus Zoecke 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, and American Scott Davis, the eighth seed, rallied to defeat Swede Christian Bergstrom 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Americans Jimmy Arias and Richey Reneberg also advanced to the last 16. Arias downed Italian Claudio Pistolesi 6-3, 6-3, and Reneberg breezed past Israeli Gilad Bloom 6-3, 6-2.

In Sydney, Australia, meanwhile, rain washed out all play today in the New South Wales Open tennis championships.