London Advances, but MacGregor and Sampras Lose in Open Qualifying

Nicole London of Peninsula High was a winner, but 1987 Palos Verdes High graduates Cammy MacGregor and Stella Sampras were losers in first-round qualifying matches for the U.S. Open Thursday at Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

London defeated Maureen Drake of Canada, 6-4, 6-2, and will need two more victories to earn one of eight spots in the main draw reserved for qualifiers.

MacGregor, 23, was eliminated by Nicole Arendt of Princeton, N.J., 6-4, 6-1. MacGregor, 23, had reached the Open’s main draw four of the past six years, advancing to the second round in 1986 and 1989. She lost in the second round of qualifying last year.

Sampras was ousted by Heather Ludloff of San Rafael, 6-1, 7-5.

The main draw, which was announced Thursday, includes two men and two women with South Bay ties.

Pete Sampras, Stella Sampras’ younger brother and a former Palos Verdes High standout, will face a qualifier in the first round. Sampras, the 1990 champion, is seeded third.

Jeff Tarango of Manhattan Beach will also face a qualifier in the first round.

In the women’s division, Kimberly Po, 20, of Rolling Hills, who has announced she will retire from tennis after the tournament, will meet Julie Steven of Wichita, Kan., in the first round. Po reached the third round of last year’s Open.

Lindsay Davenport of Chadwick High drew Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia as her first-round opponent.

Main draw play begins Monday.