Irvine’s Watson Advances in Doubles in Wheelchair Tennis

Mike Watson of Irvine and partner Charie Irizarry of Largo, Fla., defeated George McFadden of Elmhurst, N.Y., and Horace Warner of Corona, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5, Saturday in a masters doubles quarterfinal match on the first day of the U.S. Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships at the Racquet Club of Irvine.

Dan Lachman of Corona del Mar and Nancy Olson of Stony Point, N.Y., defeated Rick Cooper of Southlake, Tex., and Karin Connell of Australia, 6-3, 6-4, in a mixed doubles quarterfinal.

The tournament is the largest of its kind, with a field of 235 players from 16 countries. Play continues through next Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Saturday’s results:

MASTERS DOUBLES quarterfinals--Wayne Leavitt (Carrollton, Tex.)-Rick Amber (Dallas) d. Dan Wasmund (Marietta, Ohio)-Claude Miller (Chesterfield, Va.), 6-1, 6-0; Barry Butler (Canada)-Chris Illingsworth (Great Britain) d. Mark Matteson (Grass Valley)-Gary Peterson (Grass Valley), 6-3, 6-4; John Johnston (Gainesville, Fla.)-Bruce Karr (Boynton Beach, Fla.) d. Lelan McLemore (Redding)-Paul Grano (Anderson), 6-1, 6-2; Mike Watson (Irvine)-Charie Irizarry (Largo, Fla.) d. George McFadden (Elmhurst, N.Y.)-Horace Warner (Corona), 7-5, 6-7, 7-5.

First round--McFadden-Warner d. Andre Chairi (Switzerland)-Brian Geier (San Juan Capistrano), 6-2, 6-4; Matteson-Peterson d. Carlton Day (Wittman, Ariz.)-Leonard Driskill (Westminster), 6-0, 6-0.

MIXED DOUBLES quarterfinals--Jim Black (Oceanside)-Monique van den Bosch (Holland) d. Lee Montgomery (Grand Rapids, Mich.)-Randa Hinson (Australia), 6-0, 6-2; Dan Lachman (Corona del Mar)-Nancy Olson (Stony Point, N.Y.) d. Rick Cooper (Southlake, Tex.)-Karin Connell (Australia), 6-3, 6-4; Steve Welch (Bedford, Tex.)-Margrit Fink (Austria) d. John Greer (Kaneohe, Haw.)-Patty Rollison (Sun Valley, Nev.), 6-7, 6-2, 6-4; Michael Foulks (La Jolla)-Chantal Vandierendonck (Holland) d. Wayne Leavitt (Carrollton, Tex.)-Mary Jo Kittok (Maple Plain, Minn.), 6-1, 6-3.

First round--Black-van Den Bosch d. George McFadden (Elmhurst, N.Y.)-Paige Erickson (San Clemente), 6-0, 6-0; Montgomery-Hinson d. John Box (Orange)-La Nita Wilson (Huntington Beach), 6-2, 6-2; Lachman-Olson d. Mike Watson (Irvine)-Sharon Clark (San Francisco), 6-1, 6-0; Cooper-Connell d. Laurent Vicaire (France)-Lori Bush (Sacramento), 6-0, 6-3; Greer-Rollison d. Martin Erni (Switzerland)-Hannelore Taroni (Switzerland), 6-2, 6-1; Welch-Fink d. Stefan Donner (Germany)-Helma Scheffel (Germany), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2; Leavitt-Kittok d. Pierre Borguin (Switzerland)-Verena Chiari (Switzerland), 7-5, 7-5.