TENNIS : Team of Leach, Nelson Advance at Hardcourts

Richard Leach of Laguna Beach and Jim Nelson of Newport Beach advanced to the final of the men’s 55 doubles at the USTA Men’s Hardcourt Championships on Saturday at the Lindborg Racquet Club in Huntington Beach.

Leach and Nelson defeated Lenny Lindborg of Laguna Beach and Larry Dodge of Piedmont, 6-3, 6-2, to advance to the final, but both lost in other events.

Leach lost to Gil Howard of San Francisco in the semifinals of the men’s 55 singles, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2. Nelson and partner Fred Shuey of La Jolla lost to Charlie Hoeveler of Ross and Len Saputo of Walnut Creek in the men’s 50 doubles, 7-6, 7-5.

Leach and Nelson will face the Newport Beach duo of Bob Duesler and Hank Leichtfried, who advanced to today’s 1 p.m. final with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Howard and Les Dodson of Piedmont.