Connors Given a Wild-Card Berth to Play in Infiniti Open at UCLA

Jimmy Connors, busy winning nearly every event on his senior tennis tour, has been given a wild-card spot in the main draw of the Infiniti Open tournament, which begins Monday at UCLA’s Los Angeles Tennis Center.

Connors, 42, who has won the L.A. tournament four times, most recently in 1984, has been a fixture on his recently created Champions Tour for players 35 and over. Thus far, Connors has dominated the 11-event tour, which is produced by his company and includes John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.

Winner of eight Grand Slam tournament titles, Connors has played sparingly on the ATP Tour. The only event he has entered this year was last month at Halle, Germany, where he reached the quarterfinals.

Connors won L.A. titles in 1973 and ’74 and again in 1982 and ’84. He reached the quarterfinals in 1992.

Connors joins a field that includes four players in the top 20--Goran Ivanisevic, ranked No. 6; Michael Stich, No. 10; Richard Krajicek, No. 15, and Thomas Enqvist, No. 19.