Top-Ranked Connors Heads Over-35 Tour at Riviera Today

Jimmy Connors--fresh from winning the over-35 tour’s first title of the year Monday--will headline the field at the Coopers & Lybrand Champions tennis tournament that begins today at Riviera Country Club.

Connors defeated Andres Gomez to win at Richmond, Va., the first stop on the Nuveen Tour. Connors and Gomez finished No. 1 and No. 2 on the tour last season.

Both are in the field at Riviera, as are Guillermo Vilas, John Lloyd, Yannick Noah and Johan Kriek, among others. It is the first time Noah has competed in the L.A. event, which Connors won last year.

Play begins tonight at 7 with a first-round singles match between Gene Mayer and Mel Purcell. Mansour Bahrami and Gomez will then play Vilas and Ron Hightower in a doubles match.

Friday’s matches are at 2 and 7, Saturday and Sunday’s matches at 1 and 6:30 and Monday’s final at 7 p.m.

Connors and Gomez don’t play until Saturday.