Connors Out In Quarters

At Halle, Germany, playing in his first ATP quarterfinals in four years, 42-year-old Jimmy Connors succumbed to the strong serve of Marc Rosset 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

In another match featuring an American, defending champion and third-seeded Michael Stich of Germany defeated Richey Reneberg of Houston 6-3, 6-4.

While most of the 10,000 spectators supported Connors, Stich said it was good that Connors lost: “For tennis and the young players it is better that Jimmy lost. At his age, I’ll at the most be a line judge on the court.”

At Eastbourne, England, Chanda Rubin, a former Wimbledon junior champion, prepared for this year’s Grand Slam tournament with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Germany’s Christina Singer in the semifinals of the Eastbourne grass-court championship.

Rubin, seeded 13th, faces Nathalie Tauziat today. The 11th-seeded French player beat second-seeded Natasha Zvereva of Belarus 6-2, 6-4.

Steffi Graf and Boris Becker are both ready to play at Wimbledon after making quick trips to Germany to receive treatment for minor injuries.

Graf, the top-seeded German and five-time champ, injured her right wrist while practicing earlier this week but is expected to play Wimbledon, which starts Monday.

Becker, the three-time champion, strained a calf muscle during the Queen’s Club tournament in London last week. The injury was not serious and Becker also is expected to play Wimbledon.