TENNIS ROUNDUP : Connors Stopped by Washington, 6-4, 6-2

MaliVai Washington, who upset Ivan Lendl last year at the Volvo International, surprised Jimmy Connors, 6-4, 6-2, in a first-round match of the $1-million ATP tournament at New Haven, Conn.

Connors was not the lone upset victim. Danilo Marcelino of Brazil used a soft touch and a strong return game to beat third-seeded Brad Gilbert, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Marcelino said he won by keeping Gilbert off-balance.

“My strategy was to hit slow, don’t hit the ball hard, because I know he likes that,” said Marcelino, ranked No. 128 in the world.

In other matches, fifth-seeded Goran Ivanisevic overcame Gianluca Pozzi, 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 6-2, and Bryan Shelton surprised No. 14 Todd Woodbridge, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.

Luiz Mattar of Brazil defeated Andres Gomez of Ecuador, 6-2, 6-3; Amos Mansdorf of Israel, downed Mark Petchey of Britain, 6-4, 6-2; Paul Annacone beat Chuck Adams, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, Paul Haarhuis of the Netherlands trounced Tommy Ho, 6-3, 6-0; Luis Herrera of Mexico ousted Jaime Oncins of Brazil, 6-3, 6-2, and Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands beat Ctislav Dosedel of Czechoslovakia, 6-3, 6-1.

Gilad Bloom of Israel was leading Pablo Arraya of Argentina, 6-7 (7-5), 6-1, 4-0, when Arraya retired with an injury.

French Open champion Jim Courier lost only seven points on his serve after being broken in the opening game and defeated U.S. Davis Cup teammate Jim Pugh, 6-4, 6-4, in the second round of the U.S. Hardcourts tournament at Indianapolis.

Earlier, No. 9 Jakob Hlasek served consistently at over 100 m.p.h. to beat Canadian Grant Connell, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3. in an opening-round match.

In other matches, David Pate beat Andrew Sznajder of Canada, 6-4, 7-5; No. 10 Alexander Volkov of the Soviet Union defeated Gary Muller of South Africa, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; No. 14 Fabrice Santoro of France beat Tomas Carbonell of Spain, 6-2, 6-2; No. 15 Francisco Clavet of Spain eliminated Guillaume Raoux of France, 7-5, 6-2; No. 16 Christian Bergstrom of Sweden downed Nuno Marques of Portugal, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3; Grant Stafford of South Africa topped Peter Lundgren of Sweden, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and Clement N’Goran of the Ivory Coast beat Kelly Evernden of New Zealand, 6-7 (7-5), 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).