Jimmy Connors did it again Thursday. Tennis` old man staved off an upstart youngster in the U.S. Hardcourts.
Connors upset fifth-seeded Wayne Ferreira 6-3, 6-2 in a little more than an hour to advance to the quarterfinals for the second time in as many tournaments.
Two weeks before the U.S. Open and his 40th birthday, Connors is on a roll.
”I`d like to go out and play like that every day for the rest of my life,” said Connors, 19 years older than Ferreira.
In other third-round matches, top-seeded Jim Courier outlasted David Engel 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, defending champion Pete Sampras took out Todd Witsken 6-4, 7-5 and No. 3 Boris Becker beat No. 13 David Wheaton 7-6 (9-7), 6-3.
Connors took control with a service break in the second game, and then waited for Ferreira to make mistakes.
”I think he underestimated me. I think he went out there feeling maybe that he`d just be present and win,” Connors said.
”Unfortunately, that`s the way I feel after being around for 20 years. That`s not for him to think that way.”
