Men’s 45 Tennis Begins Today in Huntington Beach

Top-seeded Gordon Davis of Santa Monica will defend his singles title in the United States Tennis Assn. Men’s 45 Hard Court Championships, beginning today at the Lindborg Racquet Club in Huntington Beach.

Davis, 51, defeated Jim Perley, 54, of Coronado in the 1986 singles final, 6-3, 6-4, and is expected to be challenged by Keith Diephraam of Sugarland, Tex., the tournament’s second-seeded player.

Perley, who used a strong left-handed serve to win the tournament in 1979 and ‘82, is this year’s third-seeded player.

Other top players in the 128-player draw include: Len Saputo, the 1985 champion from Walnut Creek, Calif.; West Germany’s Rod Codwaller, who resides in Memphis, Tenn., and Larry Dodge of Piedmont, Calif.

Orange County will be represented by Jim Nelson, Bob Howe, and seventh-seeded Bob Duesler, all of Newport Beach; Ron Livingston and USC tennis Coach Dick Leach, both of Laguna Beach, as well as Stan Kula of Anaheim Hills and Herm Ahlers of Dana Point.

Nelson and Duesler, the 1986 defending doubles champions, are the top-seeded doubles team, with Livingston and Leach seeded No. 2.

Singles matches begin today at 8 a.m., and doubles play begins Tuesday afternoon.

The singles final is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday, with the doubles final following immediately.

The tournament is open free to the public.