County Tennis Players Lose in New York

Three Orange County tennis players--Jon Leach, Adam Peterson and Keri Phebus--were among the first-round losers Monday in the junior division of the U.S. Open in New York.

Leach, who graduated from Laguna Beach High in January and helped USC win its first NCAA tennis championship since 1976, fell to Maxsy Jimemez of Venezuela, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4). Peterson, from Orange, was defeated by Massimo Bertolini of Italy, 6-3, 6-4.

In the girls’ division, Phebus, a two-time Southern Section singles champion at Corona del Mar High, was ousted by 16th-seeded Lindsay Davenport of Palos Verdes, 6-3, 6-3.