Few Clues To Result Of ‘Walk-out Wimbledon’

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30480, 30 June 1964, Page 15

Few Clues To Result Of ‘Walk-out Wimbledon’

(N.Z. P.A. -Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, June 28.

The first week's play at Wimbledon provided few clues as to the destination of the title.

But whatever the outcome of the closing stages this week, the 1964 lawn tennis championships will be remembered as the “Walk-out Wimbledon.” The refusal of Russian, Hungarian and Czech, competitors to play with South Africans brought ' politics into the world’s premier tournament for the first time. It is certain to have repercussions at next month’s meeting of the Lawn Tennis Federation in Vienna. All Vulnerable With form among the top male players having levelled off in recent years so that all are vulnerable, the halfway stage in the championships. has been reached with only four of the original eight seeded men surviving. Last year three seeds remained at this stage, while in 1962 the position was the same as now.

In the women’s singles, however the seeding committee is to be congratulated on its anticipation, as seven of the eight seeded players have gained their appointed places among the last eight. This is one better than in 1962 and 1963. Not since seeding was introduced 'at Wimbledon in the 1920’s has an unseeded player, man or woman won a singles title. There seems little chance of the sequence being broken this year. Quarter-Finalists.

The quarter-final lineups in the singles (seeding numbers) are:

Men: Roy Emerson. Australia (1) v. Bob Hewitt. Australia. Rafael Osuna, Mexico (4) v. Wilhelm Gungert, West Germany. Christian Kuhnke, West Germany v. Fred Stolle, Australia (6). Abe Segal, South Africa v. Chuck McKinley, U.S.A. (2). Women: Margaret Smith, Australia (1) v. Norma Baylon, Argentina. Billie-Jean Moffitt, U.S.A. (3) v. Mrs Ann Jones, Britain (6). Nancy Richey, U.S.A. (5) v. Lesley Turner, Australia (4). Robyn Ebbefn, Australia (8) v. Maria Bueno, Brazil (2). It would seem to be a case of now or never for 27-year-old Emerson, the world’s top

amateur. He is in the quarterfinals for the fifth time in nine tilts at the title, the only major championship which has so far eluded him. He has come smoothly through the first week and now must win three more matches if his ambition is to be achieved. Tomorrow he will face a big test when meeting his unseeded compatriot, Hewitt, the only quarter-finalist who has not yet yielded a set. Lefthanders To Meet

McKinley, the 23-year-o)d acrobatic defending champion, has scrambled through a tough series of clashes against left-handers rather by his physical assets than by stroke equipment. The chunky American, who has had little tennis this year because of his studies, plays another lefthander tomorrow in 33-y.ear-old Segal, who was at the centre of last week’s political storm. McKinley is among the last eight for the third time while Segal is a quarter-finalist for the first time in 14 visits to Wimbledon. Osuna, who first reached the quarter-finals two years ago, is the reigning United States champion. The lithe Mexican has impressed in the first four rounds at Wimble-

don this year with his court speed, finesse and a volleying touch which makes him a big threat to the two favourites. Osuna tomorrow takes on the German. Bungert, who knocked out Emerson at this stage last year. German Strength

The fact that Bungert and his Davis Cup team mate, Kuhnke, are both among the last eight for the second successive year, underlines the tennis strength of Germany, who must have a great chance to pull off the Davis Cup European championship this year.

Kuhnke, a tall left-hander, easily eliminated the third seed. Manual Santana, of Spain, on Saturday, and tomorrow will try to tame the tremendous power play of Stolle, the 1963 runner-up. Among the women everything seems to be building up to the clash every tennis enthusiast wants to see—a Wimbledon final between Miss Smith, the reigning champion, and Miss Bueno who has almost recaptured the brilliance which won her the title in 1959 and 1960.