SHOCKS FOR AUST. SEEDS

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31383, 31 May 1967, Page 17

SHOCKS FOR AUST. SEEDS

(N.Z.P.A.-heuter —Copyright?

PARIS.

N. Pilic (Jugoslavia) and T. Okker (Holland) struck resounding blows for European tennis in the French championships on Monday.

Pillc, aged 25, a lanky lefthander, knocked out J. D. Newcombe (Australia), the number three seed in the men’s singles. The Jugoslav, fleet-footed and sharp in all departments, won, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Okker, aged 23, who is doing his national service in the Dutch Army, also gained

a straight sets victory over a seeded Australian, M. Mulligan, who won the Italian title recently.

Okker, skilfully varying pace and length, bustled Mulligan out of his usually immaculate rhythm, to win, 64, 6-5, 6-2. Pilic and Okker next meet for a place in the semi-finals. Lived Dangerously

Two other seeded Australians also lived dangerously against European opponents. O. Davidson, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, had three match points against him in the third set before beating W. Gasiorek, Poland’s number one, 5-7, 0-6, 8-6, 6-4, 6-2.

A. D. Roche the Australian holder of the French title, was harassed for five sets by the 21-year-old J. Kodes, Czechoslovakia’s leading player. The match, which produced the best and most thrilling tennis of the event so far, went to Roche, 6-4, 6-2, 8-10, 2-6, 64. The men’s quarter-final line-up in draw order will be: Roche v. C. Drysdale (South Africa), Pilic v. Okker, L Gulyas (Hungary) v. Davidson, P. Darman (France) v. R. Emerson (Australia).