Santana Out: Shock Defeat By American

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31407, 28 June 1967, Page 19

Santana Out: Shock Defeat By American

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

LONDON.

The title-holder, M. Santana, of Spain, was eliminated from the first round of the men’s singles title in the biggest shock on the opening day of the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Santana, seeded one this vear, was beaten by the Puerto Ricanborn American, C. Pararell, 10-8, 6-3, 2-6.

It was not so much that Santana was not near his best but more that Pasarell played some incredible tennis to topple the champion.

It was the first time in Wimbledon's long history that the defending men’s singles champion and top seed has been beaten in the first round. Pasarell attends the University of California and is ranked fourth in the United

States. His father was a champion of Puerto Rico for many years, and his mother was also a top player in the island.

Asked whom he thought would win the title now, Santana said: “I hope Roy Emerson, but John Newcombe is playing well and could be a threat.”

Emerson, before a moderate gallery on court two, had a 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 win over K. Carpenter (Canada). The 30-year-old second seed was too accurate and consistent for the Canadian, and was helped by Carpenter's costly errors. The fourth seed, A. D. Roche (Australia) beat J. Kodes (Czechoslovakia), 4-6. 6-1, 6-2, 8-6, and another Australian, K. Fletcher, now based in Hong Kong, outplayed the American lefthander. W. Hoogs. 6-0, 6-3, 8-6. Marathon Victory New Zealand’s 19-year-old number one, B. E. Fairlie, scored a marathon, 2Lhour, five-set victory over the top Russian player, A. Metreveli. Two sets down at one stage, Fairlie finally wore down the Russian’s adroit and often brilliant play, to win, 1-6, 6-8, 6-3. 8-6, 6-4.

Although regarded as one of the best prospects in the world, Fairlie had been given little chance of beating Metreveli. Now the Russian joins Roche and O. K. Davidson (Australia), R. Osuna (Mexico) and M. Cox (Britain) whom Fairlie has beaten recently.

The New Zealander will next meet J. D. Newcombe, the number three seed, in the second round on Wednesday. Tentative Start

The course of Fairlie’s win on Monday was far from smooth. In the first set he anneared to be gronin? for his “touch” and with Metreveli quickly on ton, it seemed to be over in minutes.

Fairlie fouvht back after a narticularlv “black” patch in the seventh game of the second set when he lost his service on two foot-fault calls. w e levelled at five-all, but the Russian was tenacious on the crucial points and won the set. 8-6.

But in the third set. Fairlip j began to open up. He took the third, fourth and fifth'] games for the loss of only 10 noints. and playing powerfully and cleanly, went on to win the set, 6-3. Games went with service in the fourth set, but down 5-6. Fairlie survived one match point. He hit his way out of trouble, broke the Russian’s service in the next game, then held his own, to draw level at two sets all. The fifth game in the final set was a vital one for Fair-

lie. He hit three successive winners to break service, and afterwards his only moment of hesitation came when, serving for the match. He missed four match points but confidently took the match with his fifth.