LAVER IS TOP SEED

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31658, 19 April 1968, Page 15

LAVER IS TOP SEED

First Open Tennis (N.Z. Press Assn—Copyright) LONDON. The drawing power of the Australians, R. A Laver, K. R. Rosewall and R. A. Emerson, and other top professionals, has made the British bardcourt tennis championships next week a smash-hit. It will be the first tournament open to both amateurs and professionals. When officials made the draw in London yesterday, they announced, jubilantly, that the tournament was almost fully booked. “A week ago we had already taken about £5OOO worth of advanced bookings,” they said. “That is about seven or eight times what we usually take.” The first prize for the men Is £lOOO, while the runner-up gets £5OO and the losing semifinalists, £250 each. For the women, the first prize is £3OO and the second, £l2O. Six years after his second successive Wimbledon victory, Laver, as expected, was named top men’s seed. Rosewall is second, A. Gimeno (Spain) third, P. Gonzales (United States) fourth, Emerson fifth, F. S. Stolle (Australia) sixth. O. K. Davidson (Australia) sevength and R. K. Wilson (Britain) eighth.

Tennis Coach.—The ’ (ormer Wimbledon Onalist, B. n. Ralston, will succeed B. Gonzales as the United States Davis Cup coach. The U.S. team Is: C. Paaarell, A. Ashe, C. Graebner, S. Smith and B. Lutz.