Ashe Wins United States Singles Championship

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31768, 27 August 1968, Page 19

Ashe Wins United States Singles Championship

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

BOSTON. A. Ashe became the first Negro player to win the United States national singles tennis championship when he beat R. Lutz, 4-6, 6-3, 8-10, 6-0, 6-4, in the final at Boston.

Ashe, the top seed, had to fight hard to : win in sweltering heat. He trailed two sets to one when Lutz took the allotted 10minute respite to change his clothes. Ashe did not leave the court. Mrs M. Court, of Australia, and Miss M. Bueno (Brazil) won the women's doubles title by beating the British pair. Misses V. Wade and J. Williams, 6-3, 7-5. Mrs Court won the women’s singles championship. P. Curtis (Britain) and Miss M. Eisel (United States), the top seeds, took the mixed doubles title with a 6-4, 8-6 1 win over the unseeded American pair, G. Terry and Miss T. Fretz. Miss Fretz was hampered by a pulled back muscle and had to serve underhand. Her service was broken in both sets. Brilliant Play

In the men’s final, Lutz, aged 20, played brilliantly through the first three sets, making some sensational shots. In the third set he held seven set points before finally taking the set on a double fault by Ashe. Lutz’s weakness was his service, and when it finally

betrayed him in the fourth set Ashe raced though the set at love to even the match. Lutz, who double-faulted 19 times, was broken in the first game of the final set, and this one break was sufficient to give Ashe the match. Lutz saved three match points on Ashe’s service in the tenth game before netting a service return to give the 25-year-old Negro star the title. Better Volleying Both Mrs Court and Miss Bueno had trouble with their service, but their superior volleying gave them the upper hand. In the second set Miss Bueno double-faulted to lose her service twice, and it was all tied at 4-4.

Then, in the eleventh game, Mrs Court and Miss Bueno again broke Mrs Williams's service and the Brazilian girl held her service to win the match 7-5.

Doubles Title To Hawkes (NZP. A.-Reuter—Copyright) ST MORITZ (Switzerland). R. Hawkes, of New Zealand, and H. Irvine (Rhodesia) won the men’s doubles title in the Palace Cup tennis tournament in Switzerland. They beat the Britons, J. Clifton and G. Stilwell, 6-3, 6-2, in the final.