PARUN SCORES UPSET WIN Australians Held To Tennis Draw

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32214, 5 February 1970, Page 14

PARUN SCORES UPSET WIN Australians Held To Tennis Draw

(New Zealand Press Association! WELLINGTON. The New Zealand tennis champion, O. N. Panin, gained an upset victory over the Australian Davis Cup player, R. Ruffels, at Central Park yesterday, but the most heartening aspect of the unofficial test was the fitness of B. E. Fairlie.

He faced one of the most crucial matches in his tennis career yesterday, against R. Crealy, and played splendidly.

Although he lost to Crealy, 4-6, 11-9. 3-6,, Fairlie played well in the arduous second set and gave no hint of his recent back and shoulder troubles.

He has now cleared the first hurdle to confirming his selection for the 1970 New Zealand Davis Cup team. New Zealand won two of the four matches against the Australians. Fairlie and Parun later combined to beat Ruffels and Crealy, 6-2, 10-8. In the third singles, the 18-year-old Australian J. Alexander, overcame a 3-6, 2-4 deficit against J. G. Simpson, aged 19, to win, 3-6, 8-6, 6-1. Parun gained a scalp of some stature in beating the left-handed Ruffels, 8-6. 6-3. Ruffels seemed to take the match a little casually and made errors, while Parun 'played solid, unspectacular tennis. Fairlie showed signs of top form as he at times matched Crealy around the court, but the tall Australian also had his moments of mastery, being particularly dominant at net Also, Fairlie found his opponent’s overhead shot a particularly severe weapon. After Crealy had taken the first set, 64, Fairlie fought back strongly in the

second. He broke Crealy’s service for 2-1 in the second set but Crealy immediately broke back after Fairlie, holding game point, served a double fault. From 5-all, each player held service, albeit sometime shakily. Fairlie twice taking a service to love, until at 9-all Crealy trailed 15-40. There were two let services and a fault before Crealy volleyed out for Fairlle to take the decisive break. He held his service to take the set

It was the same tight tennis at the begining of the third, but at 4-3, Crealy broke Fairlie’s service and then held his own in spite of Fairlie saving four match points. Ffirlie did have difficulty holding his service on occasions, but this did not seem to stem from favouring his right shoulder. He went for his smashes with confidence and generally they were well hit The Australians will leave for Christchurch today to play New Zealand in a Davis Cup-style match at Wilding Park on Saturday and Sunday. The draw will bo made at 4 p.m. today. '