Fairlie making mark in American tennis

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 9

Fairlie making mark in American tennis

(By

A. M. MENZIES)

'T'HE outstanding wins of the New Zealand tennis player, B. E. Fairlie, in the United States open were a continuation of a run of successes he has been having in America in recent weeks—just a little more than a year after he had to return home from his 1969 tour because -of an arm injury. The United States is proving a happy hunting ground for both Fairlie and the present national champion, O. Parun. Last year it was Parun, now home to do his national service, who had a series of good tournaments at this stage. In February, March and April this year, they each had some distinguished victims in American and Carib-

bean tournaments and the magazine “World Tenhis” listed Fairlie as having won SUSI9SO in the United States indoor circuit. In their very first tournament after leaving New Zealand, the National Indoor Open, at Salisbury, Maryland, Fairlie and Parun reached the final of the doubles by beating R. Laver and the Czech, J.-Kukal; I. Buding, of Germany, and J. Fillol, of ChilC; and the Americans, C. Richey and E. Van Dillen,. by a fortunate default in the semifinals. The score against the top Americans, A. Ashe and S. Smith, in the final was 4-6, 5-7. In another tournament, at Jacksonville, Florida, Fairlie lost the final to Ashe only in three sets after he

had beaten C. Graebner, fourth in the United States, in a semi-final. He won at Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he beat the top Canadian, M. Belkin and the American number seven, T. Edlefsen. Back in the United States last month, Fairlie reached the semi-finals of the Pennsylvania championships with wins over the ninth American, J. Osborne, and W. W. Bowrey, who was top Australian before he became a contract professional last February. He then lost to. Australia’s present top player, R. Ruffels. In the Marlboro Open he beat the second South African, F. McMillan (who this year has had wins over T. Okker and R. Gonzales), and the top Mexican, J.

Loyo-Mayo, before losing in the quarter-finals. At Forrest Hills he disposed of two contract professionals, R. Holmberg (United States) and the South African, C. Drysdale, and Ruffels and T. Vasquez, an Argentinian who is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, ( and who is making a mark in American tennis. Fairlie’s loss to Roche in the quarter-finals was far from easy, even though it prevented him adding to the $2500 he had already won. These results suggest that Fairlie may be back to the high standard which he lost temporarily in the last New Zealand season.