Tennis stars prepare for Wimbledon

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32633, 15 June 1971, Page 24

Tennis stars prepare for Wimbledon

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

LONDON.

J. Newcombe and A. Roche, who in the last two years have become injury prone, have their last chance to hone their play for Wimbledon when they take part in the Rothman’s open grass-court championships at the Queen’s Club, London.

Newcombe, the defending Wimbledon champion, is the top seed for the title. R. Laver is the title-holder.

For Roche, it is a particularly critical test. He is suffering from a badly-torn groin muscle, and he is fit only to compete in the doubles event.

, The squat, left-hander from New South Wales has not played since the British hard-court championship at Bournemouth three weeks ago. Newcombe pulled a stomach muscle during the first round of the German open at Hamburg three weeks ago, and lost his only match since in the first round of the world series at Bristol last week. He immediately went to London for night practice with Roche at Wimbledon. “I’m really hot for Wimbledon now,” Newcombe

said yesterday. “I need practice and more practice. It’s worrying, not getting any match play.” RELAXED EVENT Traditionally, the Queen’s tournament provides a relaxed event before Wimbledon. The progress of the lanky S. Smith, a private in the United States Army, will be watched Closely by both his fellow competitors and by bookmakers. Smith’s big service and volley game is well suited to the superb grass at Wimbledon. The biggest threat to Newcombe, Laver and Smith is likely to come from the other leading seeded players, I. Nastase, of Rumania (one of the few hard-court specialists to show any flair on grass), the Texan, C. Richey, and his fellow American, C. Graebner and M. Riessen. WOMEN’S TITLE

Mrs M. Court, whose hopes of becoming the first woman in history to win the “grand slam" were shattered at the French championships two weeks ago, will defend the title she won in a dramatic final last year against Miss Shaw (Scotland). Again, there is little depth in the women’s ranks. Britain’s unpredictable Miss V. Wade (who recently has been hampered by a wrist injury) and Mrs N. Gunter, of the United States, are

likely to provide the only challenge to Mrs Court. Miss E. Goolagong, this year’s French champion, will play only in the doubles event. She will be partnered by Mrs Court. Her coach, Mr V. Edwards, has decided that a rest from singles competition would benefit Miss Goolagong, who was likely to be highly seeded for her second Wimbledon challenge. The Tasmanian, Miss Gourlay, the surprise finalist at the French hard-court championships, has been seeded for the first time in an important European championship. Last year, she was beaten by her compatriot, Miss K. Melville, in a quarter-final. STILL TRYING K. Rosewall, still trying to win the elusive Wimbledon crown, will prepare at the south-of-England championships at Eastbourne. Rosewall is also short of match play. He has just returned to the circuit after a fiveweek rest with his family in Sydney. His preparation was seriously retarded by the bad weather at Bristol last week.