Laver chasing fifth title

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 32

Laver chasing fifth title

(N.Z. Press Assn.— Copyright;

LONDON.

R. Laver, who this year almost is certain to become the first millionaire of modern tennis, will attempt to increase his earnings to SUS2OO,OOO in 185 days this year when he starts his challenge for his fifth Wimbledon men’s singles title today.

Laver, who will have his thirty-third birthday in August, is determined to regain the title he conceded to J. Newcombe last year after being beaten by Britain’s R. Taylor in the fourth round. Laver is the top seed and the favourite of the bookmakers for the eighty-fifth championships, the fourth open championships.

For the first time in its 94 years, the organisers have introduced a tie-breaker system for all but the last set of every match. In aii effort tb add more spice to early matches, the committee has i reverted to the traditional eight seeded players. Since i 1968, when the event was j first open, there have been ; 16 seeded players. . i Wimbledon saturated 1 ‘ In the last few days, 3in of rain-have saturated Wimbledon, and although 13 of ■ the 15 courts have been cov-1 ered, they are likely to be soft It has been one of the bleakest starts to the English tennis season. During the last two weeks, pre-Wimbledon tournaments at Bristol, Nottingham, Eastbourne and the Queen’s Club, London, and many minor tournaments have been affected seriously by rain.

Many of the 128 players in the men’s singles will go on to the courts having had virtually no practice on grass. Many players believe that the game has outgrown the grass surface. Laver said yesterday: “I think grass courts are probably something of the past. But it is difficult to say ’rip them all -- up’ as Wimbledon is the best event in the world and it is played on grass.” Layer, who won the title in 1961, 1962, 1968 and 1969, has caught the backlash of the committee’s decision to seed only eight players. C. Graebner, N. Pilic, T. Okker and J. Kodes, four players who could have been expected to be seeded in the 16, are in his quarter of the draw. If he can win the title this year (Britain’s L. Doherty was the last player to win the title five times from 1901 to

1906), it will be one of h s greatest achievements.

“As far as I am concerned, it is a good draw,” Laver said. “I would have liked more grass-court practice, but I am as fit and as prepared as I’ve ever been for Wimbledon.” Laver’s greatest challenge almost . certainly will come from J. Newcombe, the defending champion, and K.'Rosewall, who is still pursuing the one title that has evaded him.

Australia's domination of the event, worth SUSIO,OOO to the winner, seems certain to continue. Only once in the last 15 years has an Australian not reached the final, and 12 times the title has gone to an Australian. Five of the top seeds in the men’s singles and women’s singles are Australians.