Stolle worthy winner

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33386, 19 November 1973, Page 26

Stolle worthy winner

All was not failure and disappointment in the Benson and Hedges men’s tennis tournament. If there had been some excellent matches earlier in the week, the singles final yesterday still set a high point.

It was won by the 35-year-old Australian, F. S. Stolle, who beat his American opponent, B. Gottfried, 14 years his junior, in straight sets, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1. It was a case of an older head working shrewdly to make up for the limitations of an older body. They have one similarity in their blond moustaches but not many others. Gottfried has strong legs which enable him to move a bit faster than Stolle. LONGER THE BETTER There was a general opinion as the match got under way that if it went to five sets the young American, who has taken a good many notable scalps in the last year and who looks to be one of tennis’s brightest prospects, could win. Stolle probably subscribed to this opinion 'himself. In the event, he finished it in three sets, each one successively easier than the other, and in times of 36 minutes, 31 and 23, for a total of an hour and a half. Stolle indicated from the start that he was going to work hard to add another $5OOO to others he had already earned. And Gottfried had been at the courts soon after 9.30 a.m. practising his serving by himself. VITAL DOUBLE-FAULT His service proved a powerful one, but if he served the more aces, he also served the more double faults, and there was a vital one in the tie-break at the end of the first set. Stolle broke service for 3-2, Gottfried broke back for 4-4, and so they went to the tiebreak at 6-6. When Gottfried double-faulted, it put

Stolle 6-3 ahead in the tiebreak, and he needed only the one point to win it 7-4. Gottfried played some brilliant shots, especially on the run, but he was inclined to go for the impossible winner when he might have kept the ball in play. Stolle, on the other hand, was a master of placement, keeping a tantalising length and I putting the pressure on when > it was needed. ALL-OUT EFFORT There was an example of; this when he won the second I set. Games went with I service to Stolle’s 5-4 leadj and the Australian decided to force for the set. He got Gottfried 15-401 down on service by some shots of great delicacy, and then finished it off with a glorious backhand chip down the line on return of service. Gottfried punched the ball | hard, and he scored with i some sizzling passing shots, but he was beaten in tactics [ and placement. Some amusing by-play came from Stolle’s inability to gain from anything which hit. the netcord. Time after time the ball dropped- back on his side of the net while Gottfried did not suffer similarly. Stolle talked to himself in Australian, and even got to the stage of telling the crowd about “that bloody net,” but they were minor reverses. TYPICAL RECOVERY When Stolle moved into the third set he was all business—desirous of not letting the match go too far. He had a point against him on his service in the first game but, as usual, recovered .determinedly. Then, with a great eye for an opening, broke service in the second game, helped by Gottfried again double faulting on the last point. Stolle went from strength to strength as Gottfried lapsed in concentration. The Australian placed his service beautifully and he made barely an error in any department.

If Stolle showed ability, he also showed sportsmanship. When Gottfried was serving for 2-2 in the second set, he served what appeared to be an ace, but it was called out. Stolle had already walked to the other service court and he stayed there until the call was changea. That was at a stage when the match was far from being within his grasp.