Tennis giant humbled

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33433, 15 January 1974, Page 24

Tennis giant humbled

N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) BOGOTA.

Colombia has become the giant killer of the 1974 Davis Cup competition with a victory over the United States team in Bogota.

The 4-1 win gave Colombia victory in the North American zone, and it will meet South Africa, the barelytested champion of the South American zone, in the American zone final. The winner will challenge [Australia for the Davis Cup. If Colombia wins, it will be the first time a Latin American country has reached the challenge round. LOCAL EXCITEMENT

Yesterday’s triumph caused euphoria in the Colombian capital. The two-man home team — J. Velasco and I-

Molina — was carried shoulder high from the courts by cheering fans, waving Colombian flags at the Lagartos Club outside Bogota. The two players dropped only Saturday’s doubles match in their victory against E. van Dillen. C. Solomon, and C. Pasarell.

Velasco and Molina each beat van Dillen and Solomon in their respective singles. Only Pasarell managed to inject decisive play into the United States performance during the doubles win. In yesterday’s reverse singles, Velasco beat van Dillen, 6-0, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, and Solomon was crushed m straight sets by Molina. 6-2, 6-1, 6-0. It was a humbling experience for the United States, which has 12 times won the Davis Cup, and held it for five successive years from 1968 to 1972. The non-playing United States team captain, D. Rai-

ston, had no explanation, but) the American players appeared to tire easily in the: thin air of Bogota, which is i 8740 ft above sea level. The date and venue for the Colombia-South Africa tie has not yet been fixed. TWO MATCHES South Africa qualified to meet Colombia in spite of playing only two of its four scheduled matches in the South American zone.

It beat Brazil and Ecuador, 5-0 each, but Argentina, which beat it last year, refused to play South Africa last week-end after the Government broke off sports relations with South Africa because of its racial policies. Chile, the previous South i American zone champions, ■also withdrew, on economic grounds, after the International Lawn Tennis Federation refused its request to postpone its match against South Africa from January until May.