N.Z. junior may win Wimbledon title

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33883, 1 July 1975, Page 38

N.Z. junior may win Wimbledon title

(From

ROBERT HORROCKS,

N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent.')

LONDON.

Although the first week’s play has seen all New Zealand contenders eliminated from the main events, New Zealand might produce a Wimbledon champion this week.

Chris Lewis, an 18-year-old Aucklander and the present Wellington men’s champion, is highly rated among the 48 entries in the boys singles.

Although the draw is not officially seeded, Lewis is at the top with a bye through to the second round. “I think I have as much chance as anyone,” he said during a break from practice at the Queen’s Club yesterday. There are a few unknown players in the draw, but nobody that I know who scares me. I’ve been work-

ing pretty hard for this, and I’m feeling good at the moment.” Last year he reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by the eventual , runner-up, Ashok Amritraj of India. His form in England during : the pre-Wimbledon period suggests considerable im- ' provements since then, and 1 neither Amritraj nor the titleholder, Bill Martin, of the t United States, are eligible I this year. ■ The player at the bottom ■ of the draw, an ■ seeded second, is Andrew , Jarett of Britain, and Lewis > has already had a win ■ against him. He admits to a little concern about the quality of his likely first opponent—a Czechoslovakian simply listed under the surname of Kulhaj in one draw. Czechoslovakia is the holder of the Galea Cup, an international under-21 team event, and the high standard of junior tennis in that country makes Lewis wary of the ability of the unknown Kulhaj. VETERANS New Zealand also has an entry in the rather exclusive veterans doubles, but the pairing of J. W. Gunn (Auckland) and P. G. Nicholls (Wellington) is likely to meet more difficult competition when it meets the legendary

Donald Budge and Gardner Mulloy (United States) in the first round. Meanwhile the Americans Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert are still favoured t,o retain their senior singles titles as Wimbledon enters its second week.

Connors, pacing himself superbly, is fast approaching the form that won him the title last year, and Miss Evert is in form, but Billy Jean King would dearly love to end her career on a winning note, and Virginia Wade of Britain is also being strongly supported.