Anand Amritraj ousted by Aust. unknown

Press, 12 January 1977, Page 24

Anand Amritraj ousted by Aust. unknown

PA ' ' '’ X Auckland Two Australians who have known hard times recently. Ernie Ewart and Karen Krantzcke, showed at the Stanley Street courts yesterday that 1977 could be a more prosperous ten nis year. The former eliminated the fourth men's singles seed, the Indian Davis Cup player, Anand Amritraj, in a second round match of the Benson and Hedges open tournament, and led him to hope that he is emerging from a long slump.

And Miss Krantzcke played! with such admirably con trolled power to trounce the) New Zealand women’s Fed-! eration Cup leader, Marilyn Lawrence, that she too may hope for more tournament successes. In Miss Krantzcke’s case, however, it has been a nagging wrist in jury — the scars I from operations remain — ■ which has kept the former Australian Federation Cup player out of tournament play for two years. Built on the same powerful lines as Mrs Margaret Court, Miss Krantzcke had no thoughts of a return to the international circuit of Europe and North .America. “I’m so pleased to be play-! ing again,’’ she said yesterday. “I think this tournament i and the Tasmanian will do! me for the rest of the sea-] son,” Ewart has been playing regular tennis in Australia and overseas for the past four years, but admitted ruefully after his surprise victory yesterday that he seemed to be “going back-

Ijwards instead of forwards.” The man who has conquered a more prominent ! Australian, Phil Dent, was ranked only twenty-sixth in the last Australian rankings and fifteenth the previous time. He is not hopeful of getting any ranking at all when I the next list is issued. Yesterday he showed an I impressive coolness as he realised he was in with a chance against Amritraj and the more assurance he gained the more desperate became the seeded player, who after losing a tiebreaker slumped in alarming fashion and did inot look likely to recover in I the second set. i Miss Krantzcke, a former ; runner-up in the event, had iMrs Lawrence, well in need of sharp tournament play, gracing all over the court in 'an effort to return some devastating volleys, smashes, and drives. But al] was not gloom for the New Zealanders on this second day of the week-long tournament. Judv Connor and Pauline

Elliott are through to the last eight of the women’s . singles as the result of their respective wins over Lois Raymond (Australia) and Miss Donna Stockton (United Stales). Miss Connor was well astray with some of her early drivies, and Miss Raymond, a tenacious opponent, threatened trouble for the New Zealand champion. But the home player, eventually found range'with her strokes, and relishing her opponent’s weak second service,- came home in straight sets. So .too did Miss Elliott, who had to overcome some i uncertain moments in the second set against Miss Stockton before winning. Two other New Zealand women, Sheryl Tebbutt and Helen Harris, also struggled valiantly against the Americans, Rayni Fox and Kathy Harter respectively, but both lost. One of the two big New Zealand hopes for the men’s singles, Chris Lewis, beat a fellow-countryman, Dave

Simmonds, in straight sets in the first match of the day. Results:— U.D.C. Finance women's singles Second round. —H. Eisterlehner (West Germany) beat B. Perry (N.Z.), 6-2, 6-3; T. Fox (U.S.) beat S. Tebbutt (N.Z.), 6-3, 6-7, 7-5; N. Sato (Japan) beat G. Stirtori (Aust.). 6-4 6-4; J. Connor (N.Z.) beat L. Raymond (Aust.), 6-4, 6-3; K Harter (U.S.) beat H. Harris (N.Z.), 6-4, 6-3; P. Elliott (N.Z.) beat D. Stockton (U.S.), 6-3, 7-6; V. Franta (U.S.) beat R. Hunt (N.Z.), 6-4. 6-3; K. Krantzcke (Aust.) beat Marilyn Lawrence (N.Z). 6-1, 6-0. Bank of New Zealand men's singles First round.—T. Wilkinson (U.S.) beat G. Oliver (N.Z.), 6-3, 6- 6-3. Second round.—E. Ewart (Aust.) beat A. Amrltraj (India), 7- 6-2; R. Frawley (Aust.) beat J. Holladay (U.S.). 6-0. 2-6, 6-4; C. Lewis (N.Z.) beat D. Simmonds (N.Z.), 6-2, 6-4. Columbus Travel man's doubles First round.—A. and V. Amritraj (India) beat P. Campbell and S. Myers (U.S.), 6-3 ( 6-3; D. Collings and R. Frawley (Aust.) beat R. Hawkes and G. Slater (N.Z.), 7-6, 6-2; P. Langsford (N.Z.) and J. Smith (Britain) beat J. Holladay (U.S.) and S. Mott (U.S.), 1-6. 7-5, 7-6; R. Lewis (Britain) and J. Trickey (Aust.) beat D. Brown (Canada) and D. Martin (U.S.), 7-5 6-3.