Gerulaitis clears $US2000

Press, 24 May 1977, Page 34

Gerulaitis clears $US2000

NZPA-Reuter Rome Vitas Gerulaitis’ plan to “play as aggressively as possible at the big points — and never give up” paid off and made him the first American to win the Italian open tennis championship in 17 years. He left the Mussolini-built Foro Italico with his SUS2I,OOO prize money in a brown paper bag last evening, saying he was “sure going out for some drinks”. The blond Gerulaitis, 22, who plays team tennis for the Indiana Loves, will next appear at Wimbledon in June, where last year he koncked out fellow American, Arthur Ashe, at that time the holder. Gerulaitis beat Italy’s Antonio Zugarelli, 6-2, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, after a gruelling threehour final in blazing sunshine. Gerulaitis was fined SUSI9,OOO by his team owners for refusing to return to the United States for a match on Saturday. “But it was worth losing the $19,000,” he said after his first major championship win.

Janet Newberry had made it an American singles double by taking the women’s title, beating Renata Tomanova (Czechoslovakia) 6-3, 7-6. The top seeds, Raul Ramirez (Mexico) and Brian Gottfried (U.S.) took their fourth sucessive Italian doubles title. They beat their compatriots, Sherwood Stewart and Fred McNair, 7-6, 7-6, 7-5 in a match as aggressive as it was close.