Hunger for success wins Teltscher men’s singles title

Press, 9 January 1978, Page 22

Hunger for success wins Teltscher men’s singles title

PA Auckland Consistency, youthful energy, and an unsalable hunger for success all contributed to Eliot Teltscher, the 18-year-old American, winning the open tennis men’s singles title at Stanley Street, Auckland, yesterday.

But before the tenth Benson and Hedges open could be completed rain caused play to be abandoned at 4 p.m. Play will resume this morning at 10.30 a.m. Chris Lewis and Russell Simpson, the New Zealand titleholders of the branules men’s double, were leading; 2-1 in the final set. They had won the first 6-4 and their opponents, Karl Meilerj (West Germany) and Rod Frawley (Australia) had taken the second 6-3. Helena Anliot (Sweden) comfortably won the UDC Womens singles 6-3, 6-3 from Marilyn Tesch (Australia), and on Saturday, Lewis and Miss Anliot won the Gordon’s Gin mixed doubles | 1-6, 6-4. 6-3 from Stimpsonj and Miss Tesch. In winning the men's singles championship in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, 6-1, Teltscher prevented Onny

Parun the only New Zealander to have held the Bendon and Hedges open title in its 10 years of existence from capturing the event for a fourth time. For Parun, the 30-year-old who had reached the final with an epic three-set quar-ter-final against Chris Lewis and another hard three setter against the Englishman, Robin Drysdale on Saturday, it was a bitter disappointment.

He was the favourite to take the Bank of New Zealand sponsored singles but after 102 games of singles and 19 games of men’s doubles over the previous five days, Parun was “just too tired.’’

“I was playing badly, feeling a bit stiff and didn’t seem to have any legs at all,” said Parun. “The only time I’ve felt as bad was just before my Davis Cup match against John Alexander last year.” He said that he was moving, but so badly that his serve and volley game could not match the steadiness of the young University of California student from Los Angeles. Indeed, his volleys often found the net or went out while only a third of his first services succeeded in the first and third sets while there was a 50 per cent failure in the second.

By constrast, Teltscher, for whom the singles win was the first major success he has had although he has played through to the third round of Wimbledon and was runner up in the junior Wimbledon, looked as if he could cover the court all day.

His services too were genera 11 y more reliable, succeeding with more than 40 per cent of his first services in each set. Even his second service was more effective than Panin under pressure.

Whereas Parun double faulted nine times, Teltscher was guilty of the fault only once.

Teltscher had nowhere near the same power or accuracy with his passing shots but nevertheless his ground shots, especially on the backhand, often left Partin stranded.

More than anything else, however,' it was the hunger

for success which was the spur to Teltscher’s success Even at 3-0 in the third set and leading two sets in the five setter, he was loath to let a point escape him, espe cially if it meant the loss of a game.

It was this unsalable hunger which led to the worst flare-up to be seen in a Benson and Hedges open final. Parun at 40-30 was making a belated attempt to hold service in the fourth game of the third set and served one very close to the service lines. Teltscher played a return into the net although he said later it was only a reflex action because he expected the service to be called out. Indeed it was called out by the linesman but after he had made his shot. The umpire, Mr Frank Tredrea, overruled the linesman and he allowed Parun the point and with it the fourth game.

Immediately there was an angry protest from Teltscher that the umpire’s decision was wrong. Play was held nn for sev. minnt°s while Teltscher argued while awaiting the arrival of the referee, Mr Ralph Ninkie. The crowd of nearly 4000, I while appreciating Teltscher’s fine play, was not impressed with his show of I anger. They slow-clapped j him and ureed him either to I play on or leave the court. • Mr Ninkie supported rhe umpire although on two previous occasions m this tournamer* ~A><»n the relevant rule allowing an umpire to overrule a linesman has been invoked it had been followed by a replay of the disputed point.

“I was up 3-0 with a break.” Teltscher c~ Mained, "I wanted to keep the game rolling anc not let Parun get back into the game.” But the dispute bad upset ) an. I ■ wis and Simnson who will continue this morning should retain their men’s doubles title but some of the loose shots which they played in the second set will have to be controlled if they are to succeed.

Meiler has a reputation for being an extremely fine doubles player with the winning of the world championships tennis doubles title with Wojtek Fibak at Kansas City in 1976 as the measure of his ability. In that year he was ranked fifth in the W.C.T. doubles point table. He showed his ability yesterday with well-judged cross-court forehands from the net which left Simpson little chance to make a return. Frawley too displayed power and ability to place a ball as he several times beat the Kiwis with shots hit between them. But their service has been wanting and with Lewis seemingly able to counter an nrmlavable winner with a winner of his own, the visitors could find succ -s eluding them. The other final to be de= cided is the Hughes and Cossar women’s doubles in which Christine Newton (Canterbury) and Jennv Sim (Taranaki) will meet Brenda Perry (Auckland) and Sally

hapman (Canterbury) in an dl-New Zealand final. Results:— Bank of New Zealand men’s angles.— Semi-finals: E. Teltscher (U.S.) jeat R. Frawley (Aust.), 6-4, 6-3; Parun (N.Z.) beat R. Drysdale England), 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. Final: Teltscher beat Parun. 6-3, 6-1. U.D.C. Finance women’s singles.— Semi-finals: Helena Anliot Sweden) beat Cathy Drury (Ensland), 6-1, 6-2. Final: Miss Anliot beat Marilyn Tesch (Aust.), 6-4, 6-3. Brambles men’s doubles.— Semi-finals: C. Lewis and R. J. Simpson (N.Z.) beat G. Thompson and R. Giltinan (Aust.), 2-6, 6-1, 6-3; K. Meiler (W. Germany) l and Frawley beat J. G. Simpson (N.Z.) and Teltscher, 6-1, 7-6. Final: Lewis and Simpson leading Meiler and Frawley, 6-3, 3-6 and 2-1 in the third set, to be continued today. Hughes and Cossar women’s doubles:— Semi-finals: Brenda Perry and Sally Chapman (N.Z.) beat Maricaye Christenson (U.S.) and Drury, 7-5, 7-5. Gordons Gin mixed doubles.— Semi finals: C. Lewis and H. Anliot beat G. Slater and H. Harris (N.Z.), 7-6. 6-2; R. J. Simpson and M. Tesch (Aust.) beat P. Langsford and 1.. Harris (N.Z.), 6-2, 6-2. Final: Lewis and H. Anliot beat Simpson and M. Tesch, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.