Vilas hard-pressed by Tony Roche

Press, 2 January 1979, Page 4

Vilas hard-pressed by Tony Roche

NZPA Melbourne The top seed. Guillermo Vilas (Argentina), squeezed through in 1 a classic five-set match against ; I the veteran fellow left-hander. Tony Hoche, yesterday as he 'Climbed another rung in his quest for his first Australian Open title. Vilas, 26. battled for three hours in their quarter-final on Kooyong’s centre-court before emerging the victor, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6. 6-3, 6-2. Vilas, whose expertise on the grass surface is growing by the day, will meet the powerful, tall Californian, Hank Pfister, in the semi-finals. Pfister earlier in the da\ strolled into the semi-finals alter dispatching the Queenslander. Paul Kronk, 7-5. 6-3, 6-3. Vilas is drawing towards a finals clash with the thirdseeded American. Arthur Ashe, who will face Sydneys John Marks in the other semifinal, today. In the men’s singles, third round. John Marks (Aust) beat John Sadri (US), 6-2. 6-2, 4-6. 6-4; Hank Pfister (US) beat Wojtek

•Fibak (Poland), 6-3, 7-6, 6-1; and John Alexander (Aust) beat Bob Carmichael (Aust), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 Brian Fairlie (New Zealand) and his partner. Ismail El Shafei. of Egypt, qualified for the men's doubles semi-finals vesterday. Fairlie and El Shafei beat Leo Palin (Finland) and Petei Cambell t Australia) in the quarterfinals. 6-4. 6-3. However, Fairlie's fellow New Zealander, Russell Simpson, and his partner, John Trickey. of Australia, found the going tougher in their quarter-final match against Polands Wojtek Fibak. and Australia’s Kim Warwick and lost. 4-6, 5-7. In the first round of the women's doubles the New Zea lander. Judy Chaloner, and her Australian partner. Pam Gregg. Lost to Ulla Ulrich, of Austria, and an Australian, Chris O’Neill, 6-2, 2-6, 4-6. The women’s singles have developed into a promoter's nightmare, alter the two top seeds, Britain’s Sue Barker and the Czech star, Renata Tomanova, were eliminated In the space of two minutes the two potential finalists dis-

appeared in straight-sets de* fieats in the quarte!-finals The Melbourne girl. Dianna Evers, 22, accounted for Sue Barker, 6-2. 7-6. Tomanova admitted she did not gel to bed until 12.30 a.in. yesterday after New Year's Eve celebrations and was awake at 5.30 to taka an overseas call. She lost to the American, Betsy Nagelsen, 6*4, Barkers defeat ends an Australian season she will quickly want to forget. She had a tall hi an early Federation Cup niaUb at Kooyong in November whit h put her on the sidelines until the beginning of the tournament. Men’s singles.- Quart er-finals: Hank Pfister (USA) beat Pau! Kronk (Aust), * 7-5. 6-3. 6-3; Guillermo Vilas (Arg) beat Tone Roche (Aust/, 3-6, 6-1. 3-6, 6-3. 6-2. Women’s singles—Quarter finals: Chris Matison (Austi beat Mary Sawver (Aust), 6-4. 6-3; Betsy N age Isen <USi beat Renata Tom’©nova (Czech). 64, 64. Chris O’Neill (Aust) beat Dorte Ekner (Sweden), 7-5. 6-1; Dianne Evers (Aust) beat Sue Barker (UK', 6-2. 7-6.