Davis Cup team named

Press, 24 January 1984, Page 30

Davis Cup team named

PA Wellington David Mustard, of Auckland, and Stephen Guy, of Wellington, will line up alongside the established players, Chris Lewis and Russell Simpson, in the New Zealand Davis Cup squad to play Paraguay in Christchurch late next month. The two newcomers replace last year’s squad members, Bruce Derlin, of Auckland, and Jeff Simpson, who has taken over as team captain.

Jeff Simpson, who named the squad after the BP nationals ended in Wellington yesterday, said that the choice between Guy and the left-handed Derlin was the most difficult.

“Russell and Chris picked themselves,” said Simpson, “and David Mustard played himself in with a series of good performances. He came to Wellington for the nationals when he had everything to lose and nothing to gain. By going right through and winning the title he showed he could stand up to the pressure well.

“Steve Guy has an aggressive game. He played good tennis in Auckland (at the Benson and Hedges Open), qualifying there, then beating two good players in John Austin and Wally Masur. He has a lot of potential and because he plays a big game similar to the Paraguayans, Pecci and Gonzalez, he should be a big help to Russell and Chris in practice.” While the 24-year-old Mustard was always a likely bet to make the side, Guy’s rise has been meteoric.

Until the Benson and Hedges Open, beginning on January 9, his name was not even mentioned as one of the candidates for the Davis Cup team and he was certainly behind such players as Mark and David Lewis, Kelly Evernden and Paul Smith in most people’s lists. Using his big serve and powerful backhand to good effect, however, he blazed his way through to the quar-ter-finals in Auckland. There he was within two points of beating the American, Dan Saltz, the eventual tournament winner.

Suddenly Guy Was being spoken of as Davis Cup material. He confirmed his ability by reaching the final of the Hutt Valley Open, where he was quickly beaten by Smith.