Lewis out of luck

Press, 27 April 1984, Page 28

Lewis out of luck

NZPA-Reuter Dallas, Texas New Zealand’s Chris Lewis missed out on one of the world’s richest tennis tournaments this week. Last year’s Wimbledon finalist was invited to play in the W.C.T. competition in Dallas, Texas, this week, but could not take up the offer because of other commitments. He had already entered a tournament in Aix-en-Pro-

vence, France, in which he was beaten in the second round yesterday. The W.C.T. tournament is for the world’s top 12 players, and as Lewis was ranked 21 at the initial entry stage he never gave it a second thought. However, defaults by several players, and Lewis’s subsequent regrading in world ranks to 19 meant he became eligible to play and was invited by the organ-

isers. But Lewis was forced to start in the French grand prix tournament under tennis rules. Lewis suffered a shock defeat at Aix-en-Provence — his second this month at the hands of Uruguay’s Diego Perez. Perez beat Lewis, who looked ill-at-ease on the clay court, 7-5, 6-4, the same score as in their first-round match in the Monte Carlo Open last week.