Wins for Mustard and Evernden

Press, 29 June 1985, Page 80

Wins for Mustard and Evernden

NZPA staff correspondent London Kelly Evernden and David Mustard have joined Chris Lewis in the second round at Wimbledon after good wins yesterday, but Russell Simpson and Bruce Derlin made early exits from the singles on a busy day for New Zealand competitors.

Evernden did well to get the better of his higher ranked opponent Jaro Navratil of Czechoslovakia in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, while Mustard's fortunes — and mood — fluctuated before he beat rising British player Stuart Bale 7-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Simpson and Derlin had the toughest first round draws of the five New

Zealanders and it was not surprising they succumbed. What was surprising was the way they performed against players rated nearly 15« places higher in the international rankings. Derlin, after a shaky start, took a set off India’s top player Ramesh Krishnan — more than Chris Lewis could do when they met in the second round last year — and made him fight for the others while Simpson had fifteenth seed, Tomas Smid of Czechoslovakia on the ropes several times before going down in four sets.

The 4-6, 7-6, 5-7, 6-7 scoreline was a fair indication of the closeness of the battle between Simpson and Smid. Despite the gulf in their rankings there was little between the two big men, and on several occasions Simpson looked set for an upset win. But Smid, better known as a clay court player, managed to stay cool on the big points while the New Zealander blew several chances with poor shots. Evernden’s match was very much a serve and volley affair, with rallies of more than a few strokes rare. Both the 23-year-old Gis-borne-born player and Navratil served hard and fast, and it was Evernden’s greater ability to get the ball back that led to his win.

Evernden, ranked 167th in the world against the Czech’s 118th, hit some stinging top-spun returns which left the 196 cm Navratil completely flat footed as he rushed to the net. The New Zealander, while happy with the way he had served, said he did not think he played his best. After more than two and a half

years away from grass courts it was taking a while to get into his stride, he said. It was clear to anyone watching that Evernden, whose entertaining and talkative style of tennis brings to mind Australian Paul McNamee, was enjoying himself on court. , He said that although playing at Wimbledon had made him nervous at the start, it didn’t last long. Mustard, aged 25, is another player whose personality comes through on court. But rather than bubble, like Evernden, he seethes. “I am an aggressive person and if I don’t play with adrenalin I don’t play well,” he explained. After battling through the first set, which hr won 7-6 after a 20 point tiebreak, Mustard strolled to a 6-2 win in the second.