Evernden reaches final four

Press, 14 December 1985, Page 80

Evernden reaches final four

NZPA-AAP Sydney Kelly Evernden, of New Zealand, yesterday became the first player to move into the semi-finals of the sAustl4s,ooo (5NZ175.450) Alberto New South Wales men’s tennis open at White City after surviving the tightest match of the tounuttnent.

Evernden, who plays with one lung after a near fatal car accident eight years ago, came from a set down to beat South Africa’s Christo Steyn 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 in two hours and 15 minutes on the White City centre court.

The 24-year-old right-

hander produced his best tennis of the« tournament during the third set to shake off the challenge of Steyn. Ranked No. 92 in the world, Evernden looked likely to throw the quarterfinal away when he was broken when serving for the match at 5-4 in the final set.

He had given away a similar first set lead and then dropped the set with some poor volleying. But be made no mistake in the decider.

Three powerful serves left him with a trio of match points and he wrapped it up on the first one.

He will now meet the winner of the quarter-final between America’s Tim Mayotte, the second seed, and Mark Dickson.

His win over Steyn, who made the fourth round of the Australian Open in Melbourne last week, was his best effort of the tournament.

“I was happy with the way I hung in there,” he said. “I don’t think I have been playing all that well this week but this time I put it together a little better.” Evernden’s first serve let him down but his ground strokes saved the day. He rated his break back for 4-4 in the second set as

the turning point. ‘‘Christo got a little shaky in that game and I had a few lucky points,” said Evernden “I think the whole match turned around then.” Evernden led 5-3 in the first set and looked likely to wrap it up on his serve but Steyn broke back and then won it 7-4 in the tiebreak.

The New Zealander, who now lives in Sydney, levelled the match at one set all when he took the second set tiebreak 7-2. “Christo has a huge first serve and it took me a while to get used to it,” he said.

He has yet to play either Mayotte or Dickson.