Drewett downed by Scanlon

Press, 11 January 1986, Page 68

Drewett downed by Scanlon

PA Auckland Bill Scanlon, making a comeback after a leg cartilage operation, comfortably beat Brad Drewett (Australia) in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles in the $200,000 Benson and Hedges grand prix tennis tournament yesterday. Scanlon, who won the title in 1982 but is unseeded this time, won 6-4, 6-2.

The ease with which the American disposed of Drewett, who had been playing well throughout the singles, indicated he has a good chance of claiming a second title.

Today he meets Mark Woodforde (Australia) in one semi-final. In the other, Wally Masur (Australia) plays the top seed, Bud Schultz (United States).

Woodforde yesterday beat New Zealand’s last survivor in the singles, David Lewis, 6-2, 6-2, while fifth seeded Masur won 6-4, 6-4 against Brett Dickinson (United States), and Schultz beat Craig Miller (Australia) 7-5, 6-4.

Woodforde, aged 20, a South Australian lefthander, showed the benefit of recent service coaching from Neil Fraser.

The Australian Davis Cup captain had told Woodforde that he did not have the proper sliced service of a left-hander, and would have to work on it to become a class player. Woodforde served, passed and volleyed well against Lewis. Lewis admitted that he had tried to do too much against a player playing

well, and “went downhill rapidly” when what he tried did not work. Masur was under no great pressure against Dickinson, the Las Vegas-based player, who disposed of New Zealand’s Kelly Evernden on Thursday. But not until the tenth game in each set did Masur break Dickinson’s serve to take the advantage. In holding service in earlier games, Dickinson had to cope with slashing passing shots from the Australian. Masur said Dickinson’s long serving games took some of the steam from the American’s play. “He is new to the Nabisco Grand Prix circuit, and he had a great win against Kelly Evernden the day before. What he has to learn is that a circuit player has to produce a good game every day, ” Masur said. Schultz had to fight hard to beat Miller, in 95 minutes.

The top seed dropped service in the ninth game on a double fault, but broke back in the next game. “I was a little lucky to win the set on another break in the twelfth game,” said Schultz. Miller had the break in the first game of the second set, but Schultz, serving better, put added pressure on the young Australian who, in turn, dropped service in the fourth ana tenth games. In the second round of the men’s doubles, Masur and Broderick Dyke (Australia) beat Ben Testerman and Schultz (U.S.) 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 62.