Woodforde wallops top seed

Press, 13 January 1986, Page 38

Woodforde wallops top seed

PA Auckland Mark Woodforde, of Australia, who won his first grand prix tennis tournament yesterday, showed more potential than any unheralded youngster since an American, Tim Wilkison, won the first of his titles at Stanley Street in 1979. The unseeded Woodforde, a 20-year-old from Adelaide, beat the top seed, Bud Schultz (U.S.), 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 64, in the men’s singles final. Schultz made too many unforced errors, and only in the third set did he produce the play expected of the 43rd ranked player in the world. Woodforde, ranked 127 before the final, will now probably be in the high 80s. An inspired match plan of Woodforde, who earned $32,000 for his win, was to elect to receive on winning the toss. “I chose to receive service first when I won the toss, because it put pressure on my opponent to produce good serves first up,” he said. “If he did not get his first serves in then I would be able to jump on his second service ana work for the break. With a break up, I would be able to exert even more pressure.” His plan certainly paid off, as he broke in the first game of the first two sets, which he won, 6-4, 6-3. Schultz broke service in the seventh and ninth games of the third set to win, 6-3, but lack of concentration by Schultz in the seventh game of the fourth set enabled

Woodforde to break service.

In addition to the cheque for $16,000 as runner-up Schultz collected $l5OO for serving the most aces in the singles. He served 35. Next, with 21, was a fellow American, Bill Scanlon. On Saturday Woodforde beat Scanlon, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, in one semi-final, while Schultz defeated Wally Masur, of Australia, 7-6, 7-3, 6-7, 3-7, 9-7. In the doubles final yesterday Masur and Broderick Dyke (Australia) beat an American pair Karl Richter and Rick Rudeen, 6-3, 6-4, in an hour. In one semi-final Kelly Evemden (New Zealand) and Peter Doohan (Australia) lost to Richter and Rudeen 4-6, 4-6. In the other, Masur and Dyke beat Danny Saltz and Tomm Wameke (U.S.), 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. Results.— Converse men’s singles semi-finals: Bud Schultz (U.S.) beat Wally Masur (Aust.), 7-6, 7-3, 6-7, 3-7, 9-7; Mark Woodforde (Australia) beat Bill Scanlon (U.S.), 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. Final: Woodforde beat Schultz, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Converse men’s doubles semi-finals: Broderick Dyke and Wally Masur (Aust.) beat Danny Saltz and Tomm Warneke (U.S.) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4; Karl Richter and Rick Rudeen (U.S.) beat Peter Foohan (Australia) and Kelly Evernden (N.Z.) 6-4, 64. Final: Dyke and Masur beat Richter and Rudeen, 63, 6-4.