Evernden beats Mecir

Press, 5 January 1987, Page 6

Evernden beats Mecir

PA Auckland Kelly Evernden gave himself a tremendous boost in confidence for the $200,000 international tennis open yesterday when, he achieved an upset win over the world No. 9 player, Miioslav Mecir, of Czechoslovakia. The 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 win in the National Mutual tennis test between New Zealand and Czechoslovakia was one everyone was hoping for, but dared not contemplate. After all, Evernden’s ranking had dropped from 85 to 202 in the last season. But the aggression was all there and the impetuous shotmaking had been curbed by a conscious attempt to be patient The result was four aces

and three double faults in serving compared to Mecir’s one ace and one double fault Evernden produced some brilliant backhand cross courts, but it was the ease with which the world No 9 player stroked that marked his class. There seemed to be a complete lack of effort in his striking either on a forehand pass or a two-handed backhand cross court. The second singles between Milan Srejber and Stephen Guy was a serve and volley affair ending in a 6-4, 6-4, win to the Czech. There was some consolation for Guy who later paired with Evernden to win the doubles played to a pro set, 82, against the Czechs.