New commitment carries jaded Evernden to win

Press, 26 June 1987, Page 30

New commitment carries jaded Evernden to win

NZPA staff correspondent , London A new commitment to tennis carried a jaded Kelly Evernden through his first round match at Wimbledon, according to the national coach, Jeff Simpson.

Simpson, who watched the 25-year-old Evemden battle to a four sets win against an American he had disposed of easily a few days earlier, said his charge was learning quickly to dig in and fight for points. The Gisborne-born player won, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, against Dan Goldie but conceded a string of service breaks in a match that tipped one way then the other. Both Evemden and Simpson said the New Zealander was out t of touch because he was tired after winning his first Grand Prix title at Bristol — a tournament where he defeated Goldie, 6-2, 6-2. Simpson also said it was Evemden’s new commitment to the game that carried the day.

“He could have lost that match today, it was very close. "Kelly won when he wasn’t playing at his best.

He’s realising you’ve got to do that. "Before, if it didn’t come off perfectly he would lose. But you’ve got to dig for every point at this calibre of play. I think he’s learning that quite quickly.” Evemden attributes his rise to 66th on the world rankings, after a slide to around 300 last year, to> Simpson who “persuaded me to knuckle down and give it a go for New Zealand.” The pair have worked closely on improving Evemden’s physical and mental condition, and Simpson has been with him on a European campaign as well as coaching him in the United States. Simpson,, himself once in the world’s top 100 rankings, swears by the talent of the broad-should-ered, muscular man who

stands just 1.77 m but punches the ball more powerfully than bigger men. “He’s very fast, has

good ground strokes as well as a good serve and volley.” But most important, Simpson said, is “the discipline of the whole thing ... the commitment of the player to everything, including the winning of the match. “It’s a business. I think he’s finally realising he’s a very talented player and that this is his job.” Simpson said the Bristol win was a big step for Evemden “because he actually won a Grand Prix tournament. “When you do that it means you can play some tennis ... not getting to the finals or the semifinals, but winning.” Evemden said the Bristol victory had been important after he “took most of last year off.”

“I was contemplating giving up altogether, but I put in a lot of work and am glad the work has paid off. “Not many

people win Grand Prix tournaments.” Evemden and Goldie, aged 23, fought a topsyturvy match yesterday that alternated from break of serve to break of serve.

The New Zealander said: “We both pretty much swing at the ball and I guess whoever connects the most will win the most points.

“He connected for a while and I did for a while and I was lucky to connect more than he did in the end.” Evemden faces a second round match with South Africa’s Danie Visser today and a win there holds the promise of a third round game against former Wimbledon champion, Jimmy Connors.

“I’m looking forward to playing anyone,” the New Zealander said after beating Goldie. “If I’m playing somebody it means I’m still in.”