Sidelines

Press, 23 September 1987, Page 49

Sidelines

AUSTRALIA’S LEGENDARY squash player, Heather McKay, will be in action on the North Shore courts while the Honda women’s world championships are on in Auckland next month. McKay, the former world champion and an amazing 16 times winner of the British Open, now aged 46, has entered the women’s world Masters tournament being held from October 5 to 9 in conjunction with the main championships. As well as playing in this tournament, McKay will be a guest commentator for Television New Zealand during the world championships.

IVAN LENDL, of Czechoslovakia, is back at the head of the ranking list and moneywinners list on the international tennis circuit. Lendl’s win in the United States Open this week took his earnings this year to $U5820,325 and past his countryman, Miloslav Mecir, who has earned $U5809,805. Second to Lendl on the ranking list is the man he beat in the U.S. Open final, Mats Wilander (Sweden). Boris Becker (West Germany), the outstanding player on the circuit last year, has slipped to fourth on the ranking list, and seventh on the moneywinners list.

PARTIZAN TIRANA, of Albania, has been thrown out of this year’s European Cup competition and four of its players suspended for up to five years, after incidents in the first round leg match against Benfica of Portugal last week, in Lisbon. Partizan has also been banned by U.E.F.A. from playing in the next European competition. Four Albania players were sent off in last week’s match and play was halted three times. The four players were punished for a series of offences which included throwing an ice cube at the referee. Benfica won the match 4-0. _