Unseeded Lundgren 'giant killer’

Press, 6 October 1987, Page 60

Unseeded Lundgren 'giant killer’

NZPA-Reuter San Francisco Peter Lundgren of Sweden capped a successful week at the 5U5294.400 ($NZ450,432) San Francisco Grand Prix tennis tournament by beating the American, Jim Pugh, 6-1, 7-5, to win the singles title yesterday. The unseeded Lundgren, ranked 49, earned 5U544.500 ($NZ68,085) while Pugh, ranked 58, collected $U522,200 ($NZ33,966) as

runner-up. Lundgren had shocked the world’s No. 1, Ivan Lendl, In the semi-finals on Sunday when he beat the Czechoslovak United States Open champion, 63, 4-6, 7-6, to advance to the final. Lundgren has been a giant killer in recent months, scoring wins over the world No. 3, Mats Wilander, of Sweden and the Wimbledon champion, Pat Cash, of Australia, in August Last month Lundgren ousted Cash in

the first round of the United States Open and he beat twentieth-ranked. David Pate earlier this week. The Swede, who was determined not to let down after beating Lendl, began the match confidently breaking Pugh twice in the first set Pugh’s game was plagued with unforced errors and double faults and Lundgren , quickly ran out to win the set 6-1. “I couldn’t | get any serves in the. court in the

first set. He started very fast I let him run away with It” said Pugh. But Lundgren’s forehand deserted him early in the second set and Pugh jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Lundgren fought back to 4-2 then broke Pugh on a backhand pass down the line for 4-3 and held serve to level the set The Swede broke Pugh again to take a 6-5 lead then served out the match at love as Pugh hit a backhand return wide.