Lendl cuts back tennis schedule

Press, 17 November 1987, Page 56

Lendl cuts back tennis schedule

NZPA-Reuter London Ivan Lendl, winner of SUSI2 million in official prize money and with a personal fortune estimated somewhere above $BO million, regrets he is too tired to play as much tennis now that he has reached the age of 27. The owner of the 1987 French and U.S. Open titles, a New York apartment building, luxury homes in Florida and Connecticut, seven cars and several old masters, Lendl will curtail his appearances next year when he plans to spend less than six months on court. One of the events the would-be American will axe from his schedule is the London Indoor tournament, which he won for the third successive time

on Sunday — picking up $75,000 of loose change by beating Sweden’s Anders Jarryd in the final. Familiarity, it seems, has bred contempt “I will play only 12 grand prix events in 1988,” said Lendl. “Wembley will not be on that list even though it is easier to reach by Concorde from my home in Connecticut than California say. At this time of the year all the players are tired.” Lendl's fatigue would evoke more sympathy had he not already accepted an invitation to play in a $2 million eight-man spectacular being staged by Boris Becker’s manager, lon Tlriac, in Stuttgart In direct competition with Wembley next year. .