Lewis faces tough task

Press, 4 January 1988, Page 28

Lewis faces tough task

PA Auckland The Aucklander, David Lewis, will have to produce his second herculean performance in seven days if he is to win his first round match in the Benson and Hedges Open at the Auckland ASB Tennis Centre today. The 23-year-old has been granted a wild card into the main draw on the strength of his sensational straight-sets triumph over the top seed, Jonas Svensson, of Sweden in last Monday’s opening round of the BP national tennis championships in Wellington. But he has been pitted against another formidable first-up opponent in the fast-rising German teenager, Christian Saceanau, today. Saceanau has been a rapid mover on the world rankings, rocketing to No. 91 in only 13 months on the tour. He is coached by Boris Becker’s former mentor, Gunther Boach, and beat Kelly Evernden in the recent Hong Kong tournament. The other Kiwi wild

card entries have not been treated any kinder by the draw. The Davis Cup rep, Bruce Derlin, meets the hard-hitting Queenslander, John Frawley, while the 18-year-old Brett Steven faces the gritty South Australian, Brod Dyke, who counts a defeat of Becker among his laurels. But perhaps the most enthralling first round clash will be between Svensson and the former two-time B and H winner, Tim Wilkison, of the United States. Svensson, the third seed, may be lacking in confidence after his early demise in Wellington and could be ripe for the picking against the aggressive, hustling Wilkison. The first round draw also pits the English Davis Cup player, Jeremy Bales, against the former B and H winner, Bill Scanlon, of the United States and the Australian, Mark Woodforde, winner in 1986, against the fourth seed, the American Jim Pugh.