LAWN TENNIS N.Z. SINGLES VICTORY AT BEIRUT DESERVED

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28266, 2 May 1957, Page 16

LAWN TENNIS N.Z. SINGLES VICTORY AT BEIRUT DESERVED

[Specially written for the N.Z.P.A. by J. W. GUNN, Captain of the New Zealand Davis Cup team.]

BEIRUT, April 24. Pomp and ceremony were the orders of the opening day of the Davis Cup tie when we played Lebanon. There were two smartly-attired bands, one at the side of the courts and one at the entrance to the courts. There was a uniformed guard of honour, who, when Dr. Malik, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Lebanon, arrived, came to attention as the band at the entrance struck up a rollicking air. The performance wa* repeated for the British and United States ambassadors. Robson was the first contestai# against Hajjar. The opposing cap lain tossed the coin and won, but he was so nervous he gave us the service first. His hands were shaking and he smoked incessantly. If the captain was nervous, it was a good indication that his players were even more so Robson’s Easy Win Robson was keyed up, but not nervous. He was soon in his stride, and although the rallies were long—they crossed the net as many as 20 times —he never faltered. He made four errors in the first set and about five in the second.

indeed a better technical player than Parker. The race, however, is not always to the quick, and we suspected flaws in the armour of Khouri’s tennis, and indeed in his temperament. In dog racing parlance, we suspected him of being a front runner. Khouri opened strongly, and playing with much confidence he ran to 5-2. The crowd was with him, shouting with glee when he hit a winner, screaming with excitement when he missed one. It was apparent at this stage what our tactics should be. Parker had to get to the net. and he had to attack Khouri’s backhand almost on every shot. But would Parker have the physical condition to maintain his net-rushing for five sets?

At 5-2 down in the first set there was nothing else that would do. Our man had to go in, and in he went Gritting his teeth and fighting as he has surely never done before. Parker put the pressure on. Slowly he pulled up to 4-5, and nearly made it for 5-all, but Khouri won the set. Khouri Cracks Still superbly confident enough to chat with the spectators now and again. Khouri commenced the second. We slowed Parker’s first serve down to make sure he got it in. It also gave him time to get well into the net. And slowly one could see the great . Khouri was going to crack.

It was heart-breaking for Hajjar. He tried hard, would have a tremendously long rally, and then lose the point as Robson worked him out of position. He came to the net, he stayed back, he put spin on the ball, but Robson was equal to everything he tried—and Hajjar tried to the end.

First he gave himself away by running around his backhand, which showed he was not enjoying the pounding he was getting from that side. Then he was nuzz’ed as to why Parker should be still rushing the net when he was passing him frequently with clean winners. Parker stuck to him for 4-all and then 5-all, and so the battle went on.

The score was by no means a true indication of the game, and Hajjar could get only one game in three sets. A fairer score would have been three to four games a set for Hajjar, but on this surface an even game sometimes shows extraordinary onesided scores. Hajjar could but shake his head and acknowledge that Robson was too good. Robson, of course, was trying to strike a mortal blow in the first match by winning with a convincing score to. shake the morale of the Lebanese.

Parker was puffing, but he was also fighting and he got to his first set point. Khouri saved with a clean winner. Parker got there again and Khouri saved again to the accompaniment of a huge grin at me. I smiled right back. Their captain said I must be feeling the strain. “Strain?” I said. “We have four sets left.” His eyebrows rose. And so it went to 7-all, 8-all. and 9-all, and Parker again had set points but could not get them This set. of course, was the most important one of the match, and if Khouri had won it I think he would have raced away with the third. At 10-alI, Khouri had a linesman removed for wearing a white pullover. It interfered with his sighting, he said. And the Lebanese captain could not stand it any more. He rose from his chair and stood at the end of the court with, of course, his chain-smoking

Then came the piece de resistance. A pale and nervous Parker, looking very much like David, came out to meet the “Goliath” —Khouri, who had described himself as the “Lion of Lebanon.’ A national idol, be was greeted with cries of “Samir Khouri” as he strode on the court, and he acknowledged the applause in a manner befitting his station in Lebanese tennis. We were not confident of winning this match. Parker was still a little weak, and besides. Khouri is an accomplished player, and

going full blast. All these signs were encouraging and were duly relayed to Parker at the crossovers.

And the captain’s job at the crossover is not easy. You have to wipe your man’s racquet, towel his face, his arms and his legs, get his water or any other stimulant he wants ready, and feed him positive thoughts, encouragement and tactics, then you have to sit with a confident-appearing mien so that the other side cannot tell if you are the slighest bit worried. Even the posture of sitting must be studied carefully—it can give away an awful lot on the state of mind.

Parker got the lead at 11-10 with some classic volleys, and again he set himself to break Khouri’s service. He got to 30all, again got a set-point and won it.

Eut this was no time to relax; he had to redouble his efforts to get a lead in the third set. He must get those first three games even if he collapsed in the attempt. Parker had game points in the first game, but could not get them. He fought like a tiger for the second game and pulled it off. He did the same in the next, and the next, to make it 3-1. He was tired, but seemed to regain

fresh energy from somewhere when told that Khouri was looking even more tired. He gave it everything he had at the net to win 6-1. Parker Maintains Tactics

Parker played magnificently in the fourth set. He followed to the net at every opportunity and made an amazing number of placements. In desperation. Khouri chased the net, too, and at times they were both volleying at each other.

Parker did not deviate from his tactics. He kept boring in and played in the fourth set as well well as I have ever seen him. He suddenly acquired touch on the volley and got to 5-2. With a smash and a forehand volley he got to 40-15 match point. Parker came in again, Khouri lobbed. The ball was going out, but Parker jumped for it and hit inter the net. I voluntarily jumped right off my chair. In he came again and hit a clean winner for the last point An exciting match was over and we had a lead of 2-0. Parker won this match by sheer grit and was very tired at the finish.

If the Lebanese had won this singles, the day would have finished 1-all and lifted their morale so that they could well have upset us in the doubles.