ITALIAN WILL HA VE CROWD ON HIS SIDE

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31057, 12 May 1966, Page 21

ITALIAN WILL HA VE CROWD ON HIS SIDE

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright) ROME. It will be youth versus experience when the 21-year-old A. Roche, of Australia, meets N. Pietrangeli, the 32-year-old Italian, for the men’s singles title in the Italian tennis championships today.

Roche, a member of Australia’s official touring team, is in a major singles final for the second successive year, having reached the final of the French championship in Paris last season.

On that occasion, he was affected by nerves and lost to a fellow Australian, F. Stolle. Now he is a .more mature player and could give Pietrangeli a hard match. Their paths have crossed only twice on the world circuit. Roche beat Pietrangeli on his way to the 1965 Paris final, but in the Naples tournament a fortnight ago Pietrangeli avenged that defeat by winning in four sets. Helped Pietrangeli

But Roche not only will have to beat Pietrangeli, which few players can do on the soft hard-courts of Italy, but also overcome the distraction of a partisan crowd. Spectators are part and parcel of the game in Italy and bring to it all the fervour of local football supporters.

They certainly helped Pietrangeli to sustain his fightback yesterday to topple the Australian, R. Emerson, after the Wimbledon champion had led by two sets to one. Pietrangeli won, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 8-6, 6-1. Roche reached the final by eliminating his compatriot and defending champion, M. Mulligan, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 8-6. Power Not Enough

Should Pietrangeli beat Roche, the huge silver trophy will become his own property, as he first won it in 1957 and again triumphed in 1961. It will be interesting to see what tactics young Roche adopts. The flag-bedecked Foro Italico centre court had a tremendous soaking from torrential rain yesterday morning.

On such a dead surface, Emerson realised his natural power play would be useless, so he tried to play Pietrangeli at bis own game, swapping rallies and working for the openings, and even using the drop shot to good effect.

And he did it so well that he got to within two points

lof victory in the fourth set. But Pietrangeli’s late rally broke his patience and his spirit. The wiry, 29-year-old Australian had led by two sets to one and in the fourth set led 5-4 and 30-all. He had only to hold service to win the match.

But a lucky net cord gave Pietrangeli game point and he levelled at 5-5. The Italian eventually broke through again for the set in the fourteenth game. Pietrangeli hardly put a foot wrong after dropping his opening service in the fifth set. He raced through the next five games for one of his best wins. The Italian title is the only major crown Emerson has failed to win. Both Emerson and Stolle with different partners— Emerson with N. A. Fraser in 1959 and 1962 and Stolle with R. A. Hewitt in 1963 and 1964.