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" Davis Cup Stars
Star Australian tennis players gave an exhibition at District Park last night. From left: Frank Sedgman, Mervyn Rose, Ken McGregor, and Ken Rosewall. Help
Star Australian tennis players
gave an exhibition at District
Park last night. From left:
Frank Sedgman, Mervyn Rose,
Ken McGregor, and Ken
Rosewall.
Tennis "Babyr"
Stole Show
Ken Rosewall, who will be 18 on
Sunday, "stole the show" at the exhibi
tion by four members of the Australian
Davis Cup team at District Park last night.
The exhibition, by Frank
Sedgman, Ken McGregor,
Mervyn Rose and Rosewall, at
tracted a record crowd of
3200, 300 more than the pre
vious record gate for the Jan
Drobny exhibition three years
ago.
Gate receipts were about
£-800.
The matches resulted.
Singles: M. Rose d K. Rose
wall 12-10; F. Sedgman d K.
McGregor 7-5.
Doubles: Sedgman-McGre
gor d Rose-Rosewall 7-9, 7-5,
6-3.
Rosewall, who is 5ft. 7in.,
radiated energy and enjoyed
every minute of the play. Al
though beaten 12-10, after
saving three set points, by Rose
in the opening singles it was
a fine display for a youth con
ceding age, height and experi
ence.
The singles match between
Sedgman and McGregor lack
ed the sparkle of the opening
match and was dull in com
parison.
"I was having my' first
match since I injured my
stomach muscles in the United
States six weeks ago," Mc
Gregor .said, explaining his
poor form in the singles match.
McGregor showed glimpses
of his true form in the doubles
match with Sedgman in which
they defeated Rose and Rose
wall two sets to one.
Strong Shot
A highlight of Rosewall's
play in the singles was his
strong backhand drives deep
to the baseline, his sweeping
forehand shots and his drop
shot duels with Rose, himself
a master of this shot.
Rose, a little weak on his
backhand at times, served ac
c?urately, drove well on the
forehand and was deadly on
the net.
It was apparent from the
start of the second singles
match that McGregor. who
had played badly at his pre
vious visit to Newcastle, was
very much out of touch. His
shots lacked fire and length
and, although the score went
to 7-5, Sedgman was seldom
called to play at his top.
The doubles match began
after a long intermission of 34
minutes.
Play was brighter in the
doubles, each pair playing the
net game, resulting in many
crisp and almost unbelievable
volleys. Sedgman was particot
larly severe with his service,
although there were few aces
int the night.
In the doubles Sedgman
served hard for the first time
and his net play more than
compensated for McGregor's
lapses, although his partner's
service and volleying showed
improvement on his singks of!
forts.
-After losing the first set.
9-7, the doubles title-holters
won the next two sets, 7-5, 6-3.
The players will leave New
castle by car this morning for
Brisbane, where they will comt
pete in the Brisbane chamionr.
ships.- -L.M.
$