USA Brittania (M65)Team Advances to Semis to Face Spain; Crawford (M70) Team Falls to Australia

Only three USA teams were in action today: the Brittania, Crawford and Bitsy Grant (M75), and only the Von Cramm Cup team, behind the stellar play of Brian Cheney survived the day.

Army Neely started at #2 singles against Germany’s Peter Marklstorfer and lost 61 46 61. So it was up to Cheney to keep the USA in the tie and he did with a great performance against Horst Dieter Van de Loo, winning 61 63. Cheney/Les Buck won the doubles point but the first set was tight…actually the Americans were up a break but lost it and the two teams ended in a tiebreak. The Germans led 63 in the tiebreak, triple set point; the Americans played two good points on serve; the Germans played on iffy point to level the breaker at 6-6 at which point Cheney hit an unbelievable angle half volley winner in response to an excellent crosscourt forehand. On set point Buck hit a serve into the net…he was tight…then hit a GREAT second serve, Cheney moved and the set went to USA. That was all they wrote as the saying goes; the USA won the second set 60 to clinch the win. Next up is a very tough Spanish team.

In the Crawford Cup, Donald Long played a long match against Aussie Lee Taylor, and led in the third 5-3, but couldn’t close out the determined Aussie and fell 75 46 75. Jack Metalsky played a good match against Peter Keller at #1 singles, falling 63 75, so Australia advanced and the USA is done, they finish fifth. Long and Dean Corley won the doubles point to salvage the day.

The Bitsy Grant Cup woes continued today when they faced France. Jerald Hayes lost at #2 singles in straight sets. Willie Wolf lost a real heartbreaker at #1 singles and fought hard all day. He led by a set and 52 and had five match points on his opponents (rather weak) serve, but couldn’t close out the quick French player. He had a sixth match point at 54 and played a good point, hitting about three apparent winners, but Yves Clottes, his opponent kept guessing right and getting one more ball back till he finally won the point. Willie lost the set 75 and was down 3/0 in the third, rallied hard to 3-3 before falling 63. Fred Farzanegan/Bob Quall won the doubles point 63 75 (and had trouble too closing out the French, leading 51 before closing out the set 75). Wolf was frustrated with the clay but you could see his clay court game evolving with each game. They play Netherlands on Saturday for 7th/8th place.