Word: sedgman
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Ever since Australia's Frank Sedgman and Ken MacGregor turned pro, tennis fans have wondered which of the lesser lights would succeed to the world's amateur tennis titles. Last week, in the Australian championships at Melbourne, four 18-year-old youngsters supplied the answer, winning four of the five titles at stake, and sharing in a fifth...
...this week rangy (6 ft. 3 in.) Ken McGregor had yet to win a set from bandy-legged little (5 ft. 6 in.) Pancho Segura; the Aussies were just holding their own in the doubles; and Sedgman had to come from behind, after taking one of the worst shellackings of his careei, to even his matches at two-all with Kramer...
Promoter Kramer, sporting an even bigger "big game" than he had as a topflight amateur six years ago, gave Sedgman his tennis lesson in the first match at Manhattan's Madison Square Garden. Time & again Sedgman slammed over shots that looked like sure winners. More often than not, Strategist Kramer, anticipating Sedgman's every move, slammed the ball right back past the flabbergasted Aussie. Booming his big serve in with pinpoint precision, playing virtually errorless tennis, Kramer forced Sedgman into a disastrous series of outs and nets, won the lopsided match...
...Sedgman offered no excuses for his drubbing. Said he: "When that guy Kramer gets on top of you, he never lets off the pressure." Kramer was jubilant over his game, but visibly worried over the poor showing of his star attractions ("They'll be better within a week...
...Promoter Kramer's obvious relief. Sedgman was better the next day. Amid occasional catcalls from the crowd of 11,000 whenever Kramer muffed an easy point, Sedeman managed to edge the old pro, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. But little Pancho Segura was still dubious about the Aussies' long-range chances: "These guys got a lot to learn about tennis-all they know is attack. No change of pace, can't lob." Then Pancho broke into a wide grin: "I beat these guys any day-next month even...