Word: sedgman
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...longtime rulers of the amateur tennis world, Australian Davis Cuppers Frank Sedgman and Ken McGregor got so used to beating all comers that any defeat was considered something of an accident. Last week the young ex-amateur kings learned something about the hazards of their new trade. Making their professional debuts in Los Angeles and New York, Sedgman, 25, and McGregor, 23, smashed head on into Old Pros Jack Kramer and Pancho Segura, two 31-year-old tennis oldsters...
...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...