Double Fault

Lanky, gawky Bob Falkenburg, who has a pretty sister (Jinx) and a fireball serve, made himself unpopular at Wimbledon last week. In the semifinals, he alienated the fans by kneeling with his head down on the grass like a Mohammedan at sunset, or just lying prone at the baseline to rest for the next point. London's press arched an eyebrow at his "curious mannerisms" and "irritating demeanor." Explained Falkenburg: "I was tired."

Two days later, when he strode on to Wimbledon's famed center court for the finals, the crowd treated him like a villain. When he double-faulted they cheered. When he smacked a beauty, they sat on their hands. The big Californian put everything into winning the first set from Australia's steady, ambidextrous* Jack Bromwich, 29. Then he got "tired" again.

Rarely has a Wimbledon final produced such maundering and mediocre tennis. Falkenburg deliberately tossed away the second set without making a move for any ball he couldn't easily reach. As the match went on, he glared at linesmen when they flubbed decisions and took kicks at the ball when he missed easy shots. He fell a great many times and got up very slowly. London's Daily Telegraph tried to be charitable: "Should we not be nearer the truth in regarding his behavior more in the light of an overgrown schoolboy than as a schemer trying to steal a rest? . . ."

Bromwich, with the fans solidly behind him, worked up to match point three times and then failed to cash in. Having yet to win a Wimbledon championship, he was obviously suffering from "center-court jitters." In the excitement of Falkenburg's stubborn last stand, it was easy to forget how bad both players' tennis was. After Bromwich's serve was broken in the crucial fifth set, he began muffing everything. Falkenburg's winning margin: 7-5, 0-6, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5. Said he: "I was lucky to win."

The stands gave him a cheer. But 22-year-old Bob was unmollified. Said he: "Gee, at home the crowd is always ready to give the foreigner a break. I don't blame them for pulling for somebody from the Empire and all that, but you'd think they'd give you some sort of break."

*He serves with his right hand, switches to his left for shots on that side, plays shots on his right side with both hands.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.