Comeuppance Down Under

In the midst of defending his Australian tennis championship last week, Dick Savitt found himself in a tight spot. He dropped the first two sets of his semifinal match with Aussie Ken McGregor, won the third set, and was leading 3-2 in the fourth when it began to rain. Play was stopped, and Savitt glowered at the weather as he stalked off the court.

McGregor put on his spiked shoes and indicated that he was ready to play. But Savitt, who refuses to wear spikes, testily told Referee Frank Piper: "I forfeit in singles and doubles." Savitt figured that McGregor might have an unfair advantage; he somehow failed to figure that he was doing nothing to counteract the recent charge made in Manhattan by Davis Cup Captain Frank Shields that Savitt had been no "credit either as a player or a representative of America."

While Savitt sulked, the Aussie tennis fans fidgeted in their seats and shouted: "Come on and play, Savitt!" Referee Piper shrugged his shoulders and left the court to get help from a higher authority, Sir Norman Brookes, president of the Australian Lawn Tennis Association. During the five-minute discussion that followed, Sir Norman put his arm around Savitt's shoulder and pleaded with him to play. Still sulking, Savitt turned his back. Finally, 13 minutes after his walkout, and at the earnest urging of his doubles partner, young (18) Ham Richardson, Savitt went back on to the court.

McGregor won four of the next five games, and the match, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, beating the player who had whipped him for the Australian and Wimbledon titles last year.

An hour later, Savitt was up to his neck in hot water again, and again he lost. He and Richardson were playing in a postponed final set of a doubles match with McGregor and Frank Sedgman. Both Savitt and Sedgman won their serves in the opening games. Then Richardson, the only player on the court consistent enough to hold his service in the first four sets, footfaulted three times in the first two points of the third game. Savitt threw his arms in the air, stopped play, and demanded to know what was wrong. He was told that Richardson was swinging his right foot over the service line. Play was resumed, but the U.S. pair could win only five more points in the set. The Aussies won the deciding set, 6-2, then whipped their fellow countrymen, Mervyn Rose and Don Candy, for the title.

Savitt, who gained a few sympathetic fans when Shields failed to name him to the Davis Cup team, and gained even more last fortnight when Shields unloosed his intemperate blast, finally had his comeuppance. And McGregor, who had also gained sympathy when he failed to get a singles berth on Australia's Davis Cup team, finally had his day. McGregor this week pulled a stunning upset by beating Doubles Teammate Sedgman, U.S. champion, 7-5, 12-10, 2-6, 6-2, for the Australian title.

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