Best in the World

After Australia's Davis Cup triumph, Australians and New Zealanders could be forgiven the notion that tennis down under is the best in the world. Then the pros came to town, and local pride went back into the marsupial pouch. Aussie Ken Rosewall hardly belonged on the court with Pro Champion Pancho Gonzales.

The smooth tactics that had won Ken the U.S. title and made him a Davis Cup hero were as polished as ever. But all Rosewall did was set things up so that Pancho could move in for the kill. Behind his big serve, Pancho's long legs and long reach always got him to the net in time to put the ball away. Little (5 ft. 6 in.) Ken was forever trapped halfway, pecked to death by shots that snicked at his feet. Pancho covered the court with that extra grace that made everything work, and at both Wellington and Auckland he won in a breeze.

Still, at Christchurch last week, Ken tried again, and with desperate brilliance, pulled out a match, 2-6, 8-10, 6-3, 6-3, 9-7. It was only the second time in nine matches that Rosewall had won--a disquieting pro debut for World Champion Gonzales' latest high-paid ($65,000 plus) victim, but not a cause for despair. "Ken is only 22," said Pancho. "He will not be at his best until he is 25 or 26."

Since Pancho has his eye on the present, he is out to win every set he can in his eighth year as a pro. Now an oldtimer at 28, Gonzales is too much of a businessman and too good at his business to take his occasional beatings lightly. He fights for every point. (At Wellington last week, when a close line call went against him, he turned to the stands and asked: "Is there an eye doctor about?") Victories on the tour mean cash--as Pancho has learned the hard way. He signed for $80,000 to play against Kramer in the 1950 season, was beaten so roundly that the next year his salary dropped to $17,000.

Hit where it hurt, Gonzales went to work to overcome his love of calories, late hours and long snoozes. He practiced hard, played his way back up to the salary scale, last year made $40,000 for demoralizing ex-Wimbledon and ex-U.S. Champion Tony Trabert, 74 matches to 27. He pushed his game to such a high peak that when Kramer tried to talk Australian Lew Hoad into turning pro this year, Hoad snapped back: "I don't think I'm ready. Pancho probably would chew me up."

When Kramer and his troupe left New Zealand for Australia and a -L-7,500 pro tournament last week, 91 more tennis matches all over the globe lay ahead--far more opportunity than Pancho Gonzales needs to drive home the fact that he is not only the greatest tennis player alive but one of the best of all time.

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