AGELESS ROSEWALL ADVANCES

By Bill Nichols

He may be 37 years old, but take it from Charlie Pasarell, Ken Rosewall is playing better tennis that ever.

Pasarell bases his opinion on experience, like the one he had Thursday night at Public Hall in the second round of the $50,000 Cleveland Classic.

Rosewall took less than an hour to eliminated Pasarell, 6-3, 6-4, and advance to today’s quarter-final match against Roger Taylor, who bumped Fred Stolle, 7-6, 6-3. Other round two winners Thursday were Nikki Pilic, a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victor over Bob Carmichael and Ray Ruffels, who tripped Cliff Richey, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, as some 3,500 turned out at the "Hall."

"I LOST A FIVE-SETTER TO KEN AT WIMBLEDON in 1968 and they said then he was on the downhill," Pasarell recalled. "Then in 1970 he started winning all the time and he’s been just great ever since.

"He covers the court better than anyone playing the game. He’s in position all the time and he has perfect balance. Ken has balance and he can always hit through his shot.

"He’s an outstanding athlete and tennis player, Ken just has more ability than most anyone else," added Pasarell.

Rosewall forced the only service breaks in the match, one in each set, and admitted afterward that he was pleased, especially with his serves. He had two aces. "But he had a lot of others I couldn’t return," said Charlie, "and they’re as god as aces."

ROSEWALL IS PLAYING IN ONLY HIS SECOND TOURNAMENT since he returned from a two month hiatus and ironic as it is, he’s unseeded in the Classic, despite winning the World Championship Tennis crown in May.

"I was quite happy with the way I played," said Kenny, who weighs only 142 pounds and looks even smaller. "I feel good and I’m getting my timing back."

Will he retire? "No," he replied. "I have no plans as long as I can play well I’ll continue."

Rosewall, although unseeded, must be considered a favorite in the Classic, which has not been an ideal role this week.

Rod Laver, Arthur Ashe, Stole, Tom Okki and Richey all have been eliminated.

Richey was the latest to go to the sidelines. Ruffels, a muscular left-hander, improved Thursday as the match progressed and defeated Cliff in three sets. The match was marked by several disputed line calls, to the consternation of both players.

RICHEY HAD A VERY IMPORTANT CALL GO AGAINST him in the third set and he showed his disgust openly.

"I felt it all coming together when it was about three-all in the second set when we had a particularly long game," said the 26-year-old Ruffels, who is ambidextrous. "I began getting my shots in about that time."

Pilic, who displayed more dramatics than a Barrymore, outlasted Carmichael in a match spiced with a series of player complaints and theatrics, especially by the handsome Pilic.

This article first appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer August 11, 1972.
Reproduced with permission.