U.K.: EDDIE DIBBS OF UNITED STATES BEATS FELLOW COUNTRYMAN VITAS GERULAITAS IN FINAL OF FIRST WORLD CUP TENNIS TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD AT EARLS COURT.

Record ID: 338431

  • Title: U.K.: EDDIE DIBBS OF UNITED STATES BEATS FELLOW COUNTRYMAN VITAS GERULAITAS IN FINAL OF FIRST WORLD CUP TENNIS TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD AT EARLS COURT.
  • Date: 4th April 1977
  • Summary: 1. SV AND GV Vitas Gerulaitas (USA) serves to Eddie Dibbs (USA) and Dibbs wins point in finals of World Cup Tennis Tournament in London. 0.32 2. SV PULL BACK TO GV Dibbs serving and wins point when Gerulaitas hits ball out. 0.45 3. SCU PULL BACK TO GV Dibbs serves and wins point. 1.00 4. SV PULL BACK TO GV Gerulaitas serves and Dibbs wins point.
  • Embargoed: 19th April 1977 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: EARLS COURT, LONDON, UK
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAB4XSKLKHSW6F4QP7LAZKDNX7R
  • Story Text: INTRODUCTION: Two United States players, Eddie Dibbs and Vitas Gerulaitas, met in the singles final of the first tennis tournament ever to be staged at the Earls Court exhibition centre in London on Sunday (3 April).

    SYNOPSIS: Gerulaitas, wearing the dark shirt and serving, took an early lead in the first set and at one point held a four games to one advantage. But Dibbs fought back to level the scores at six-all, and then took the first set seven-six on a tie-breaker. The tournament was one of the qualifying events for the World Championship Tennis finals being played in Dallas later this year.

    To reach Sunday's final, Gerulaitas had to beat WCP points leader, Dick Stockton in a semi-final, while Dibbs beat Vijay Amritraj of India in the other semi-final. Both men were looking for a win on Sunday to boost their chances of playing in the Dallas competition.

    Dibbs took the lead in the second set and seemed headed for a straight sets victory when ahead by five games to three. But this time it was Gerulaitas who came back to level the scores and take the set on a tie-breaker.

    In the deciding set, Dibbs again held match point at five games to three, but Gerulaitas fought back to break his fellow country-man's serve.

    However, Dibbs came to break Gerulaitas' serve in the next game to take the set and match, 7-65, 6-7, 6-4. The win was worth 30.000 dollars (GBP17000 sterling) to Dibbs, and half that much to Gerulaitas. The victory also took Dibbs into seventh place in the WCT points table, while Gerulaitas stayed in sixth place.
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