ARGENTINA: TENNIS - Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia defeats Guillermo Vilas to take his sixth successive tennis Grand prix tournament

Record ID: 862155

  • Title: ARGENTINA: TENNIS - Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia defeats Guillermo Vilas to take his sixth successive tennis Grand prix tournament
  • Date: 24th November 1981
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (VISNEWS - JORGE CASAL) GV Guillermo vilas returning ball (nearest camera) during lengthy rally. Lendl wins point and first set SV Spectators applaud LV Scoreboard showing Lendl leading 6-1 TOP VIEW Leldl serving for match point, hits ball out, re-serves, wins game set and match GV Spectators TV Lendl walks onto dais and receives winning trophy
  • Embargoed: 9th December 1981 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina, Argentina
  • City:
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA93D2KCNWED05X9G0H8XSA381C
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  • Story Text: INTRODUCTION: Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia won his sixth successive grand prix tennis tournament this year when he beat Argentina's Guillermo Vilas, 6-1, 6-1 on Sunday (22 November) in Buenos Aires, Vilas' home city. The Argentine was looking for a record seventh Open win but was outclassed in the hour-long game. Lendl's victory has put him in the lead of the men's grand prix standings, ahead of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors of the United States.
    SYNOPSIS: Vilas, nearest the camera, is the hero of Buenos Aires tennis fans, but he could not match Lendl's vastly superior serving and fine tactical baseline play. In this superb rally which lasted more than two minutes, both players stayed close to the baseline, from where some of Lendl's best shots were executed. He went on to win the first set, 6-1, encountering little opposition.
    Ivan Lendl serves for match point .. and re-serves after hitting the ball out of court. His second serve won him the game, set and match. It was only on the rare occasions when he moved into the net did left-handed Vilas show any of his renowned clay court style. The magic of his performances in winning the French and U.S. Opens, in 1977 and the Australian Open the following year, was nowhere to be seen.
    The large crowd greeted Lendl with cheers as he stepped on to the victory dais, to receive the winner's trophy.
    InitialsJS SPORT: TENNIS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
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