1.
TGV PAN Tournament empty court
0.11

2.
SV Mike Gibson speaks
1.05

3.
SV Newsmen
1.07

4.
CU ZOOM OUT Gibson draw players numbers
1.38

5.
GV Davidson playing Taylor PAN crowd
1.52

6.
SV Crowd (2 shots)
1.57

7.
SV Graebner & wife
2.00

8.
LV Dibley watching (head on arm)
2.06

9.
GV PAN Nastase v Metreveli
2.18


Mr. Drysdale phoned me and said that after long discussions that his ATP were, unfortunately, withdrawing from Wimbledon. He gave me a list of names of those who had signed withdrawal notices. I have not got the notices yet, they will be delivered in due course here, but I had assured them yesterday that we would accept a list of names as long as it coincided with the actual signed forms. Roger Taylor was not on the list at the time. A few minutes later Roger rang and said that owing to extreme pressure he felt he'd have to withdraw from the championships. Five minutes later, or thereabouts, I cannot tell the exact timing, Roger rang back again and said that he had reconsidered his decision and felt that it was his duty to play, and he would be playing. And I told him how grateful we all were to him for that particular gesture."



"Number 99 H.J. Plotz"



"He goes to place two"



"Number 84, I. Molina"



"Goes at place three"



"Number 12, W.I. Brown"



"Four"




Initials SGM/0059 SGM/0130


PART TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Rumanian Ilie Nastase was, on Friday (22 June), installed as top seed in the Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship, after a walkout by 68 of the world's leading men tennis professionals.

Despite a last minute peace bid by Britain's Minister of Sport, Mr. Eldon Griffiths, the Association of Tennis Professionals' (ATP) boycott of the tournament came into force. The ATP are protesting at what they regard as the unjust suspension of Yugoslav Nikki Pilic by the International Lawn Tennis Federation for failing to represent his country in the Davis Cup.

The boycott decision was conveyed to Captain Mike Gibson, Wimbledon referee by Cliff Drysdale, the South African Chairman of the A.T.P. But the final list of withdrawals remained uncertain as Britain's Roger Taylor, in two dramatic phone-calls, first of al said he would be supporting the boycott and then changed his mind. Captain Gibson described the course of events.

The revised list of seeds, has been reduced from 16 to eight, and of the eight, five were not in the original seedings. The Czech Jan Kodes is number two seed behind Nastase and Roger Taylor is number three.

The draw for the championships was made in London on Friday.

Notwithstanding their withdrawal from Wimbledon the top men players were to be seen in action in London on Friday. They were competing in the Queen's club tournament.

SYNOPSIS: The man's boycott of Wimbledon is on. Captain Mike Gibson, Wimbledon referee, told newsmen how he heard the decision from Cliff Drysdale, Chairman of the Association of Tennis Professionals.

So the draw was much depleted.

But many of the leading players competed today a the Queen's Club London the traditional warm-up for the championships. Roger Taylor, facing the camera, played Owen Davidson of Australia. Both will be competing at Wimbledon.

Clark Graebner of America and Colin Dibley of Australia watched from the audience -- as they will at Wimbledon. Both are supporting the boycott.

New Wimbledon top seed Ilie Nastase, facing the camera, was also at Queens. He played against the new number four seed Alexander Metreveli of the Soviet Union.