OKKER WINS FIRST SET; GENERAL PLAY AND EMERSON WINNING SECOND SET; OKKER WINS FOURTH SET AND MATCH; (NATURAL SOUND).




Initials JP/V/BOB/SGM


SPORT: TENNIS

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Background: TOM OKKER OF HOLLAND SPEARHEADED THE AMATEUR CHALLENGE IN THE MEN'S SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP AT WIMBLEDON TODAY (MONDAY) WITH A BRILLIANT FOUR SET WIN OVER AUSTRALIA'S ROY EMERSON, TWICE A WIMBLEDON CHAMPION. OKKER WON 6-3, 9-11, 7-5, 7-5, AND NOW MEETS THE U.S. COLOURED PLAYER, ARTHUR ASHE, IN THE QUARTER-FINAL.

OKKER - NICKNAMED THE "FLYING DUTCHMAN" - AND EMERSON ARE PROBABLY THE FASTEST MOVING PLAYERS IN TENNIS TODAY. THEY BRAVED SEARING HEAT AND STIFFLING HUMIDITY TO TREAT THE BIG CROWD TO A GRAND DISPLAY OF POWER SERVING AND FLEET FOOTED RETRIEVING. OKKER TOOK THE FIRST SET IN EASY FASHION, 6-3, BUT THE TALL QUEENSLANDER FOUGHT BACK WELL TO TAKE THE SECOND, 11-9. GAMES WENT WITH SERVICE IN THE VITAL THIRD SET BUT OKKER GOT SLOWLY ON TOP AND TOOK IT 7-5. IT WAS MUCH THE SAME PATTERN IN THE FOURTH SET. OKKER GOT THE VITAL BREAK IN THE 11TH GAME WHEN EMERSON NETTED AN EASY VOLLEY. HE WENT ON TO HOLD HIS SERVICE AND WIN BY 7-5.