HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MATCH AND FLETCHER RECEIVING THE TROPHY.




Initials


SPORT: TENNIS
EDITORS: THIS IS FOR SCHEDULED NEWS PROGRAMMES ONLY. NO MORE THAN TWO MINUTES MAY BE USED IN ANY ONE PROGRAMME.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: TENNIS: AUSTRALIA'S KEN FLETCHER YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) WON THE BRITISH MEN'S HARDCOURT SINGLES TITLE. PLAYING AT BOURNEMOUTH, IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND, HE BEAT THE DUTCH NUMBER ONE, TOM OKKER, 7-5, 6-4.BOTH PLAYERS WERE SEEDED TO MEET IN THE FINAL. FLETCHER, WHO MADE AN EARLY START TO THIS YEAR'S EUROPEAN CIRCUIT, HAS BEEN IN SPARKLING FORM THROUGHOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIPS. HE EASILY ADJUSTED TO THE SLIPPERY CONDITIONS FOLLOWING A DAMP START TO THE BRITISH SEASON.

THE FINAL WAS MARKED BY CLEVER TENNIS AND FLUENT PLAY. THE QUEENSLANDER, WHO NOW LIVES IN HONGKONG, SWEPT TO A 4-1 LEAD IN THE FIRST SET. BUT A GOOD RECOVERY BY OKKER MEANT FLETCHER HAD TO PLAY SEVEN MORE GAMES BEFORE TAKING THE SET.

THE PATTERN WAS SIMILAR IN THE SECOND SET WHEN THE AUSTRALIAN PULLED AWAY TO LEAD 5-1. AGAIN OKKER FOUGHT BACK, BUT FLETCHER'S POWERFUL FOREHAND WAS THE DECIDING FACTOR. THE END CAME WHEN THE WIND CURLED A HIGH LOB AWAY FROM OKKER, WHO HIT ON THE WOOD FOR THE BALL TO GO OUT OF PLAY.

IT WAS FLETCHER'S FIRST BRITISH HARDCOURT SINGLES TITLE - USUALLY HAS TRIUMPHS ARE CONFINED TO THE DOUBLES. AND IT WAS THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN VICTORY IN THE EVENT SINCE ROD LAVER TOOK THE TITLE IN 1962.