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Chris Lewis at Wimbledon - Source: Photosport -
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Chris Lewis' run all the way to the Wimbledon final in 1983 will forever be enshrined in New Zealand sporting history.
Like Peter Snell's 800/1500m golden double in Tokyo in 1964, Danyon Loader winning two swimming Olympic golds in 1996, the rowing eight's triumph in Munich and the 1982 All Whites run to the World Cup in Spain, it is special because it will almost certainly never happen again.
Indeed most of Generation Y would laugh at a tale of a Wellington-born, Auckland-raised boy making it all the way to a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon.
In 2009, New Zealand's top-ranked player, Rubin Statham, sits at 423 in the world, over 150 places outside the cut-off just to make qualifying and every year the tennis world gets more and more competitive.
In 1983 Lewis held an ATP ranking of 91, was well outside the
top 32 seeds and progressing all the way to the final seemed just a
dream.
But the iconic tournament had always been special for him from the
time he first picked up a racket as a five-year-old in Lower
Hutt.
"Wimbledon was very much part of my tennis upbringing. I always gave it the highest status of any of the tournaments from the time I was six or seven years old. I think that was part of the reason why I did so well there," Lewis says.
When tvnz.co.nz caught up with Lewis from his Southern California home he could still vividly recall going to London for the first time in 1974 as a starry-eyed junior.
"You really idealise the place and then you walk through the gates for the first time and it is just stunning."
In his second visit in 1975 he enjoyed great success, carrying
off the junior Wimbledon title after beating Ricardo Ycaza of
Ecuador in the final.
Fufilling promise
Lewis became the world's number one ranked junior later in 1975 and looked set to fulfil his promise when he beat world number one Guilermo Vilas in 1978 to take his first ATP title in Kitzbuhel, Austria after several final appearances in previous years.
A shoulder injury curtailed his progress for almost two seasons but he was back to his best in 1982, leading the New Zealand Davis Cup team all the way to the last four of the prestigious tournament.
1983 was his seventh appearance at the All-England club. He had enjoyed only moderate success, making the second round on three occasions (1976, 1980 and 1981) and the last 32 in 1982.
This time the 26-year-old was determined to have a solid build-up and give himself every chance of success.
He had engaged the services of legendary Australian coach Tony
Roche, and had two or three weeks of grass-specific training with
New Zealand Davis Cup captain Jeff Simpson.
Over-eagerness
In the first round the unseeded Lewis upset ninth-seeded American Steve Denton, 6-4 4-6 7-6 4-6 6-3, despite making 13 foot faults which he put down to an over-eagerness to get to the net.
Much hyped young Australian Brod Dyke was the next obstacle, but he was swept aside 7-6 6-1 6-3 and when Lewis beat American Mike Bauer in another five set thriller 6-4 3-6 7-5 6-7 6-4, he found himself in the last 16 players for the first time.
"In the second week you start getting a lot more attention and then things happen fast."
Lewis had a far from ideal preparation for his tie against Nigerian Niduka Odizor, as nerves began to emerge.
"After a sleepless night I grabbed a catnap in the locker room - getting an hour and a half in the corner of the bathroom."
Odizor had beaten top seed Vilas in the first round, but a confident Lewis won 6-1 6-3 6-3, barely breaking a sweat.
The New Zealander was in the quarter finals, alongside such luminaries as John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Tim Mayotte and Kevin Curren.
His opponent was American Mel Purcell and Lewis knew it would be a tough battle.
"Purcell was a tricky customer, he could serve and volley and he could stay back, so he was not in the traditional grass court mould.
"He varied his game well, so it was hard to formulate a game plan. I had to be flexible."
To this day his vanquished opponent finds it hard to live down the loss.
"I actually saw him afterwards a number of times and he would always bring that match up."
Tomorrow in part two;
The 26-year-old Lewis
now faced the biggest match of his life - a semi-final on centre
court against 12th seeded South African Kevin
Curren.
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentJaycie13100 said on 2009-06-20 @ 19:19 NZDT:
The day when I was a teenaer and a mere boy named Ken Rosewall had to play veteran Drobny and the whole centre-court crowd to come ever so close to the ultimate. Sadly he retired as the greatest player NEVER to have won Wimbledon [or perhaps equal with Ivan Lendl]
cutecasper said on 2009-06-18 @ 17:01 NZDT:
Boris Becker and Stephan Edberg - This is the MATCH to watch....FINAL feels like a FINAL... I love Boris Becker, Its only coz of him i love Tennis..and it is my FAV sport and only sport i play!! .. Cant wait for WIMBLEDON to start...NEVER MISS IT! Since i have started watchin Tennis !
Baseliner said on 2009-06-18 @ 14:26 NZDT:
Becker was a legend! He seemed to have the biggest serve anybody had ever seen and the German always used to do cool tricks with the ball and racquet in between points or when he was walking up to serve.
Kiwi Royal said on 2009-06-17 @ 14:04 NZDT:
1) Watching Lewis beat Curren on tv as a kid in the semis of 1983. 2) Lining up at 2am for tickets on Middle Saturday and only getting them for Court Two! It worked out great though as McEnroe and Graf played Mixed Doubles on the court. 3) Knocking off work early with a mate, going up to Wimbledon, getting recycled Centre Court tickets and seeing Federer concede the only set he was to lose (to Mardy Fish) on the way to his first title in 2003.
Laurie Reid said on 2009-06-17 @ 13:28 NZDT:
Just the tears of Henman. He was so unlucky on so many occassions! But then again the Poms are known for that...