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NZ tennis player Onny Parun - Source: Photosport -
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Onny Parun had something of a love affair with Wimbledon, although it would be fair to say the feeling was mutual.
The Wellington born-Parun reached the quarter finals on two occasions over a lengthy career at the tournament.
He first played at the All England club in 1967 and was still turning heads in 1980 at the age of 33, being good enough to reach the round of 16.
When tvnz.co.nz caught up with the affable Parun it was soon obvious that he retains a lot of affection for the quintessential tennis tournament.
"It is probably every tennis player's dream to play there and when you get there it is probably better than you even imagine."
In 1967, a 20-year-old Parun made his first journey to Wimbledon and remembers being quite overwhelmed.
"It was rather surreal because we had always read about it, heard about it, but to go and see it was pretty amazing."
A year later and the New Zealander made his first real impact at England's grand slam.
In the second round he faced British No. 1 - Roger Taylor. Taylor enjoyed huge support and had gone all the way to the semi-finals the year before.
Slice of luck
Parun managed to stave off six match points, though admits he enjoyed a fair slice of luck.
"I remember one of my match points was a backhand volley, it hit the frame of my racket, hit the net, fell over the net and hit the line.
"Everybody laughed but at that stage Roger was still up two sets to love. It never entered into his brain that it could be turning a win into a loss."
Media attention was immediate, though not always charitable.
"One English journalist said it was outrageous that the top British player would lose to a person from a country that had more sheep than people."
Parun believes the victory over Taylor helped to "put me on the map" and it remains his favourite match at Wimbledon.
In the third round in 1968 Parun faced the legendary Australian Ken Rosewall.
Giant on court
The Rosewall stood just 5ft 7inches, but was a giant on court.
"[Rosewall] was such a little guy but he hit the ball so cleanly. He was little when you were hitting up but as soon as you started playing he seemed to grow and he was everywhere - there was not one place on the court that he didn't anticipate."
Parun took a set off Rosewall and found it an absolute thrill to play one of his boyhood heroes and a man he had once been a ball boy for.
In 1971 the then 24-year-old Parun reached the quarter-finals, the first New Zealand man to go that far in the Singles since Anthony Wilding over 55 years earlier.
He lost to eventual finalist (and 1972 champion) Stan Smith but Parun had made his mark.
As the New Zealander progressed through into the latter stages he began to receive some right royal treatment.
The All-England Club would send a Princess Austin to pick him up each day, which caused quite a stir in the leafy suburb of London where Parun was staying with his sister during the tournament.
"All the neighbours were looking out - what is going on here - as this big car that holds about eight people pulled up."
The special treatment continued when he arrived at the All-England Club for his quarter final.
Parun found himself being escorted to Dressing Room 'A', after spending the previous visits ensconced in Dressing Room 'B'.
"In dressing room 'B' there were just a few qualifiers and you," Parun laughed, "while in the top-level locker you were surrounded by past and present champions".
The entrance to centre court was just metres away from Dressing
Room 'A', while the secondary dressing room was under the stand on
the number two court and meant a long trip to centre court.
Deserved to stay
Parun managed to keep his place in the top echelon for the rest of his Wimbledon days.
"I was never downgraded to B, so it was quite a thrill."
Parun was always confident at Wimbledon and justified his special treatment with a series of creditable performances.
"I always played well on grass because we were brought up on grass in New Zealand.
"I always felt I was a quite a threat to just about any player, except the very best, because it suited my style of game."
As he lists some of the best players he faced at Wimbledon it becomes apparent that he competed in a golden era.
Over the years in London the New Zealander played against Wimbledon champions Jan Kodes, Neale Fraser and Stan Smith as well as finalists such as Ille Nastase and Ken Rosewall.
But his overriding memory comes back to that day in 1971 and that car.
"They pick you up in an Austin Princess - that can't be too bad can it?"
