$75,000 Mutual Benefit Life Open - Reel 1

A dramatic contest of incredible proportions with John McEnroe and Jay Lapidus which you just saw the other match was vetus girl Leiter's and John Lloyd. The drama was absolutely phenomenal. Six match points. Girlfight is saved when behind five three with John Lloyd serving after those six he came back 5:04 with Daryl itis ready to serve and on the very first point he hit a double ball. Love 30. You're still in trouble. Two points from the match behind serve one of the stretching for other fault tosses is

very low on that serve not reaching for the ball. Another full triple match point again. Physically it looks like this is totally Doraine nine match points potentially. That was yesterday. Today John McEnroe and John Lloyd Lloyd the number one player in this country Britain and he now ranks 160 bodies in the world but he's on an incredible comeback trail. John McEnroe of course is the number three ranking player in the world.

These two have played just once almost six months ago in the challenge round of the Davis Cup in California a contest that Lloyd calls the most devastating of his career. One that McEnroe won in straight sets but that was six months ago today. We have a McEnroe and a Loide fresh on a comeback trail and to tell us a little bit about both players I'd like to throw it up to Bill Talbot thank you very much Jane. John Lloyd reached the final by beating Hoyte in the first round 6 1 7 6 defeated Mauer on the second round 6 4 6 2. Amritraj in the third round 6 1 6 2 and yesterday in the semifinals. Very light as he struggles a little bit in only one match and that was the match against fetus. Fetus I think led him into the match. John hit out and gain confidence as a matt progressed and at the end he was a very confident player in talking to him. He said he had one lapse there when he was lost his serve at 5 3 and he was in trouble then but that was

really the only time in the last that where he was having trouble. McEnroe reached the final by beating Carter 6 3 6 1 beat James in the second round 6 2 6 4 KHL in the third round 6 1 6 3 and yesterday Lapidus 6 2 6 1. Now by those scores that he won and he didn't lose over four games in any one set that could be a problem because he's never been put to the test. If Floyd should get him into trouble should be able to carry him to a tough position in the match. We'll have to see what John can do. Certainly we know that he has great capabilities that he has done it before we saw that in so many matches we saw it in the Wimbledon two years ago when he went through the qualifier and then got to the semifinals again so Jimmy Connors in that great tournament. He did it in so many other places and he is a tremendously talented young man. And I got to believe that he'll be out there today certainly to win this great tournament. And John Lloyd if he is to get into it he's got to attack he must attack McEnroe to get anywhere in

this match. That's my opinion Jane. Well I've hit a few with John Lloyd in the morning because his wife Chris Lloyd excuse me breathing a little bit hard to get in shape. Kid had 14 flights of stairs up here. Chris has got a strep throat and she's certainly his favorite practice partner and vice versa. I went over a little bit with John what do you plan to do against John the other John. And he said he certainly wasn't going to try and stay in the back rally. The percentages were way against him doing that John McEnroe has got such incredible gifts all over the court that as you point out that Lloyd's only chance is to is to attack but maybe mix up the type of attack which is first of serve and volley occasionally follows second serve internet go for the winner. Maybe on the second or third point to try to put

McEnroe on the defensive pretty quickly. That's going to be very hard to do because McEnroe can hit an offensive shot from almost anywhere in the court. I think we did see Jane that Lloyd favors his backhand more than his four and he will really attacked from the back side and a stronger shot. He will go for the shot on the forehand. He gets that far away from his body. He tends to be a little tentative when he hits the forehand but yesterday it held up I really thought that beat us would break it down in the match. I thought that he was going to finally get to the point where he would be struggling to get the forehand in. But he did not get held up OK. But again I think that real strength of John Lloyd is to back down and not only the backhand particularly the backhand cross-court that when he hits the backhand down the line it is with underspin. And it's not an attacking shot per se though. When he really is confident he rolls his approach over cross court and comes to get behind it. He mentioned. And this morning when you were out hitting with him and just after that one of his

chatting with him that he thought he served very very well yesterday and as much against speed is. One thing I noticed when we were hitting this morning that he hit about the first six balls. Either off center or long. And I noticed that this is we talked about yesterday that. When John or any other player has such a long and deliberate backswing if they don't concentrate throughout the whole backswing that they can have mis hits. And I commented about this I said Well John are you aware that because of your long backswing have you ever had problems as watching the ball and he said yes that's one of the first things that he goes back to is to just that old chestnut of watching the ball when he has trouble. So what happens even with the most experienced pros. They. They can follow that instructional tidbit of watching the ball sound so simple and yet it can be so difficult. One thing that certainly McEnroe will do and do very well is certainly known for his ability and this and that is. To

use the court to move the ball around to go to the floor and go to the back and short long different speeds. And I think that's a great advantage when you have that ability to use the court and the way McEnroe is so capable. Well I also think that if McEnroe gets in trouble. Following one particular strategy he has so many different options that he can play from the back court. And he can be a brilliant attacker. He can be a counterpuncher. He has. Almost every shot imaginable in tennis. And some that some would say are not imaginable. He hit a doubles. Poach volley. To get to the finals yesterday. And Peter Fleming's and his match against Moore and Andrew in which they won 6 4 6 2. Crosscourt post-Bali that it was a strong volley from one alley all the way across into the other. We talked about this a little bit yesterday to the one of the things that McEnroe showed at a very early age was that he had an unusual aptitude for the volley which is probably the

toughest stroke for a young player to pick up. One thing about John Jane if you were to pick in his game a weapon. All great players usually have one weapon that they fall back on and they know that they can rely on is there a weapon and Mike and rose. I don't think a weapon as you think of Gonzalez serve as just a single point ender. I'd say McEnroe's aggressiveness is certainly his is a weapon by itself and the other thing is his hands are a weapon he can do such extraordinary things at the last minute changing directions with the ball fool you with with change of pace. We saw again yesterday where he's set up for a cross-court forehand and hit the ball down the line. It's very difficult to pick balls against McEnroe. Don't you think it be possible for him with his great natural ability to develop his serve into a weapon. Well at various times during this past year. The players thought it was the equal of

tanners or the late great. Neil left handed serve. That it's swept not just had a sweeping side motion to it but it had a definite down punch to which it made the ball go out of play. Already his service terrific I'd say that one thing he has to pick up now is just consistency it's not always on the mark on the serve. Yes I mean yes City for example he he had three aces on clay which is against Lapidus which is. Quite good. But his first serve average was not that good he only hit 50 percent of his first serves in Lloyd on the other hand as you pointed out serve particularly well against Keralites but. Very very well in the late stages of the match. He had 55 percent of his first serves in and two aces but might make the point here that. A good first. Serve percentage is somewhere in the area of 75 or 80 percent of the great punch of always aim

for 80 or 85 percent of his first serves out. No. Billy I'm talking about. Today's play. We saw it. Leading up today's play yesterdays match between John Lloyd. And vetus Carolina. It was a. Upset of incredible proportions. Before the match we had John up here predicting the. Outcome of that match and he said that obviously the odds were so overwhelmingly in favor of of lightest to him that he was after all ranked 4 in the world and Lloyd was ranked. 160 and had in the six months before his ranking had actually dropped to as low as 225. So I can really didn't have a high opinion of the chances of John Lloyd in that match and we have a small quote from John during that interview.

First today I'd say. I mean. Coming into this term and John Luddy won one match in 20 tournaments. So I mean I doubt very much he's the favorite. Plus the fact that Venus is winning the world anyway. So I mean he may not have to go. You know I mean. If I was placing a bet I'd play you know I'd better beat us but that wouldn't be too I think a lot of people would be placing bets on him. I mean he's got he's he's got the match experience and Lloyd hasn't been playing that much in any way. Like tomorrow if I play vetus it should be a good match because we've only played once I played really well in that match but he's had good results and clay this year and he seems like he plays better on clay for some reason so should be good. I didn't have that opportunity on your playing online. Put it out earlier the last time they played. Rock n roll was an absolutely devastating beating Lloyd in three straight sets in the finals of the challenge round the Davis Cup challenge round last December. Players are both ready. Room and waiting for some spectators in the. South stand to sit down.

Beautiful day Jane. Center Court looks beautiful and I think we're going to have a very interesting night. Sunny South Orange. First point pretty well talked about the rally five or six balls throwing each other around the court and then John Lloyd went for a bigger shot than he should have. Had. In.

There the more will rally with him. And you know for a couple of shots wait for his opportunity and then try to press McEnroe. Ball. Just missed by a couple of inches and still see the mark mark. That. Can pass. That goes against his nature his favorite child is the backhand cross know earlier that. You want to see that quick slow mo of rolling crosscourt. On the dead run. Brilliant clip the inside of the line. He rolled over that ball too. Usually when he goes down he goes under

it. That's how open that stance is. For. One. Of the things that helps on the open stance forehand if you do go back into the center court quickly. Not quick enough on that point. McEnroe just used the entire court to force Lloyd out of position. McEnroe fidgeting. Tucks his shirt. Headband. Just gonna go and check the line. He draws a circle around it.

He's going to have a little fun with a lady like that. Great point. John's opinion doesn't count they're. Looking at it from another angle. Classic ruse by players they will take their racket and draw a little circle around the margin. But that doesn't always say it's out. There's the mark. Yes but it's good. What do you think. Now. John has asked the umpire Ted Reid to have the lines person go out and take a look at the market. It's. Good. To. Start with. But. I. Like Jimmy Connors I you just pointed out her foot. You rubbed that around a little bit. She made a mark if there wasn't. A break point.

Right. Return of. Her. Long first game. Really opened up the court then.

Tried. To call his lob. And that's what I think you probably thought that ball was going to fly long and he was just content to rally the ball after a great margin of error for error. Both lads are clearing the net by two and three feet. Looping groundstrokes which is a very good thing to do until you decide to attack. Setting up your attack. That's right. It's like a boxer parrying waiting for the big blow. Waiting for the opening. I gave to my. Kid in.

The. First game and I came. To the first car had a boy avoid. Was a little suspect. That's where he made the error three or his right hand side. We heard from McEnroe how he thought that his match would go with Carolina and Lloyd and. Russ we asked John Lloyd what he thought his chances were against McEnroe and we have a. Short audio bite for that interview. It was in five sets probably not 1977. 1977. And tomorrow you play John McEnroe in the finals. We commented earlier the last time you played John maybe the first time and only time you played John was in the Davis Cup challenge in California where he if we must use the word he annihilated you that he played one of the finest matches anybody's ever played. I have any idea how you're going to turn that around. Well I hope he

doesn't play like he did against me that day. But I think I'll get caught on the cement did favor him slightly. I mean he said so when I couldn't really get in the match I think here at least the ball was a little bit slower. I hope to get a few more of a suspect but I think I've got to play the same game as I did today. You know I think I've got to be aggressive if I stay back. If he's going to come in and beat those loopy shots if he's got he's got to play positive tennis against him. I. Mean that's been. He's been playing positive tennis since the first game. Just an interesting point. And I can roll that my boy. They are sir which is a fair percentage. Thank you. I think he was serving about three quarters speed and we'll learn to do better next time around. Philly will see a close up of McInally later his face. Bruises and broken nose long as the end of the pool. Parents playing the word south of France last Saturday.

Some people thought it was a fight with an umpire. I'd like to correct that it wasn't. Talking to him just said I had headaches for two days. I did. Winner will receive thirteen thousand dollars. The runner up. Sixty five hundred out of a total of $75000. So. What did I do that was a tight. Game like I rarely see him three or two or

three fairly and of course there's. A. Slow. Motion. Of. John Lloyd. That. You gain on the ball and the rocket back long wind up too. So if anything goes wrong. Result. When. All the screen in the final round of future wide open. It's a part of the coalgate

Grand Prix which is a 90 game. Or 90 tournament series throughout the world and around the calendar. Something. I can no more fidgety than normal at this early stage and the imagine. Talking to himself and the balls girl. Or girl he thought was out of her territory and. Catching the ball. Opening up to a higher court.

Tried. To avoid you know sweep crosscourt. 30 year old coming across the sideline to tell off very hot day very little breeze. Players have 30 seconds. To play between points. That's ample time to tell. About. Mike.

Counter-puncher. There was talk. 40 feet lomo. That. Crosscourt. Here it is a sweep across the court again. Game might get a good service game for John. McEnroe at least two games into one. So back then when you get to almost outright winners on his backhand one of which he opened up the court with his four with a serve to Lloyd's back end it here is John's serve again at 40 15. Great body position absolutely perpendicular to the net.

One that's interesting to me that he places his foot the way he does when he serves. I mean it is parallel to the baseline. Most. Servers servers most servers will have their body pointing more toward the net. I think what he does is he's trying to exaggerate his body rotation of the body turn. And so yes. Right and his foot is almost directly parallel to the baseline and then on his follow through he'll come through in a perpendicular sweep pretty successful McEnroe's gotten four out of his last five first serves and McEnroe leads two games to one in the first set. John Lloyd of Great Britain Lloyd on a comeback trail of sorts. This is the first finals he's played since 1977 when he. Lost to beat us Keralite us. In the finals of the Australian Open. The last 20 tournaments before South Orange he lost

in the first round of every single event except one. He was unseeded here. This will not only help his ranking. Or help his confidence as well. He goes on to Indianapolis next week for the U.S. National clay courts. In. The park bark you heard in the background was McEnroe's. Some were on some bar. Yes.

Right. Right. You know. He's doing what he said you do he will not play it safe. When he has an opportunity to go for a winner. He doesn't want to trade shots with the third ranking player in the world. Didn't you John held that ball on his forehead. Disguising what he was going to do with one of the reasons he can do that. His racquet is strong fairly. Loosely. It's about fifty. Fifty seven pounds.

Which for the modern day player is a very low. Ball. John Bromwich back in the old days was down around 40 to call it a. Slingshot. But the Burla of the great Italian player he didn't string is racking them just lead him in there like spaghetti. Last. Night. There was a Super Bowl. I think we saw how difficult it is to pick. McEnroe's forehand or backhand. His grip is very unorthodox and he just took a slap at the ball not the traditional. Wind up and follow through with. The fountain pen grip. But he has the quickest hands in all the ten. Thirty one thing. The pressure that Mike Rowe puts on is on. That was an example of it. You sometimes try to make too good a shot because you know that he does

counterpunch so well. Breakpoint point. There it is great break back and only one. Didn't try to catch that shot really wanted to put him on the table with a low return which he certainly did right at Lloyd's feet. And would have a. Slow motion. Lloyd sir McEnroe again going for the center of the net. And. Lloyd. Getting his into the center of the net. And we're waiting again for spectators in the South stands to. Be seated. Good luck. McEnroe's hind foot or behind. His right foot he places it on the service.

Son directly in his eyes. Didn't Lloyd does so many weekend players do. He slapped it bounced it before the net. How did you get use to combat his son doing well that. Wasn't easy there with that defensive lob that the sun was in his eyes. I guess it was I would I think I would have let it bounce I wasn't going to run away from him. What about stuff and I think he would have had an easier swing out without the sun in his eyes. Good. Forcing back.

And. Forth. Clearing the way for crosscourt back in when I. Didn't. Know. This is not traditional clay court tennis. Is terrific to see that we will be able to notice how the patterns will develop rather than just rallies back and forth. Both players will try to set up the openings. Had a lot of court to get into but couldn't do it. I you try to touch volley 30 angled crosscourt but did not get it over the net. A.

Great rally. And. McEnroe's doesn't lose too many of those kids to do that on quite a lot like hoping to win the point the movie out that way and that knowing that it was going to take its toll on you later on in the match because that is hard going on a day like today. Double break point. Back for John Lloyd. Who. Was. Clearly. Back on. Her. Game trying to get back on the road leading first great back picture of the Center Court here at the orange lawn tennis club. As you know Billie. Orange lawn tennis club was one of the great. Old tennis institutions in America. Next year they will celebrate their 100th anniversary.

I was there a lot of years ago. I'll say you won it three times in the singles five times in the doubles right here first in 1946 in a Davis Cup match against Mexico in 1946. You won that one five. Nothing. I'm a trivia correct. Here's one of those 15:30 point to give Lloyd a double break point. Fastnet exchange. That McEnroe slipped right in the alley back live. Armando And Rolando Vega. Are the two top players for Mexico. Rolando Vega is one of the top bankers in Mexico. And if anybody can name the captain of either the American team or the. Mexican team they will win. A TICKET. To the opening day of next years which will benefit my father. That I can name one. Name the other

one. Will Get your ticket anyway as a past champion. We're going to have a fabulous celebration here next year. All right all the former champions come back and with a roster that is the last one the last two years just as two years before that then Connors had to default to Alex Revelli in 1974. Column deadly in the last year. This tournament was played on grass on the 19th 73 in the stands in 72. Or later Smith Passarelli recently wrote Stolley. The Kinlay. Not quite caught doing that in Indianapolis next weekend. In the U.S. Open is inviting all of us. Back. Like the past 35 champion's body 35 you were one of those I'll get a free ticket. You know. Floyd 50 move up. To three on serve

first. Know. Most. Of the errors that have been made by Lloyd are off for him inside. Pointed out that open stance forehanded may give him more power and enabled him to return to the center court. But you're much more prone to errors. After. All. All. That's out to the. Point.

You want to do something very very well. Good depth on this. 14:30. That's one of the things that will happen. His strategy to try to end the point quickly setting it up for an attack that he'll miss a few. A. Real slow motion. Game point you can

observe something here on Loys over at how he makes the turn and gets that racket back ready to hit the ball. Just prior to the stroke. Capacity crowd Bjorn's Lawn Tennis Club 4200 fans. It's a sell. Out. You. Know. Players play would be content to just play that love Extremely. Good angle. Short in the service box. Didn't. Kino.

One thing Lloyd has not done yet but which he promised he would do was to take McEnroe serve. And follow it to net. For the element of surprise. Not much chance there. Thirty percent of the match. 30 50. Percent. Second to. 40 in the sample how versatile that serve is.

Sweeping ball wide for him straight down the middle to the forehand. He went for it a. Little greedy. He didn't we. Take. It. Over. Come back and roll around on the internet. I would think.

That. We have called the ways that we can serve and very very white. On all the board games to three the first time I think in this match that he's done. I don't think he did it once yesterday. I think he's still playing well within himself. We haven't seen all the possibilities that he has to win points. And as you say maybe he's getting a little impatient but that is such a great serve if you can swing it as wide as he did that was not falling net but taking the second ball and helping out. Our statistician Ira this is a bit of information on Lloyd has 50 percent of his first serves and John McEnroe seven or so we've already had one call for the free ticket next year. All right man. You see the U.S. captain bowling. I thought it was paid.

It was Baldpate because Pequots captain threw out that. Oh well William you're getting older. I would have said hey. But now that man's name has been thrown in there certainly Elrick was captain from then on through 1950. But I think it was Walter Page Pate was captain in St. Louis when we played the Philippines. And I think he was captain here against Mexico. Have that game point. Correction up to the point really was talking about the overhead of Lloyd good set up. McEnroe went on to hold serve and lead for three in the first set. Playing on a hot day like this one fire. So Mike what did the players do. To keep you know it is something they put on their handle on the racket.

So they got a better grip. Lloyd puts gauze around his leather grip and McEnroe just uses sawdust John to have on riskless. I don't believe in Bolivia. I don't know. John McEnroe doesn't John Lloyd has to. Win for his tossing him one for his rack in hand. I think that's a fetish more than. Actually helping the left hand doesn't have to be dry for John Lloyd. Variation of attacking. Serve and volley. That's not the customary tactic on clay. And that's why. Without a perfect volley in play it is that of a perfect passing shot.

Really one thing we might do instead of calling both players because we know them John and since they're both Jummy might just call them. By their last names. Not being rude. It. Is confusing. For. Two inches from the baseline. Now. I. Get a great rush from the open door. I can read that one.

They really didn't deal. With the. Football. The lucky one. John. Holding his hand straight up. Didn't mean. Opening up the entire court. It's still game point 40

30. 40 30. Guys. That. Boy boy crosscourt games are for all. For all. First set. Is incredible what confidence can do. Talk about that in a minute. But here's the slo mo. That last point.

I thought McEnroe's choice of shots. The drop shot was not quite a little bit too cute. Yeah he's a shot to really do much more with. Nonchalant at the ball. Try for a delicate dropshot. Burn. Love. He may maybe an example of overconfidence could be. 30 know.

As many as McEnroe hit in his. Entire match against Lapidus yesterday. Jay Lapidus the semi. Final against that he was won by McEnroe 6 2 6 1. Of course there. Is only the second player in this tournament. 30 more all right in order to get four games in a set. The first player to get to for all John-James not for games but actually I can. It was a 5 3 and that set. Certainly back in McEnroe's stiffest test in the tournament. For McEnroe. Lloyd has the closer.

Keep the set alive. McEnroe leads five games to four first started to talk about confidence for. Philly that John Lloyd's confidence was at such a low ebb before he came to South Orange being lost in the first round of every. Tournament he had played in the last 20. Except for one. Only won one singles match in 20 weeks. And here in the first round he played a qualifier who had actually lost in the final rounds qualifying. Bert Hoyte had a tough go. He won the first set. Floyd won the first set and was behind 5 1 in the second. Came back and won it 76 and afterwards beat Andres more on Amritraj before yesterday when he had that unbelievable upset victory over to scare us. That's Lloyd's finest win of his career over the highest ranked player. He had beaten Rasco tanner in the first

round at Wimbledon but at that time Tanter was only ranked 8 in the world. How do players overcome despair and lack of confidence. Work. Hard hard work. I recall back in many many years ago I. Was in that same position. That I went out with a player named Seymour Greenberg who was very very steady on clay and it was just prior to the national court in Chicago River Forest Illinois. And. I really could not win the game. I could not do anything. I just stayed out there and played and played and played and played one Sunday afternoon. I must have played for five hours. And finally at the end of it I started to get a little feel and I played one of the best part tournaments for me at that time that I play. I think I got to the semi-finals and just put the idea of just staying out there and forcing yourself. Work work work. I think thats the best

way to overcome the lack of confidence. Many times you will be tired mentally physically because you played so much then you must do it another way. But if you are not playing well and losing in the first round quite obviously you haven't played any matches. Just stay out there and work. Lloyd serving. For. Five. Tomorrow. And this match has got 88 percent of his first serves and that is quite a percentage. John McEnroe took his eye off the ball sky went into the east box on and.

On. Just over half. David Lloyd has been superb the tosses they say in Australia. I'm still a little bit concerned about his set up. Speed don't seem to be firmly planted. Results been terrific. Down. 40 low. Three chances for a lawyer to tie the set of five all serving this game was. Going the ball even try for.

World. Cup. Final. Game. Came by. The other thing you might comment on is what goes through a player's mind like McEnroe and he is the third ranking player in the world and he's playing a good player but someone who's clearly ranked way below what it was expected to win he's the number one seed in this tournament. Lloyd ranks 160. Players thinking about. You were usually the favorite when you played Billy. Thank you sir. You. Can be thinking several things. One you know I've got to get my act together and start concentrating and going after this guy. Or you can start feeling sorry for yourself and say you know why is he playing so well and why is he doing this. What's he doing. Lloyd is sitting out he's going after everything

is there. There's a back and he's not playing a relatively good get off the back and down the line. The choice of the shots. Not fitting himself and certainly not going rule is not. Adequate either staying with him. But. Floyd is hanging right in there. Lloyd. Is doing what he promised. He. Was going to attack. Very his attack. When attacked on the left and he's done it in a variety of ways to serve and volley behind his first serve because he deserved behind. McEnroe is disputing whether there are three or four balls or six balls being

used at the changeover to try to win six. Tournaments of their choice and it's a question of whether the tournament director and referee would like to have extended rallies or whether they're worried about balls being lost in a smaller arena. We're very packed arena like this. Very easy for the ball to go out of bounds.