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« Savitt Defends Net Title at Wimbledon Yank Joint Third Choice To Retain Coveted Crown; Sedgman, Drobny Rated 1-2 By ROBERT C. DOWSON United Press Sports Writer WIMBLEDON, England, June 21. — Reigning champion Dick Savitt of the United States will open the sfxty-sixth Wimbledon Lawn Tennis championships next Mondays when he appears in the curtain-raiser match on the famed center court against Indias number one player, Naresh Kumar. Currently only joint third favorite at 6 to 1 to take the 1952 Wimbledon crown, Savitt will meet Kumar in the first of the entire 64 first round mens singles matches scheduled to be played off on Monday. Four first-round contests have been scheduled for decision on each of 16 courts during the afternoon and evening. The reigning champion from Orange, N. J., is expected to have little trouble negotiating his first hurdle. Kumar, a steady all-court player, lacks Savitts kind of power and speed. Meanwhile, Frank Sedgman, of Australia, top-favorite at 2 to 1, will open the program on court two against Spains Jaime Bartroli. Thirty-seven-year-old veteran Gardnar Mulloy, of Coral Gables, Fla., will take on Vladimir Sonecki, self -exiled Polish former Davis Cup man. Mulloy Seeded Tenth Seeded tenth, Mulloy was not too happy about his chances in the tournament. With compatriots Herb Flam of Beverly Hills, Calif., and Budge Patty of Los Angeles and Australian Ken Rosewall in his quarter, Gardner figured he had "a pretty tough draw. But we shall see. It will all come out in the wash," he said. Flam, seeded sixth, will have his opening match as the third contest on court three. His opponent is Owen Williams, unranked South African who worked his passage to Europe peeling potatoes aboard ship last year in order to play in tournaments, and has remained here since. This should be another easy American victory. Little, panther-like Felicissimo Ampon of the Philippines is scheduled to ring down the curtain on the days card against tall, powerful, 18-year-old Hamilton Richardson of Baton Rouge, La., in a match which almost certainly will keep a 15,000 capacity crowd in their seats and on the standing bleachers until the last point. Second favorite and crowd pleaser Jaro-slav Drobny of Egypt is expected to have an easy passage over 16-year-old Britisher Billy Knight, who had to win through a qualifying tournament to get into Wimbledon. Vic Seixas of Philadelphia, Americas No. 1 player and joint third favorite at 6 to 1, will oppose Indias number two player, Narendra Nath. Nath, a sound all-court player, is expected to be the victim. The program for other United States players in their first round matches will bet Art Larsen of San Leandro, Cal., vs. Swedens Davis Cupper Torsten Johanns-son. Harry Likas vs. Australias Peter Caw-thorn. Patty, winner of the title in 1950, vs. New Zealands steady tournament player Athol Tills. Straight Clark of Pasadena, Cal., vs. stateless former Yugoslav Davis Cupper Dragutin Mitic. Irvin Dorfman of New York vs. British third rated Stanley Clark. Alastair Martin vs. British 42-year-old farmer-tenniser Henry Billington. Gene Garrett vs. Irish Davis Cupper Rycil Kemp. Grant Golden vs. Brazilian Davis Cupper P. Guimaraes. S. D. Potts of Memphis, Tenn., vs. Argentine Davis Cupper Alejo Russell. Pablo Eisenberg of Maplewood, N. J., vs. Horst Hermann, German Davis Cupper. J. M. Agar of Black Mountain, N. C, vs. South Africas seventh ranked Derrick Capell. First rounds in the womens singles will be started on Tuesday.
