University of Virginia Library

Richey, Graebner In U. Hall Exhibition

By Ernest Dempsey
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Last February, tennis stars
Arthur Ashe and Zelko Franulovic
exchanged serves and volleys in
front of 3,000 people at University
Hall for the benefit of the Tennis
Scholarship Fund.

Tonight, through the efforts of
the University's net coach Gordon
Burris, a more expanded and better
quality tennis program is being
presented at 7:30 p.m., same
location.

Renown Netters

The program features colorful
and internationally known tennis
celebrities Cliff Richey, Clark
Graebner, Ilie Nastase, and Ion
Tiriac.

Richey is presently the number
one ranking player in the United
States. He has been a member of
the Davis Cup team four out of the
last five years and recently won the
first Grand Prix of tennis,
overcoming the murderers'
rowish-type lineup of Ashe, Ken
Rosewall, Stan Smith, and Rod
Laver, while collecting $25,000 in
reward money.

Davis Cup Vet

Cleveland native Graebner is a
four-time Davis Cupper and
possesses one of the most powerful
serves in tennis. Graebner followers
will be amused to see his "new
look."

The feature match is a
confrontation of Richey and
Graebner, but the opener between
Nastase and Tiriac could prove to
be the more colorful of the two.

"Nasty," one of the most
popular players on the circuit, is
ranked 6th in the world, is the
Italian champion, and beat Richey
in the final of last year's U.S.
Indoor Open after being down 2
match points.

Although Tiriac is better known
as a doubles player, he faced
Nastase 3 times last year and won 2
of the 3 matches.

The final event of the evening, a
doubles match between the United
States' No. 4 team of
Richey-Graebner and the heralded
Romanian Davis Cup team of
Tiriac-Nastase could be the most
entertaining athletic performance
since the Marx Brothers' football
game in "Horsefeathers."

Contrasting Style

Richey and Graebner are fierce
competitors (they almost came to
blows in a tournament match last
year) while Nastase and Tiriac
provide amusing reactions to
various shots and, predicaments
during a match.

Tonight's net action at
University Hall is a fine
opportunity for both students and
members of the Charlottesville
community to view top-flight
tennis. The talent is there and
the cause is a good one. Tickets are
$2.50 and are available throughout
the day at Mincer's, the Downtown
Athletic store, Newcomb Hall, and
University Hall. All support will be
greatly appreciated.