WIESBADEN — The big barrage guns of the "Little Mo" echoed throughout Wiesbaden this afternoon and when the smoke cleared, top-seeded Maureen Connolly had blasted out victories in her singles and doubles matches here at Nerotal Tennis Club in the 26th Wiesbaden International tennis tournament.
In the singles, Little Mo whipped Germany's Inge Buderus in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0, and in the doubles she teamed up with Mrs. Harry Hopman, Australia, to tumble the German team of Irmgard Stopel and Alsen Zebrowski also In straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
Sixty-five men and 35 women are entered in this net festival, but today all eyes were on the sun-drenched center court where Miss Connolly held reign.
The U.S. and Wimbledon champion did not disappoint. After starting slowly and dropping the first game to Miss Buderus, the mighty mite from San Diego showed no mercy. She took the next six games in a row and then took six more to take the match.
Maureen delivered her smashing backhand and forehand to the corners and baseline with amazing precision and the German couldn't cope with her power. In the last four games of the second set, Miss Connolly blanked her foe without a point.
Miss Buderus, who is over 40, was no match for the 5-foot, 5-inch, 19-year-old star. Using her best weapon — a wicked backhand smash — effectively she was never in trouble and coasted to victory. Many times her foe never even tried to return the accurate placement shots.
In the doubles, it was close for the first six games as the two teams shared three apiece. But then the heady play of Mrs. Hopman and the all-round brilliance of Little Mo began to take its toll on Mrs. Stopel and Mrs. Zebrowski and towards the end of the second set — again it was no contest.
In a men's singles match, tops-eeded Lenart Bergelin, Sweden, ripped Holland's Frans Wiegers in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. The Swedish star came back after losing the first game at love, to nearly blast Wiegers off the court.
There were 14 courts in action as the packed field started to cut each other out of this four-day tournament. Play began at 3 pin and continued until darkness.
The early round results follow:
Men's singles: Helmut Gulcz, Germany, over John Hamilton, Australia, 6-4, 6-2; Werner Helmlch, Germany, over Peter Katz, Rhodesia, 6-3, 6-2; Ernst Buchholts, Germany, over John Windt, Holland, 6-4,6-1.
Beppo Pottinger, Germany, over Peter Molloy, Australia, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; Milan Branovic,. Germany, over Helmut Laudahan, Germany, 6-2, 7-5.
Women's singles: Anne Delhalle, Belgium; over Mrs. Stopel, 6-2, 6-2; Inge Pohmann, Germany, over Mrs, Hopman, 6-1, 6-3; Audrey Bilse, South Africa, over Else Horn, Germany, 8-6, 6-2; loan Curry; England, over Gisela Hammann, Germany, 6-3, 6-1.
Tomorrow the matches will start at 9 am and continue on through the day. Miss Connolly will meet Joan Kramer, Germany, in a singles match that is slated to begin at 3 pm.
