1985 Wimbledon

Mandlikova’s Wimbledon Journey: Dominance, Narrow Escape, and Upset

Hana Mandlikova started strong at 1985 Wimbledon, demolishing Iva Budarova but narrowly escaping an upset against Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat before being stunned by Elizabeth Smylie in the third round. Smylie‘s victory marked a significant career milestone, ending Mandlikova‘s campaign with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) defeat.

1st Round at 1985 Wimbledon : Hana Mandlikova vs Iva Budarova

Hana Mandlikova Advances Easily to Wimbledon Second Round Despite Weather Delay

Hana Mandlikova today made predictably easy progress into the women’s singles second round at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, having more trouble with the weather than with Iva Budarova. Mandlikova, the third seed, was kept waiting over an hour by a midmatch rain shower before disposing cf her Czechoslovak compatriot 6-0, 6-1 in only 40 minutes of actual play on Center Court.

Mandlikova, who lost to Evert Lloyd in the final here in 1981, brushed aside Iva Budarova easily. And like Evert Lloyd, the only game Mandlikova lost was when she dropped her own serve, that in the fourth game of the second set

Mandlikova‘s demolition of Budarova lent added weight to the view that there is a lack genuine depth in the women’s game. The unseeded left-hander is respectably ranked at No. 73 on the computer, but she looked totally out of her depth, offering only token resistance to the No. 3 seed.

“I was glad to have an easier match this time, because it enabled me to get into the tournament,” said Mandlikova,

who surprisingly lost in the first round at Eastbourne last week. The 22-year-old righthander swept into a 3-0 lead in just seven minutes, and completed the first set for the loss of only 12 points. Rain interrupted play for over- an hour, but Mandlikova continued the same dominant pattern on her return, striking a series of fluent passing shots and crisp, volleys,

2D Round at 1985 Wimbledon : Hana Mandlikova vs DIANNE FROMHOLTZ-BALESTRAT

Mandlikova Narrowly Escapes Upset by Fromholtz Balestrat in Wimbledon Thriller

On Court 1, Hana Mandlikova was having a tough time with Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat.

Fromholtz was a top 10 player in the late 1970s ranking as high as No 4. But she quit the tour for more than a year and now at 29 has returned.

Saturday whistling her returns all day she had Mandlikova in deep trouble.

“I really let her get away” Fromholtz said

Fromholtz led 4-2 In the third set and 30-0. But Mandlikova, who often hits a winner on one point and whiffs on the next, smacked four straight winners and went on to a 4-6 6-2 7-5 victory.

Mrs C. M. Balestrat, or Dianne Fromholtz as we used to know her, nearly caused the biggest upset of the tournament so far when in one hour and three quarters on Court One she came within inches of beating the womens’ third seed, Hana Mandlikova, in a battie lasting one and three-quarter hours.

But beating Mandlikova, grumpy and gawky though she looked for much of yesterday’s match, is a bit like catching fish with one’s bare hands. However close Balestrat got, and 4 – 2 in the final set is pretty close, Mandlikova always managed to wriggle free. The Czech girl finally managed a face-saving 4-6, 6-2 7-5 victory, but the state of her first service probably kept her awake all last night.

3d Round at 1985 Wimbledon: Hana Mandlikova vs Elizabeth Sayer-Smylie

Elizabeth Smylie Stuns Third-Seeded Hana Mandlikova in Wimbledon Upset

Hana Mandlikova was bounced from the Wimbledon tennis championships today, humiliated 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) by Australia’s Elizabeth Smylie in the third round. Smylie, 22 and ranked 49th in the world, matched Mandlikova ‘s serve-and-volley game to produce the biggest upset so far. Smylie benefitted from Mandlikova‘s seven double-faults in the first set, when Smylie broke service twice. Mandlikova went a service break up in the sixth game of the second set, but was broken back immediately. In the tie-breaker, Mandlikova, serving at 5-6 down, watched as Smylie delivered a gorgeous match-winner into the corner of the court. The defeated Mandlikova, owner of a history of moodiness, failed to shake the umpire’s hand as she left the court.

It was easily the best win of Smylie‘s career and could be the vital break through she needs to establish herself among the top players.

Smylie the former Elizabeth Sayers of Perth, was in brilliant touch and generally outclassed the patchy Mandlikova with her volleys and passing shots.

She had watched on TV as Sydney’s Dianne Balestrat allowed Mandlikova to escape from a close match in the previous round and was determined not to make the same mistake.

“I thought Dianne had her and eased up a little,” Smylie said. “I told myself to keep going and make her play a lot of balls, hoping she would do something stupid.”

Smylie conceded only four points in her four service games in the first set, wrapping up the set in 21 -minutes.

The Czech, a former Australian and French Open champion, and runner-up to Chris Evert Lloyd at Wimbledon in 1981, was less erratic in the second set but couldn’t make the most of her opportunities.

After breaking Smylie‘s service to lead 4-2, she became unsettled by a great running forehand toss from the Australian in the next game and then double-faulted to lose her own service.

With her husband, Sydney coach Peter Smylie, and her other mentors, Tony Roche and Judy Dalton, watching anxiously from the stand, Smylie played a devastating eighth game to hold her service to love and level at 4-4.

But Mandlikova had two set points at 6-5 when Smylie was down 15-40. Smylie saved those points with two cool, crisp volleys and never again looked in doubt of winning.

She led by 4-2 in the tie-breaker. Mandlikova levelled at 4-4 and again at 5-5. But down 5-6, she was left standing by a cracking backhand return off a deep serve which gave Smylie the match.

“I had beaten her before and she knows she is not going to get an easy match against me,” Smylie said. “She knows I can do just as much damage as she can.”
“She missed very little in the first set, but there’s no doubt I can play better,” Mandlikova said. “I was not hungry or eager enough today.”

Smylie, who had to retire ill when playing Martina Navratilova at last year’s Wimbledon, now meets the 16th seed, American Kathy Rinaldi.