Reply #27: Yep, the ultimate "who the hell is that?" [View All]

[Awsi Dooger]

When I finally provide the answer it's always followed by blank stares, then the inevitable "I never heard of him."

That was still the heyday of tennis, early in the Breakfast at Wimbledon period, so I get flooded with logical guesses like Ivan Lendl or Roscoe Tanner or Vitas Gerulaitas. Plus Ilie Nastase or Arthur Ashe, who had already retired, or sometimes Boris Becker, who didn't arrive until '85.

I think the guy was from New Zealand and survived a 5-set marathon to reach the final. I remember the match vs. McEnroe. The guy actually held serve to open the match, then got swamped in 3 sets while winning only a handful of games.