1.
SV Tracy Austin waiting to play. SV PAN Furuhashi walking to receiving serve. (2 SHOTS)
0.06

2.
GV Austin serves, Furuhashi returns and at end of rally, Austin hits ball out of court to make score level at two games all in first set. GV scoreboard showing score. (5 SHOTS)
0.27

3.
GV Austin serving and returning, hits ball out of court on second return. GV crowd watching. (2 SHOTS)
0.43

4.
SV & GV Furuhashi serving. GV court as Austin returns, passing shot down the line to win point. (3 SHOTS)
0.56

5.
SV & GV Austin getting ready to receive serve. GV court as Furuhashi serves. After short rally, Tracy Austin hits ball out of court and loses point. (2 SHOTS)
1.07

6.
SV PAN & GV Furuhashi serving. GV court as Austin returns ball to win first set 6-2. GV scoreboard showing same. (3 SHOTS)
1.18

7.
SCU Austin, serving. SV Furuhashi returning and losing point. GV scoreboard showing 5-1 in second set. (3 SHOTS)
1.30

8.
GV Court. Austin serves. SV Austin running to return ball which she does successfully to win the point. (3 SHOTS)
1.41

9.
SV Furuhashi. SV Austin serving. GV court as short rally takes place before Furuhashi hits ball into net to lose game. GV Austin running to net and shaking hands with Furuhashi. (2 SHOTS)
2.00




Initials JS





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: Eighteen-year-old Tracy Austin, of the United States, who has played no competitive tennis for four months because of back trouble, made a successful come-back in Japan on Tuesday (12 May). She had an easy straight-sets win over a Japanese opponent in the first round of the Gunze tournament in Kobe.

SYNOPSIS: Miss Austin, seeded number one, was facing the relatively unknown Fumiko Furuhashi of Japan.

Miss Austin serving. Conscious of her lack of match practice, she began cautiously. At this stage, Miss Furuhashi may have had hopes that she was going to force her famous opponent into a long match. She broke service to level the first set at 2-all.

Two years ago, Miss Austin, at 16, was the youngest winner ever of the United States Open Championships. But last February, back trouble, which doctors described as "an aggravation of the sciatic nerve", threatened to interrupt her career.

Miss Furuhashi was to prove no match for the brilliant American teen-ager as her confidence gradually returned and her class began to tell.

She drew steadily ahead. Miss Furuhashi stuck to her task, and was able to gather in an occasional point; but could not take another game in the course of the first set. It went to Miss Austin 6-2.

The second set was even more decisive. Miss Furuhashi was able to take only one game. Miss Austin swept to a 5-1 lead after about 40 minutes on court.

Austin serving - and showing that the swimming and prescribed exercises she has been doing to conquer her back trouble have brought results.

Match point against Miss Furuhashi. Miss Austin clinches it, to take the second set 6-1, and a place in the semi-final. If all goes well, she plans to play in Berlin, and then in Britain, before Wimbledon.