Friday, July 6, 2007 | 6:57 a.m.
LONDON - After Andre Agassi's farewell visit to Wimbledon last year, another past champion from Las Vegas is at the All England Club this year. The daily Wimbledon program proudly proclaims the "chairman's special guest" for the year. The honoree is Jack Kramer, and he made his first appearance in the Royal Box on Saturday.
Kramer, whose father was a railroad worker, was born in Las Vegas on Aug. 1, 1921. After leaving the Navy at the end of World War II, he had a grand plan - win Wimbledon in 1946 and go on the professional tour with the likes of Don Budge, Bobby Riggs and Fred Perry. Jaroslav Drobny beat him in the quarters and the plan was put on hold, but not for long. The next year, Kramer beat Tom Brown in the final; in seven matches, he lost only 37 games, including just one set, to establish a record. With his massive serve , outstanding ground strokes and penetrating volley, he blitzed his way through matches. He also won the doubles title in 1946 and '47.
Kramer received his finals trophy from King George VI, who was a huge tennis fan. Kramer recalled his surprise when the king whispered that he also had played on the Centre Court at Wimbledon - under an assumed name.
Later he became a promoter of professional tours and an enemy in some quarters of the amateur game until Wimbledon finally ushered in the era of "Open tennis" in 1968.
"The players of today owe him a huge debt ," John McEnroe said. "Just like Billie Jean (King) transformed women's tennis, Jack did it for the men with the Association of Tennis Professionals . The youngsters should also take a look at his matches and see how he played ."
Kramer created the Grand Prix system of points-linked tournaments and was instrumental in forming the association in 1972. A boycott of Wimbledon by 90 players in a dispute in 1973 tarnished Kramer's name , and he had to give up his popular commentating job.
"They needed a scapegoat," Kramer said. "It goes with the territory."
Kramer has spent the past years watching the tournament from the comfort of his home in Los Angeles. This year's different. The All England Club recognized his contribution to tennis and honored him on the 60th anniversary of his win.
How would he and the likes of Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall and Pancho Gonzales fare against today's players?
He said, "If you gave me and the other top players the same equipment as they have these days, we'd be OK."
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