Ashe served first — and I have never seen anything so utterly stupid as Newcombe's behavior on changing ends. After only one game, which Ashe won, Newcombe took about four minutes at the centre line under the umpire's box, rubbing his racket, his face, bending down and trying another racket, looking at the "Drinks" box and, finally, at long last, meandering to his place to serve. He had left Ashe, all this time, waiting patiently for him on the baseline. Newcombe did this on every change-over. At one stage it was so patently a "long wait" that the crowd started to clap. Every time Ashe was left waiting — until this Australian lout was ready to go down to the line at the other end and take up his position. It was awful. Cliff Sproule was sitting on the line near the umpire's box and he never should have allowed John to behave this way. It was rotten, harassing tactics.

I was sitting in front of Dr. Harrison (a long-time member), and I said to him, "I'm going to barrack for Ashe!" "Why?" he asked. "Because he's a good sportsman and a gentleman," I replied. Then came that awful incident of the netcord. The netcord man must have been asleep and could not have had his hand on the tape since everyone heard the ball hit the net. Ashe never moved to play the shot, waiting for the "let" to be called. It wasn't. The game, without further ado, went to Newcombe. It was simply dreadful. That point gave Newcombe the third set. The netcordsman was removed and a substitute came on for the fourth set.

When Ashe came back he didn't try very hard to hit anything over and he didn't run for anything. It may have been his leg muscle or he may have been upset, but Newcombe won the two final sets. I was absolutely furious with Newcombe on a lot of counts. The papers reported that Ashe in reply to a comment on his poker-like face and nonchalant demeanour, said "My outward appearance is no indication of what I feel inside."