Impasse Ends : Czechs Allow Ivan Lendl to Emigrate

Authorities have ended their impasse with tennis star Ivan Lendl by granting his request to legally emigrate from the country, Rude Pravo, the Communist party daily, said today.

The move apparently clears the way for Lendl to end his refusal to represent Czechoslovakia in such international matches as the Davis Cup.

Lendl, ranked No. 1 in the world, lives in Greenwich, Conn., and has refused to represent Czechoslovakia in international matches for the last four years.

In a surprise move, Czechoslovak Davis Cup Coach Frantisek Pala made a last-minute attempt to persuade Lendl to return to the team when Czechoslovakia’s No. 1 player, Miloslav Mecir, was unable to play because of a back injury in Czechoslovakia’s Davis Cup World Group quarterfinal against West Germany last weekend.

West Germany, led by Boris Becker, won the best-of-five-matches competition 3-2, capturing the final two matches on Sunday. (Story, Part III, Page 17.)

“Lendl informed him (Pala) that his request for an emigre passport has not been granted yet,” the Mlada Fronta daily said last week. Therefore Lendl reportedly refused Pala’s request.

“When that happens (the emigre passport is granted), nothing will stand in the way for me to play for Czechoslovakia in some of the forthcoming matches,” Mlada Fronta quoted Lendl as saying.

“His request was recently granted, and he will be issued his emigre passport in the next couple of days,” Rude Pravo said without further comment.

“Lendl never ceased to be a Czechoslovak citizen,” the daily said, “but last year he applied for an emigre passport with Czechoslovak citizenship remaining.”