WIMBLEDON : Leach, Pugh Win Title--and Hope It Helps Their Davis Cup Chances

Rick Leach and Jim Pugh won their first Wimbledon doubles title Saturday, but they still aren’t sure of playing in the Davis Cup matches against Austria.

Leach, of Laguna Beach, and Pugh, of Rancho Palos Verdes, defeated South Africans Pieter Aldrich and Danie Visser, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), in the men’s doubles final.

U.S. Davis Cup Captain Tom Gorman has not selected the team that will meet Austria in the semifinals Sept. 21-23 at Vienna.

“We’re hopeful, but Tom hasn’t told us anything yet,” Leach said.

Said Pugh: “I think something like this might help our chances.”

Last year, Leach and Pugh lost in the final to Anders Jarryd and John Fitzgerald.

“We wrote it down to experience,” Pugh said. “But this is huge. It’s something we always wanted, a big title, and it kind of moves us up a notch.

Said Leach: “It feels great to hold that trophy up.”

It was Leach’s and Pugh’s third Grand Slam doubles title. They won the Australian Open in 1988 and ’89.