TABLE TENNIS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27091, 14 July 1953, Page 10

TABLE TENNIS

ROWE TWINS WIN THIRD TEST MISS WILLIAMSON BEATS DIANE ROWE (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 13. The brilliance of the 18-year-old Joyce Williamson, of Christchurch, was the outstanding feature of the third women’s table tennis test between England and New Zealand at Avondale College tonight. She played a truly magnificent all-round game to beat Miss Diane Rowe, the world’s fifth best player, 23-21, 21-19. Although the New Zealand girls, Miss Williamson and Miss Margaret Hoar (Auckland) lost the test to Diane and her twin sister Rosalind by four matches to one. they stirred the spectators by their valiant fight. Miss Williamson became the first New Zealander to beat a touring world star. Miss Williamson played with expert discrimination and great determination. She defended with a vicious heavy chop, and used a perfectly-produced backhand drive at the right moment. Her intense concentration paid in the vital last points. In the preceding doubles match the New Zealand girls grimly accumulated a 19-16 lead in the third set, but then the Rowes won the next five points outright. Results were as follows:

Singles.—Miss Rosalind Rowe beat Miss Joyce Williamson, 21-13, 21-7, and Miss Margaret Hoar, 21-13, 21-12; Miss Diane Rowe beat Miss Margaret Hoar, 21-19, 21-10, and lost to Miss Williamson 23-21, 21-19. Doubles.—-Misses Diane and Rosalind Rowe beat Misses Hoar and Williamson, 20-22, 21-0, 21-19. Mixed A. Algie and Miss Diane Rowe beat R. V. Jackson and Miss Rosalind Rowe, 16-21, 21-15, 21-16. Exhibition Singles.—Rosalind Rowe beat Diane Rowe, 21-17, 21-16.