Parker Beats McDonald For South Island Title

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27858, 5 January 1956, Page 10

Parker Beats McDonald For South Island Title

LA WN TENNIS

Playing brilliant forcing tennis, C. T. Parker, of Auckland, won his first major title when he convincingly beat the more fancied Canterbury champion, J. R. McDonald, of Wellington, in the final of the South Island lawn tennis singles championship at Maori Park this afternoon. Parker won in straight sets, 6-2. 6-4.

Miss S. Cox, of Wellington, scored a meritorious win over New Zealand’s second ranked player, Miss E. Becroft, of Auckland, to take the women’s singles title. Miss Cox, who occupied eighth seeding, won in straight sets, 8-6, 6-4. R. S. McKenzie and P. G. Nicholls (Wellington) won the men’s doubles final, defeating J. E. Robson and A. S. Burns (Auckland) in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.

The new women’s doubles champions are Mrs H. Robson and Miss E. Becroft (Auckland), who beat Misses S. Cox (Wellington) and P. Nettleton (Auckland). 7-5. 6-1. Mrs Robson was undoubtedly the outstanding player of the quartet, finding* her best form of the tournament. She was safe overhead, volleyed with precision and judgment, and was seldom caught out of position. Miss Becroft played, fairly well but suffered several driving lapses. Miss Nettleton began promisingly but lacked the confidence of Miss Cox. who strove hard for winners. Time and again, she came up against rocklike defence. Nicholls and Miss Cox won the mixed doubles title in an exciting final against Robson and Mrs Robson, 9-7, 6-4. During the first set the men held their services. Mrs Robson seemingly being the weak link of the four. In the second set, the Robsons raced away to a four-love lead, but failed to capitalise on this. Their team work deteriorated and the opposition took the next six games in a row. Throughout, Nicholls played fine tennis but he was well backed up by Miss Cox and whereas Nicholls suffered occasional lapses, Miss Cox never wilted. Parker’s Win

McDonald was a warm favourite for the singles title in view of his recent performances. He won the Canterbury title after accounting for both Robson and McKenzie. Here at Timaru, he beat McKenzie again, coming through the “tough” side of the draw. However, Parker had all the answers. He owed his win to powerful services and accurate, crisp volleying. He was ajso particularly severe overhead, getting the majority of his first services into play. Parker was presented with many easy openings for volley and smash winners. McDonald was forced out of- his usual free and confident stroke play and, in an effort to alter the pattern of play, he tried to speed up his returns. It was a fatal error and he was not allowed to play with his accustomed freedom, having to deal with more pace than hitherto. Parker is not stroke perfect, but he has the potential of a national champion. Miss Cox gave possibly the best display of her career to earn her title. Attacking all the way, she maintained a stinging net attack and mixed her play intelligently, drawing Miss Becroft into the net at .times to pass her down either wing or with welljudged lobs. She also scored frequently with low, short length, backhand drives. Miss Becroft played her usual powerful game, but was to erratic. Her main weaknesses were poor placements and lack of anticipation. Miss Cox is a shrewd strategist and will take some beating at the New Zealand championships next week in Christchurch. Doubles Final

After a marathon semi-final against Parker and McDonald, which they won only after 57 games had been played (6-3. 11-13, 13-11). McKenzie and Nicholls made no race of it in the final. However, Robson and Burns were sufficiently in form to provide a pleasing display. Some scintillating volleying exchanges in the forecourt, which invariably ended with stinging smashes or effective lobs, 'marked an interesting clash. It was remarkable in that three of the first four games in the first set were won to love, and the critical ninth game went to deuce several times before Nicholls was allowed to hold his service and give his team a 5-4 lead The set was lost next game, when Robson dropped his service and Nicholls passed him at the net with a scorching forehand drive down the left wing. The second set followed a similar pattern and the match ended dramatically when Burns, hitting a high return from McKenzie, sent the ball floating inches .over the baseline. McKenzie and Nicholls were more complete as a doubles combination, getting plenty of work on to the ball. McKenzie served powerfully and distinguished himself at times with unreturnable smashes and crisp, crosscourt volleys. Burns was erratic and Robson had insufficient control of his game to counter his partner’s mistakes. Nicholls, while making some of his usual errors, played particularly well and much more consistently than earlier. He made some brilliant returns of service on his backhand. Rob-

son won several vital points with shortangled volleys which left his opponents standing. Results were:— CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS Men’s Singles Final.—C. T. Packer (Auckland) beat J. R. McDonald (Wellington), 6-2, 6-4. Men’s Doubles Semi-finals.—R. S. McKenzie and P. G. Nicholls (Wellington) beat McDonald and Parker, 6-3, 11-13. 13-11. Final.—McKenzie and Nicholls beat J. E. Robson and A. S. Burns (Auckland), 6-4. 6-3. Women’s Singles Final.—Miss S. Cox (Wellington) beat Miss E. Becroft (Auckland), 8-6, 6-4. Women’s Doubles Final.—Mrs H. Robson and Miss E. Becroft (Auckland) beat Misses P. Nettleton (Auckland) and Cox. 7-5, 6-1. Mixed Doubles Quarter-finals. —Robson and Mrs Robson beat W.-Sholtock (Nelson) and Miss S. Field (Canterbury). 6-4, 6-3: Nicholls and Miss Cox beat P. Becroft (Auckland) and Miss Denise Souter (South' Canterbury). 6-3, 6-4; Burns and Miss Becroft beat M. C. Healey and Mrs J. Lewis, 6-4, 6-2; W. J. Smith (Canterbury) and Miss R. Bulleid (England) beat Parker and Miss Nettleton, 6-1. 6-4. Semi-final.—Robson and .Mrs Robson beat Smith and Miss Bulleid, 6-3, 7-5; Nicholls and Miss Cox beat Burns and Miss Becroft. 6-2, 0-6, 6-3. Final.—Nicholls and Miss Cox beat Robson and Mrs Robson, 9-7, 6-4. Boys’ Singles Final.—B. E. Woolf (Auckland) beat J. Cadenhead (Canterbury, 7-5, 6-3. Girls\ Singles Final.—Miss M. CToudlas (Waikato) beat Miss D. Taylor (South Canterbury), 6-2, HANDICAP EVENTS Women’s Singles Semi-final.'—Miss M. Shanahan beat Miss G. Freear. 9-2. Final.—Miss Hamilton beat Miss Shanahan, 9-8. Men’s Singles Semi-final. —C. Pritchard beat R. Van Ysselsteyne, 9-4. Final.—Pritchard beat B. Crofts, 9-4. Women’s Doubles Semi-finals.—Misses M. Crombie and G. Freear beat Misses H. Hamilton and L. Mardon, 9-7; Misses A. Snow and M. Shanahan beat Misses D. Vesty and A. Kerr, 9-4. Final.—Misses Snow and Shanahan beat Misses Crombie and Freear, 9-2. Mixed Doubles Semi-finals.—C. Hendrie and Miss ,AKerr beat D. McNicholl and Miss D. •Freear, 9-1; T. Jones and Miss D. Vesty beat G. Freear and Miss M. Shanahan. 9-3. Final.—Hendrie and Miss Kerr beat Jones and Miss Vesty, 9-4.

G. A. BURTON BEATEN IN SOUTHLAND FINAL

A Christchurch player, G. A. Burton, of the Opawa Club, reached the final of the men’s singles at the Southland lawn tennis championships recently. Burton, who came to Christchurch last year from Roxburgh, was beaten in the final, 6-2, 8-10”, 7-9, by L. J. Townsend, of Dunedin, better known as an All Black half-back. Burton survived 12 match points. He and his brother. K. Burton, of Roxburgh, also reached the final of the men’s doubles. They were beaten by Townsend and R. E. Bennett, of Dunedin, 6-2, 6-8,