LAWN TENNIS N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIPS AT WILDING PARK

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27861, 9 January 1956, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIPS AT WILDING PARK

Miss R. Bulleid Causes Only Upset RAIN DELAYS START OF PLAY The only upset to seedings on the first day of the New Zealand lawn tennis championships at Wilding Park on Saturday was caused by the English covered courts doubles champion, Miss R. Bulleid. Unseeded herself, she beat Miss E. Meyer, of Wellington, seeded fifth, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round of the women’s singles. Most seeded players in both men’s or women’s sections had fairly comfortable wins. *■ The weather was the most noteworthy feature of the first day. A cloudburst about 7 a.m. spread sheets of water across the courts, necessitating rolling and mowing before a start could be made. After an inspection officials decided that play .would begin at midday, but because newly-painted lines would not dry the first matches were not begun until an hour later.

Throughout the afternoon dark clouds made the light very bad, although it remained warm and there was little wind. With 26 grass courts available, the morning’s delay did not prevent the day’s programme from being almost completed.

Spectators who were unable to see Miss Bulleid in action in a singles match at the Canterbury championships because she arrived too late welcomed the opportunity, and they were not disappointed. With her beautiful service action, in which she used her very long reach, strong drives, and fine net play she dominated the match. She made few mistakes. A particularly powerful cross-court forehand drive was her speciality.

Unable to cope as well with the low bouncing balls on the dead court, Miss Meyer did not show the form that enabled her to beat topseeded Miss E. Becroft in the Canterbury championship. Lapses in concentration and much netting gave Miss Bulleid an easier path. Miss Meyer showed patches of her capability when she passed Miss Bulleid down the sidelines. The Wellington player won the second game in the first set and the fourth and seventh games in the second set, but she was overshadowed in other parts of the match. McKenzie Extended

Second-seeded R. S. McKenzie, of Wellington, was given a difficult battle by L. O’Neill, also of Wellington. but won 6-1, 8-6. 9-7. McKenzie looked a certain winner in the first set, but a series of errors in the second and third sets gove O’Neill the chance to win points on his swift, twisted service and his fine overhead work. McKenzie's ability to attack from defensive positions, his brilliant passing shots, and his vr : ations of length and direction gained him the match.

A return to his best form in this tournament after rather disappointing

play in the Canterbury and South Island title meetings might be expected from top-seeded J. E. Robson (Auckland). His 6-2, 6-2. 6-0 win over P. Steinmetz (Canterbury) was fairly comfortable. Steinmetz gave Robson difficulty with a hard first service, but the Canterbury player did not have enough to back up any initial success. Robson played the well-balanced allcourt game that has taken him to the top of national tennis and kept him there.

The two young winners of the Canterbury and South Island titles, J. R. McDonald (Wellington) and C. T. Parker (Auckland), were not up to their recent best. Seeded third, McDonald was extended in his second set to beat the experienced D. F. Radford (Otago), 6-2, 7-5. 6-2. Good serving gained points for Radford in the second set, when McDonald’s many mistakes seemed to make him lose confidence in himself. However, Radford faded m the third set when McDonald passed him down the sidelines as he came to the net at the wrong times.

Parker, seeded fifth, beat G. A. Burton (Canterbury). 6-2, 6-2. 6-3, in a match in which both made many errors. Neither played as well as he can. Burton was aggressive enough, but he made mistakes when he got to the net, and was not judging the breeze when he played from the south end. Parker’s better strokes won the match.

Bright Matches Two of the brightest matches of the day were those between P. Becroft (Auckland) and R. S. Sandilands (Hutt Valley), and B. E. Woolf (Auckland) and B. R. Penfold (Canterbury). Becroft played his best tennis on his visit to the South Island to win, 6-3. 6-3 6-1. in a very fast, hard-hitting match. Both served well and followed into the net but Becroft was the more consistent: Sandilands was inclined to overhit. Seeded sixth, Becroft, with his powerful ground strokes and services looks at present as if he will get well on in the tournament. Woolf and Penfold had a most enthralling struggle, which Woolf, the top New Zealand junior, won, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 Hitting cleanly and attacking from all parts of the court Penfold held the initiative in the first set, but the younger player’s confidence and continual pressure told in the end. Woolf hit some spectacular backhand passing shots Great courage was shown by Penfold in the last set when he had match points against him but still followed his service to the net.

Bailey’s Win Another Canterbury player to give a good account of himself was A. N. Bailey, who beat R. F. Perkins (Wel-6-3, 6-1. In the first set Bailey made several mistakes with overheads, but he improved to win by greater aggression after a Mjad fall early had nearly made it necessary for him to stop. Ferkins kept up determined opposition, but was content to remain on the backline for most of the time.

P. G. Nicholls (Wellington), seeded fourth, attacked throughout with some fine smashing to keep J. Cornish (Canterbury) always on the baseline. Nichol's won, 6-1, 6-0, 6-4. Seeded eighth, lyi. L. Dunn, also of Wellington, who .J 10 * .flay 3n the Canterbury or bouth Island tourneys, beat J. Beatty (Canterbury), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. J K h j-_ woman, Miss Becroft, had little difficulty in beating Mrs M Kenme, formerly Miss M. Pyle of ?" 1, ®" 3- Mrs Rennie fought back determinedly, and hit some attractive passing shots, but she found m,^.i,° P P One l. !t s al ,'-round strength too much for her. Miss Becroft played Mrs Rennie out of position to go into the net for winning angled volleys

Miss Cox Superior Tsii25 n f n of Ganterbury and South Island titles. Miss S. Cox. the former Otago junior, now of Wellington was 7r,„? UP K Miss D ' Brightwell Mic? t r! b ' lrV, ‘ Both hit v °ry hard, but iviiss Cox was the more intelligent placer, and she varied her game between clever volleys and accurate lobs one made few mistakes, and won 6-1,

The second-seeded player, Mrs H Robson (Auckland), played better than in the Canterbury championships to beat one of Canterbury's leading iunSS G ' H °P kin son, vArv°L a g ! ame ' ■ r’ r? R °bson. hitting veiy crisply with few errors, was much too good for Miss Hopkinson "i, aS not up to her form °f the Canteibury meeting. Miss p. Nettleton X Auckland) coH ? aS giVen th " clo n sesi contest of the top women. She beat the strong-hitting baseline player from l°6 Uth ß . Ca \ t F bU 7’ Miss M Olive? ° Miss Nettleton found shp C °Th d ?°i, take risks in '""judged sor! the W net abbreviation = are used re ™ lts: A., Auckland- W Wei

MEN’S SINGLES (Holder. J. A. Barry, Wellington.) n = .... Flrst Hound (Wj, S 6-l M^ e 7-7 e ‘W-’ beat L - O’Neil' (W bM t B. M. O’Connor 6-J? 6-2 ?.2 nn (W ’ ) beat J - Beatty (C.), fo?d R <O^: D 6% na ' 7 <1 . 5 , < 1 2 > b eat D. F. Rad(CF), 6f2. D 6-4. S’* beat N ' V - Br ightwell (ILV. Re 6-3 ft 6-3 A '6-l beat R ' S ' Sa ndilands 6-2.' f'2 R °6 b -o' ,n iA ’’ beat P ' Steinmetz (C.). B «-z C: s ! C ) beat R F ' Eerkins (C T ;X^3f ;r (C) beat E ' S - C °™*ek 6-f' 6?0 N'fh° lls (W.) beat J. Cornish (C.), (C P^yd&td ' S C ’ ) beat W ’ J ’ Smi ‘ h (Cd, 4 E --6,'1-°3 01f 6-| A b’-3 beat B ' R ’ PenfOld Second Round « ? (AJ beat A. D. Robson (W.). u-4, 1-5, 7-5. E. Kirkland (O.) beat E. J. Wright (W.) 3-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

A. S. Burns (A.) beat V. J. Hargreaves (W.), 8-6, 7-5, 6-4. C. T. Parker (A.) beat G. A. Burton (C.), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. WOMEN’S SINGLES (Holder: Mrs J. F. Tinnock. formerly Miss Burke, Auckland.) First Round Miss E. Becroft (A.) beat Mrs M. M. Rennie (O.), 6-1, 6-3. Miss B. Nelson (W.) beat Miss C. Neave (O.), 6-4, 6-3. Miss P. Nettleton (A.) beat Miss M. Oliver (S.C.). 8-6, 6-3. Mrs H. Robson (A.) beat Miss G. Hopkinson (C.), 6-0, 6-0. Miss R. Bulleid (Britain) beat Miss E. Meyer (W.), 6-1, 6-2. • Miss S. Cox (W.) beat Mrs D. H. Brightwell (C.), 6-1, 6-1. Second Round Miss D. King (W.) beat Miss M. Pauli (C.L 6-3,. 4-6, 7-5. Miss H. M. Dykes (W.) beat Miss S. Field (C.). 7-5. 8-6. MEN’S DOUBLES (Holders: J. A. Barry and J. E. Robson.) First Round Burns and Robson beat O'Neill and Robinson, 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 * Second Round Shaw and Scoltock beat Angland and Pritchard. 6-1, 7-9, 6-3, 6-2. Dick and Hargreaves beat Burton and Cornish, 2-6. 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. McDonald and Parker beat Ellis and Nicholson. 6-2. 6-4 6-3. WOMEN’S DOUBLES (Holders: Mrs J F. Tinnock and Miss E. Becroft.) First Round Misses Cox and Nettleton beat Misses Field and Oliver, 7-5, 6-1. Misses Dykes and Nelson beat Miss Neave and Mrs Rennie. 6-2, 3-6. 6-4. Miss Becroft and Mrs Robson beat Misses Pauli and Allen,- 6-0, 6-2. DRAW FOR SECOND DAY Men's Singles.—R. S. McKenzie v. A. D. L Hunter, court 17, 10 a.m.; J. J.. Borough v G L Nicholson, court 19. 11 a.m.: M. L. Dunn v. C. W. Pritchard, court 20, 11 a.m.; J. R. McDonald v. M. A. Ellis (B. McCathem umpire), court 1, 11 a.m.; F. G. Dick v. W H. Scoltock. court 14. 10 a.m.; P Becroft v. D. E. Shaw, court 11. 10 a.m.; J E Robson v. A. D. Huston, court 10. 16 a m.; A. N. Bailey v. T. L. Le Compte. court 9. 11 a.m.; T. W. Callander v. M. B. Tait, court 24. 11 a.m.: P. G. Nicholls v. B. R. Crawford, court 22, 10 a.m.; P. G. Angland v. R. G. Prittinson. court 23, 10 a.m.: W. E. Woolf v. M. Healey, court 25, 11 a.m. Women’s Singles.—Miss E. Becroft v. Miss G. Cox (Miss P. Cudden). court 18. 11 a.m.; Miss B. Nelson v. Miss K. Morrison (B.Ganc). court 2. 11 a.m.; Miss P. Nettleton v. Miss J. Lambert, court 21, 11 a.m.: Mrs H. Robson v. Mrs E. Lambert, court 12, 11 a.m.; Miss R. Bullerd v. Mrs E G. De Bazzin (Mrs B. Lee), court 16. 11 a.m.; Miss G. Cox v. Mrs J. Lewis, court 13, 11 a.m. AUSTRALIA BEATS U.S. TEAM AT PERTH (N.Z. Press Association—Copy right) (Rec. 8 p.m.) PERTH. January 8 Australia beat the United States, in an international tennis match by four rubbers, eight sets, and 91 games to two rubbers, six sets, and 91 games. Ashley Cooper (Australia) beat Gil Shea (United States). 6-4, 7-5; Herb Flam (United States) beat Malcolm Anderson (Australia), 6-2, 6-1; Coo,per and Anderson teat Shea and Flam, 21-19, 6-2. SEEDINGS FOR AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (N Z. Press Association—Copyright) BRISBANE, January 6. Lew Hoad has been given number one seeding over the title-holder, Ken Rosewall, in the Australian tennis championships. to be played at Brisbane from January 2b to 30. Hoad beat Rosewall in this year’s New South Wales singles final, and also won the Victorian title. Rosewall won the Queensland singles title, in which Hoad did not compete. The American, Herb Flam, heads the overseas seedings. Other overseas players competing are Gil Shea (United States), Esteban fleyes (Mexico), and England’s junior, Shiela Armstrong. Main seedings are:— Men. —Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Ashley Cooper, and Neale Fraser. Women.—Misses M. Hawton, Mary Carter, Beryl Penrose, and F. Muller.