LAWN TENNIS TWO MATCHES UNFINISHED IN SENIOR MEN’S ROUND

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28425, 4 November 1957, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS TWO MATCHES UNFINISHED IN SENIOR MEN’S ROUND

Only two of the four team matches were decided when the first day’s play in the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s senior men’s competition was held at Wilding Park on Saturday. When rain stopped play about 4.30 p.m.. University had beaten Avonside by 4 matches to 1 and South Brighton had beaten Woolston by 4 matches to 0. In the undecided contests, North Linwood leads Cashmere by 3 matches to 2 and Opawa loads Elmwood by 3 matches to 1. They will be completed later. United had a bye. The rain which stopped play marred an otherwise good first day. Because of that estimates could not be made of the relative strengths of teams, but enough matches were completed to give the impression that the compeli■tion will be very even. Very light I rain at other times during the afternoon was not enough to tworry the players, who found the grass courts fairly slow for their first use. Main interest was in the meeting of South Brighton and Woolston, which was intended to be a qualifying match for the eighth team to enter the competition. It is row possible that both will remain in the competition. The decision will be made by the committee this evening. South Brighton Wins

South Brighton, the new team this season, had a surprisingly comfortable win with victories in the four singles matches so that it did not matter that neither of the doubles was decided. Woolston’s leading man of last season. W. Logan, who now works in Wellington, was in Christchurch for the match. He proved to be the most difficult opponent the New Zealand junior champion, R. Welsh, has had since he came to Christchurch from Gore. Playing top for South Brighton, Welsh just managed to gain control at a crucial stage of the second set when it seemed that Logan would win. The score was, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Welsh, appearing as usual carefree, made many mistakes in the first set and the early part of the second set, but he still produced bursts of rare brilliance not seen from any other player. Welsh failed with a few backhand shots and served double faults. Logan, who always reaches form very quickly at the beginning of the season, was quick to take advantage. He played intelligently and his retrieving was good. Logan led 4-2 in the second set when Welsh saved the match with a return to his brilliant best.- His power of service, volley and smash was again devastating.

The leading player for University, G. Judge, aged 17, stroked just as attractively as ever but lost 3-6, 3-6, to the experienced G. Burton, of Avonside. Burton covered the court very quickly and won with his clever volleys and placements. Judge needed more speed and depth. M. C. Healey (Cashmere) and C. W. Pritchard (North Linwood) played similar types of all-court games, but Pritchard was the more consistent to win, 7-9, 6-4, 6-3. His positional play was sound and he several times passed his opponent down the sidelines. I. D. Armstrong (Opawa) began the season well with a win over A. D. L. Hunter (Elmwood). Very fit, Armstrong played a solid, if not spectacular game. His persistent retrieving forced Hunter into errors. Last season’s topranked provincial player, A. L. Blackwell (Elmwood) beat M. I. C. Norden (Opawa). 8-6, 7-5, in a very hard match. Norden had his chances when he led 5-2 in the first set and 4-2 in the second set. but Blackwell tightened up play and was too steady. Results: — UNIVERSITY v. AVONSIDE Singles.—G. Judge lost to G. Burton 3-6, 3-6; W. Dickson beat J. Reader 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; B. Shirlaw beat E. Packer, 10-8, 4-6, 6-2; B. Crofts beat A. Leopold, 6-3, 6-2. Doubles. —Judge and Dickson v. Burton and Reader. 4-6. 5-2 (unfinished); Shirlaw and Crofts beat Packer and Leopold, 6-1, 6-2. University won. by 4 matches to 1. WOOLSTON v. SOUTH BRIGHTON Singles.—W. Logan lost to R. Welsh. 6-4, 4-6, 2-6; M. Maher lost to W Thom, 3-6, 6-1. 2-6; B. Logan lost to V. Jones, 0-6, 0-6; B. Lane lost to D. Atkinson, 5-7, 2-6. Doubles.—W. Logan and Maher v. Welsh and Thom (not played); B. Logan and Lane v. Jones and Atkinson. 5-7, 1-2 (unfinished). South Brighton won by 4 matches to 0. CASHMERE v. NORTH LINWOOD Singles.—M. C. Healey Jost to W. Pritchard, 9-7, 4-6, 3-6; R. Minson lost to J. Beatty. 3-6, 6-2, 7-5; B. Hood lost to T. Harneiss, 4-6, 5-7; J. Cadenhead beat R. Watson, 6-2, 6-3. Doubles. —Healey and Minson v. Pritchard and Beatty (unfinished); Hood and Cadenhead beat Harneiss and Watson, 6-3, 6-4. OPAWA v. ELMWOOD Singles.— l. D. Armstrong beat A. D. L. Hunter, 6-3, 8-6; M. I. C. Nor-

den lost to A. L. Blackwell, 6-8. 5-7; S. Clarke beat D. Marshall. 6-2, 6-4; G. Moss beat D. Jamieson, 6-3. 6-4. SECOND GRADE Section I Waimairi beat Barrington by 10 matches to 2; .North Linwood beat Avonside by 9 matches to 3; Woolston beat Heathcote Valley by 9 matches to 7; Riccarton Domain v. Elmwood I (unfinished); St. James’ v. Shirley (unfinished). Section II North Linwood beat Cashmere by 10 matches to 6; Wigram beat South Christchurch by 11 .matches to 3; St. Mary’s beat Opawa by 9 matches to 7; Elmwood II beat Edgeware fiy 9 matches to 6; St. Albans v. St. Martins Valley (unfinished).