Squash Rackets CHRISTCHURCH TITLES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28939, 6 July 1959, Page 13

Squash Rackets CHRISTCHURCH TITLES

Pattinson Beats Holder

The veteran lawn tennis and badminton player, R. G. Pattinson, became the new holder of the Christchurch squash rackets title, when he beat L. G. Holder in the final at the Canterbury club's court on Saturday afternoon. Pattinson was seeded second for the title. The top-seeded player and titleholder. M. L. Rooney, withdrew in the quar-ter-final round because of a sprained ankle.

Pattinson showed an all-round superiority In this match, and at no time was Holder allowed to settle down to play the squash of which he is capable. Pattinson excelled in the fundamental* Including the service and the return of service, and only very rarely was Holder allowed to take the initiative and dictate the trend of the play. Although the bock-hand return of service la not a strong shot for most players. Pattinson plays it well. It was not until too late in the game that Holder began to serve to his opponent's forehand. In the first game, Pattinson scored heavily with shots straight down the side walls and. when he lost the service, he soon regained it with a back-hand drop-shot from the rear of the court, when a serve from Holder was slightly inaccurate. Pattinson served especially well in the second game and. although Holder won valuable points with his short shots to the front corners, the left-handed Pattinson kept his touch. Holder was far inferior in return of service, and was unable to hit 3 winning Shot off Pattinaon's wellplaced deliveries. Holder's energy gave out in the third game, and Pattinson. much the older man, had things all his own way. Although he was not by any means fully extended, Pattinson played some delightful shots from the rear of the court, some of them out of Holder’s reach. . Results were:—

Christchurch Championship—Final: R. G. Pattinson beat L. G. Holder. 9-3 9-2 9-0 Flight’.— Final: E. C. Arundel beat P. R. Hadley. 9-6. 6-9. 9-0. 10-9.

NORTH ISLAND TITLE

Easy Victory For R. B. Clarke (New Zeaiana Press Association) PALMERSTON \ NORTH. July S. R. B. Clarke, or Palmerston'North, beat A. A. Johns in the final of the North Island squash rackets championship in Palmerston North today, Clarke, seeded fourth, won In three sets, 9-3. *-4. 9-1. In the final of the women's championship, Mias B. Patterson (Hamilton) beat the promising Palmerston North junior. Miss J. Cleghorn. Two Palmerston North players figured in the marathon final of the North Island A grade championship After a game lasting nearly an hour. H. Wenham defeated T. De Cleene in five sets.

N. Stagg beat V. Garton in the final of the men's B grade chamoionship. and Miss J. Cleghorn beat Miss M Burmeister in the junior women’s final.

The team to olay the South Island is: A. M. Johns. C. Waugh, P. Lindsay and R. B. Clarke—all members of the Palmerston North club.

NEW ZEALAND TEAM

Trials To Be Held In Christchurch

Trials for the selection of the New Zealand squash rackets team, which will tour Australia this season. will be held in Christchurch this week-end, according to information received from the New Zealand Squash Rackets Association. Four players from the North Island and four player* from the South Island will take part in these trials, which will not, however, take the form of an inter-island match. The eight final players will play matches among themselves, and the results will form the basis of selection of the national team. The four players from the South Island who will take part in the trials are:—D. G. Green (Dunedin). F. N Coe (Timaru*. P. Mackenzie (Oamaru). and G. L. Bird (Timaru).