Sustained Form Brought Gerrard First National Tennis Title

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29107, 20 January 1960, Page 11

Sustained Form Brought Gerrard First National Tennis Title

r pHE final emergence of L. A. Gerrard as New Zealand's best lawn tennis player, and the encouraging performances of younger players, were features of the New Zealand senior championships in Auckland last week. Gerrard, after three tours to the Continental circuit of tournaments, won his first national title in decisive fashion when he won the three titles without the loss of a set during the whole tournament. Gerrard’s feat of winning all three titles makes him only the fourth New Zealander to do so since they were started in

1887. The others were H. A. Parker (1904-5-6), R. S. McKenzie (1948), and J. A. Barry (195455) Overseas players in J. Bromwich, F. J. Perry, and R. N. Howe have also won all three titles in one year. In previous tournaments in the Dominion Gerrard has shown ;hat he is capable of brilliant

tennis at times, but has not been able to sustain this for more than a few matches. When he won the British hard-court title last year he showed sustained good form, and last week, for the first time, he showed New Zealand spectators how he could maintain his best form for the whole of a tournament. Strong Service With a severe service, speed to the ball, and. punishing ground strokes and volleys, Gerrard gave all his opponents no chance. In the last three rounds he beat his fellow Aucklanders, P. G. Nicholls, B. E. Woolf and M. A. Otway, all of whom have had extensive overseas experience, and only Nicholls could take him to 7-5 in a set. His doubles and mixed doubles play also showed that he should do well for New Zealand in the Davis Cup and other competitions in Europe this year. Otway, with two wins over J. E. Robson on the tournament circuit, also showed good form for the whole of the tournament. He and Gerrard were really a class above the other players as far as speed of shot was concerned. Although his serve failed him in the final of the singles event, it was the most consistent of the tournament, and he lost little in comparison with Gerrard in his all-round play. B. E. Woolf, who travelled with Gerrard and Otway last season in the Davis Cup team, confounded his critics with his fine displays. His win over J. A. Barry in the third round, and his subsequent straight-sets defeat of K H. Long in a quarter-final, gave sufficient proof of his ability to virtually assure him of a further overseas trip this year. Rising Stars If the national selectors decide to send a junior or intermediate player with the Davis Cup team for experience, their choice will not be an easy one. J. B. Souter was disappointing in his displays

in Auckland, and R. G. Clarke was not consistent. I. H. Crookenden, of Waikato, was unfortunate in having to play his men’s singles immediately after umpiring a five-set match between Clarke and J. H. Lockington, and could not do himself justice. C. G. Judge’s performance against Robson was outstanding, but an injury has put him out of action for three weeks. Women's Events The performances of Misses A. Smith, E. Green and E. Terry in the women’s singles showed that the junior players can hold their own with the seniors in the women’s events. Like Gerrard, Miss R. Morrison won three titles in the women's events without the loss of a set, but her margin over the other players was less decisive. From Canterbury's point of view, the good showings of Judge. G. D. Moss and W. Thom against Robson, Otway and A. S. Burns respectively, give evidence that the younger players of the province could, with more experience, hold their own in national competition.