Fine Tennis Players For Tuesday's Matches

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29128, 13 February 1960, Page 5

Fine Tennis Players For Tuesday's Matches

(TENNIS enthusiasts and officials in Canterbury have cause for considerable pleasure at the prospect of seeing at Wilding Park on Tuesday the best young players of Australia and New Zealand in competition. As the six players to appear include the reigning Australian and New Zealand men’s champions, as well as the present Australian boys’ champion, the tennis should be as good as any seen from amateurs in Christchurch for many years. It must be many years since a reigning Australian singles champion has played in Christchurch, and for this reason alone the appearance of the left-handed R. Laver would excite interest. The manner of his winning his national crown, and in general his swift rise to fame over the last year, make him an even more attractive personality.

Stamina To win his Australian title last week he outlasted N. A. Fraser, holder of the American title and unbeaten in Davis Cup matches last year, in a marathon contest. This followed his good performances at Wimbledon, where he reached the finals of three events, losing in the singles only to A. Olmedo, and winning the mixed doubles. Laver had previously given notice of his ability by winning the Australian doubles with R. Mark last year, and the pair retained this title last week. His defeat by R. S. McKenzie in the Auckland tournament this week must surely have been a reaction to his unexpected success in Brisbane in the previous week, and much better form can be expected of him on Tuesday. M. Mulligan, Australian junior titleholder in 1958, has shown consistently good form on the Australian circuit this season. After winning the Sydney metropolitan title, beating Laver among others, Mulligan reached the semi-finals of the men’s singles in both New South Wales and

Victorian tournaments. He toured overseas with the Australian Davis Cup team last year and will do so again this year. The third Australian for Tuesday’s matches, W. Coghlan, is a' junior who has come to real prominence only this season. He won the Australian junior title by beating G. Pares, of Sydney. Pares was seen in action in New Zealand last year, and included in his victories was a defeat of McKenzie in the Auckland invitation tournament Gerrard The Australians’ principle opponent on Tuesday will be L>. A. Gerrard, the New Zealand titleholder. Like Laver, Mulligan and Coghlan, Gerrard failed to survive the second round of this week’s tournament in Auckland. All these players will be trying to atone for their poor play in Auckland, and the Christchurch gallery should see better play for this reason.

Gerrard in Christchurch last year, playing in the Canterbury and New Zealand tournaments, did not impress as a world-class player. Gerrard at Auckland this year won the national title with play which could very quickly bring him into the top few in the world. New Zealanders who saw him in action in Auckland can understand now how he won the British hard-court championship from a world-class field. Prestige Laver and Gerrard, the Australian and New Zealand champions, should produce a fine tennis spectacle on Tuesday. While the winner need not necessarily claim the Australasian title, the prestige would mean much in drawing power on this year’s world tournament circuit. Gerrard has beaten Laver in three of their four previous matches, and should be capable of repeating these victories. M. A. Otway will oppose Mulligan in a singles match. Returning from retirement last season, Otway gained a place in the Davis Cup team, and this year reached the final of the national singles and won the doubles with Gerrard. He should have an interesting match with Mulligan, who had a win and a loss against 'Gerrard last year.

C. G. Judge, of Christchurch, the promising 19-year-old, will oppose Coghlan. Last year in Australia Judge did well against juniors then ranked higher than Coghlan. A win to Judge would give impetus to the movement in Christchurch to raise money to send this player overseas for further experience this year.