Lawn Tennis Seeded Players Win Early Tourney Matches

Press, Volume C, Issue 29706, 27 December 1961, Page 12

Lawn Tennis Seeded Players Win Early Tourney Matches

Wilding Park was graced yesterday by nearly all New Zealand’s leading players gathered together in Christchurch for the first time in three seasons. And Wilding Park also graced them for in the wonderful conditions it made a setting which could be bettered at few tennis centres. The standard of play matched the day as all the leading players moved through their early matches in men’s and women’s singles, some very easily, some with a share of difficulty. There are now 16 players out of a field of 42 left in the men’s singles and 14 out of 28 in the women’s singles. Rounds of men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles were also played.

Perhap* one of the greatest pleasures for those who watched yesterday, end there were many more than usual for the opening day of the Canterbury championship*, was to see one of New Zealand'* greatest players, J. E. Robson, at Auckland, on the centre courts again. Now 35, Robson has returned to the tournament circuit after a season’s absence. Robson had only one singles yesterday, after a bye in the first round, and it was an easy one so it was bard to say if he had lost any of his former skill Seeded second for this tournament and also for the national championships next month, Robson beat a young Canterbury player, R. G. Hastie, 6-0. 6-1. The top-seeded L. A Gerrard, formerly of Auckland but now living in Christchurch, was set a more difficult test by another Aucklander, P. Dibley. and he actually dropped a set for a •core of 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Dibley, aged 22, who has only been back in New Zealand about two months after 20 months overseas, made a grand impression. He has been a Slazenger Shield player for Hutt Valley and for Auckland and he played some tournament tennis overseas. It was a pity he had to meet Gerrard in the first round. Comfortable Wins L S. Crookenden, the New Zealand Davis Cup player, of Waikato, seeded fourth, C. G. Judge (Canterbury), sixth, and J. Lockington (Auckland), eighth, had comfortable wins. The seventh seeded A. S. Burns (Auckland) now aged 40, easily the best-lasting player New Zealand tennis has had for some years, was taken to three sets but he is still very fit and that contributed a great deal to his win. The only two seeded men who had to play two singles were the young Wellington players, R. G. Clarke, third, and R N. Hawkes, fifth. Both won them in straight sets. Apart from the seeded players most Interest was taken In the performance of J. B. Souter, of Wellington, who has been in fine form this season and who recently reached the final of the Wellington championships where he lost to Gerrard but took a set. Yesterday Souter found the Canterbury player, W. Them, in much better form than he has been this season and was extended in both sets. Seeded Women The eight seeded women, Misses A Smith (Auckland), J. Davidson (Canterbury). M. Johnston (Wellington), J. Glenie (Auckland), E. Green (Auckland >, P. O'Carroll (Northland), p. Belton (Auckland) and E. Cavaye (Hutt Valley) are all in the last 14 women. Misses Smith and Davidson, who had byes in the first round, have won their second-round matches The only upset to seedings in any section was in the women's doubles when the

fourth-seeded pair. Misses B Wright, of Auckland, and V Fladgate (Waikato), were beaten by Misses O'Carroll and S. Rich (Canterbury). Misses O’CarroU and Rich v-’ill play through the tournament circuit together and the first indication is that they should do well. Dibley Impressed Gerrard has lost sets this season to players he might not have been expected to •nd he lost another yesterday. He played well in his first set with Diblev and gave him a few chances but in *cond he relaxed considerably. He remained for ®o®t of the time on the baseline, hitting drives, many of which were going out Dibley impressed as a tenacious retriever as he ran up •nd down the baseline returning everything but the very swift winners. One of his main weapons was a heavily topspun forehand v. hjeh sometimes dipped into court when Gerrard thought it was going out Gerrard •trwngely kept away from the net in the second set •nd he was 0-2, and 15-40 down in the third before he •6san began playing hie •ggremive brand of tennis ■which enabled him to finish well was no match for Robson, who took matters fairly calmly. Hastie did make one or two good sortie* to the net when he forced Robson back, and he served some good deliveries, but he made some very weak shots on his backhand. His best moment wa* when he won the firtt game of the second •et on Robson's service When the steady Canterbury player, B W Crofts, took the first set from the redoubtable Bum*, he looked as if he might upset the •eedisgs. Crofts did excellently to take a lead of 5-1 in the first when his drives were clipping the lines, and be won at 6-3. However. Burns won the second set. 6-0. and the third, 6-2, and he played hia younger opponent. who had tightened up. round the court.

Thom's play against Souter Showed that he might be coming back to his best of last season. Souter won. 6-4. 9-7 against strong opposition. Thom was getting to the net quicker and getting further in than he has been and this made all the difference to his game. But Souter won because he covered the court better and because of his quick anticipation. In his first-round match. Clarke beat T. Harneiss, of Canterbury, 6-0, 6-4. with some very fine placement and swift drives to both sides. Harneiss’s service improved in the second set and enabled him to take more games but it was Clarke who finished the match with a superb ace. Steady Driving In the women’s singles the top-seeded Miss A. Smith beat Miss V. Fladgate. of Waikato, 6-3, 6-4. Small in stature, Miss Smith still has plenty of power in her game and admirable steadiness. She drove deep to the corners and covered the baseline throughout. Miss Fladgate played some good passing shots but she did not move to the ball as well as her opponent. Miss Davidson had another varied game when she beat Miss E. Ogilvie (West Coast), 7-5, 6-2. In the first set she mixed the brilliant shots with the looser ones, and Miss Ogilvie, although a slower player, had the more control. Miss Davidson was down, 1-2 in the second set before she struck her best form to win five games in succession. Another Canterbury player. Miss Rich, played some good tennis against the fourthseeded Miss Glenie, although she lost, 2-6, 3-6. Miss Rich served well and attacked at the net when she could but Miss Glenie's driving was very smooth and strong. There were several games in which Miss Rich got to deuce but could not finish off. Results:— Men's Singles First Round.—G. Davidson (Cant.) beat A. D. I* Hunter (Cant ). 6-2, 6-0; R. McCutcheon (Cant.) beat J. Cadenhead (Cant.), 8-6. 3-6, 6-0; A. L. Blackwell (Cant.) beat M. O’Malley (Cant.). 6-2, 6-4; L. J. Walpole (Cant.) beat W. Edgecumbe (Cant.), 6-1. 6-1; R. N. Hawkes (Well.) beat B. J. Shirlaw (Cant), 6-1, 6-0; R. G Clarke (Well.) beat T. Harneiss (Cant.), 6-0. 6-4; A. R. Brooks (Cant.) beat K. Ottley (Otago). 6-2. 3-6, 6-3; M. C. Healey iCant ) beat D. Greig (Cant.), 6-1, 6-1; L. Elliott (Cant.) beat G. Ford (Cant.), 6-3. 6-4; D. Preston (Cant.) beat N. H. Hoskin (South.). 6-4, 6-4. Second Round.—l- A. Gerrard (Cant.) beat P. Dibley (Auck.), 6-1. 4-6. 6-4; J. Cullington (Cant.) beat G Campbell (Auck). 2-6, 6-4. 6-4: A. S. Burns (Auck.) beat B. W. Crofts (Cant). 3-6. 6-0. 6-2; J. B. Souter (Well.) beat W. Thom. iCant .), 6-4, 9-7; I. S. Crookenden (Waik.) beat J. Mahoney (South.). 6-2, 6-0; Davidson beat L. Sandford (Cant.). 6-0, 6-2: Blackwell beat McCutcheon. 6-1. 6-0: Hawkes beat Walpole 6-3. 6-2; Clarke beat Brooks. 6-0. 6-3; Healey beat Elliott. 6-2 6-2: J. W. Duggan (Cant.) beat Preston. 6-3, 6-4: C. G Judge (Cant.) beat P Boatwood (Cant ). 6-3, 6-3; G. D. Moss (Cant) beat I. S. Treweek 'South.), 6-0. 6-1: J. H. Lockington (Auck.) beat P. Bathgate (Otago). 6-2. 6-2; L. W Watkins (Cant.) beat A. J Knight (Cant.), 6-0, 6-0; J. E Robson (Auck.) beat R. G. Hastie (Cant ), 6-0. 6-1.

Women’s Singles First Round.—Miss E. Green (Auck.) beat Miss D. Hopping (Cant.), 6-0, 6-1; Mrs D. McKinnel (Cant.) beat Miss A. Woods (Cant.). 6-1. 6-0: Miss M. Johnston (Well.) beat Miss D. Corich (Cant.). 6-1. 6-2: Miss M Stewart (Otago) beat Miss L. Ashby (Cant ). 5-7. 6-4. 6-3; Miss P Belton (Auck.) beat Miss J McKain (Cant ). «-3. 6-0; Miss D. Smith (Cant.) beat Miss G Fleming (Auck), 6-3. 7-5: Miss L Smith (Auck.) beat Miss K Williams (Cant.), 7-5. 6-3: Miss E. Cavaye (Well.) beat Miss J Mollison (Cant ). 6-0, 6-1; Mrs P Leopold iCant.) beat Miss B Wright (Auck ). 6-1. 6-3; Miss J Glenie (Auck.) beat Miss S Rich (Cant.). 6-2. 6-3; Miss E. Terry (Walk.) beat Miss S Peters (Cant ). 6-2. 6-2; Miss P. O'CarroU (Nthld.) beat Mrs E Campbell (South.). 6-1. 3-6. 6-2 Second Round.—Miss A. Smith (Auck.) beat Miss V Fladgate (Walk.). 6-3. «-4; Miss J Davidson (Cant ) beat Miss E. Ogilvie (West Coast) 7-5. 6-2. Men’s Doubles First Round.—Preston and Walpole beat Watkins and Hastie. 6-3. 4-5. 6-1: McCutcheon and Edgecurr.be beat Sandford and Ford. 0-6. 6-1. 6-2: Cullington and Atkinson beat Cadenhead and Jamieson (Cant.). 6-3. 6-1: Duggan and Greig beat Chan and O'Malley. 6-3, 6-1; Davidson and Thom beat Knight and Elliott. 6-1. 6-1: Hunter and Blackwell beat Ottley and Bathgate. 6-1. 6-2. Second Round —Gerrard and Crookenden beat Dibley and Campbell. 6-1. 6-1: Harneiss and Crofts beat Boatwood and Brooks. 5-7. 6-2. 6-2: Clarke and Moss beat Healey and Shirlaw 6-1. 6-4: Lockington and Judge beat Mahoney and Hoskin 6-0. 6Women's Doubles First Round —Misses Fleming and Stewart beat Miss McKain and Mrs L Buxton 6-1. 1-6 6-3: Misses L. Smith and Cavaye beat Misses Ashby and Corich 7- 3-6 6-2; Misses Terry and Belton beat Misses D. Smith and Mollison 6-1. 6-1: Misses O'CarroU and Rich beat Misses Wright and Fladgate. 4-6. 6-4 6-*; Mesdames Leopold and MeKlnne! beet Mrs Campbell and Miss Williams. 6-1. 6-2: Misses Peters and Woods beat Misses Ogilvie and Bopping. 3-6 6-0. 6-2. Mixed Doubles First Round.—Ford and Miss D Smith beat Sandford and Miss Ashby. 5-7. 7-5, 6-O; Crookenden and Mia* A. Smith bent

Shirlaw and Mrs Campbell. 6-1, 6-0; Healey and Mrs McKlnnel beat O'Malley and Mis* Stewart, 6-1. 6-1; Mos* and Mrs Leopold beat Lockington and Miss Fladgate, *-4. 5-7. 6-3; Campbell and Miss Cavaye beat Blackwell and Miss Fleming. 6-3. 6-2; Dibley and Miss Belton beat Cullincton and Miss Ogilvie. 9-7. 6-1; Burns and Miss L. Smith beat Mahoney and Miss Corich, 6-1. 6-2; Watkins and Miss Rich beat Knight and Miss Peters, 6-2, 6-3: Robson and Miss Johnston beat Thom and Miss Williams, 6-2, 6-3; Hunter and Miss O’CarroU beat Elliott and Miss Woods. 6-3, 6-3. Second Round.—Judge and Miss Davidson beat Hoskin and Miss Hopping. 6-2. 6-1; Hawkes and Miss Terry beat Hastie and Miss McKain, 6-3. 6-0.