Lawn Tennis Semi-Finalists For Canterbury Titles

Press, Volume C, Issue 29707, 28 December 1961, Page 14

Lawn Tennis Semi-Finalists For Canterbury Titles

After another day of tennis thrills at Wilding Parte yesterday, semi-finalists for the men’s and women’s singles today were found with one or two surprises. Some of New Zealand’s leading players enhanced their reputations and others did not, but there were few who did not give something to interest.

In the men’s semi-finals, the top-seeded L. A. Gerrard, of Canterbury, will meet R. N. Hawkes, of Wellington, seeded fifth, and J. E. Robson, of Auckland, second, will play another young Wellington player, R. G. Clarke, seeded third. Miss A. Smith, of Auckland, seeded first, will play another Aucklander, Miss P. Belton, seeded seventh, in one women’s semifinal ; in the other, Miss J. Davidson, of Canterbury, seeded second, will meet Miss J. Glenie, of Auckland, fourth.

In yesterdays quarterfinals Gerrard beat the unseeded J. B. Souter, of Wellington, who had eliminated the veteran Aucklander, A. S Bums, the seventh seed, in the third round; Hawkes beat the fourth-seeded I. S. Crookenden, of Waikato: Clarke beat C. G. Judge, of Canterbury, seeded sixth; end Robson beat J. H. Lockington, of Auckland, seeded eighth. In the women’s quarterfinals Miss Smith beat the fifth-seeded Miss E. Green, of Auckland: Miss Belton beat Miss M. Johnston, of Wellington. seeded third; Miss Glenie beat Mis E. Cavaye, of Hutt Valley, seeded eighth; and Miss Davidson beat the unseeded, Miss E Terry, of Waikato. Miss Terry had eliminated the sixth seed. Miss P. O’CarroU, of Northland, in the second round. There were some fine men’s Singles matches on the main courts yesterday, some marked by their high standard of play, some by their tense excitement and some by both. One of the latter was the quarter-final between the New Zealand champion, Gerrard and the unseeded Souter. Season’s Rivals These two are becoming rivals this season. When they met in the final of the Wellington championships a few weeks ago, Gerrard won 8-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, and there was high praise for Souter's performance then. When they met yesterday in a best of three sets match. Souter extended him just as much, and Gerrard had to produce hjs best to win, 9-7, 7-5. Down, 1-4 and 2-5 in the first set, Gerrard scolded himself soundly and then began to play as if he would win the tournament. He had almost Let the set go because after he had broken Souter’s service for 4-5, the Wellington player held two set points but lost them. Gerrard was behind at 5-6 and 6-7 but each time won his service to even and then broke Souter’s to lead, 8-7, before he held his own.

The second set went with service until Gerrard obtained a break for a 5-4 lead but immediately lost his own. then broke Souter's again and won, 7-5. Souter appears a greatly improved player on last season. He varies his play continually, shows very quick anticipation and sometdhes astounds with his speed about the court. Gerrard made most of his errors on his forehand, for on the backhand side his platy was superb, especially in angled volley. His snashaig was also very strong but sometimes lost him points when in trying for the corners he missed by inches. Exciting Match A match which was not of the same high standard but quite the most exciting of the day was that between the seventh-seeded J. H. I-ockmgtori. of Auckland, and G. D. Moss, of Canterbury. Moss was the holder of the title but this time he went out in the third round after having a grand chance to win. Lockington won the first set. 6-2. and Moes the second. 6-3. The third set was excruciatingly tense, especially for those local enthusiastr who wanted to see another Canterbury player in the quarter-finals besides the reeded players, Gerrard and C G. Judge. Lockington and Moss broke one another's services several times before Moes led. 5-4. on his own service. He held two match posits at 40-15 and another at advantage; He lost the game and the next two to give Lockington the win. 6-3. 3-6. 7-5. The match included patches of real brilliance and other* of inept tennis. In the second and third sets Lockington was very weak on return of service, especially on the backhand. When !te did return he could almost rely on a mistake in volley by Moss who was not getting in to the net far enough. For all that, it was one of the beet matches of the day with Moss's serving, except for a

few double faults ait crucial times, particularly encouraging. Hawke* Solid The quarter-final between Hawkes and Crookenden also provided some good tennis. It was as much pleasing for Hawke’s solidity as it was dwappomimg perhaps for Crookenden’s lack of his true form. Hawkes won. 6-4, 6-4, and it was a case of the big hitter bowing to the player with more finesse and steadiness. Hawkes had a much weaker service than his opponent but in other departments he was much more reliable. His placement was excellent and some of his volleying was brilliant. Judge was no match for Clarke in the first set, which he lost, 0-6, and when he decided to make a battle of it in the second set it was too late. Judge has had less hard tennis this season than most of the leading players in this tournament and he has not yet got the pace that he had ait the end of last season. Baaing his game on his smooth, swift driving, Clarke concentrated well and was able to prevent it going to three sets but only by Lockington was beaten” by a very competent Robson, 6-1, 6-3. The younger player produced some fine passing shots but Robson’s placement was superb and, although he made some errors of a type that were not seen from him in past seasons, he was always in control. Burns Beaten Besides the Moss-Locking-ton encounter, one of the best matches in the third round was between Souter and Burns, at least in the first set. It was aU tactics as they played one another about the court and brought oft some 1 brilliant retrieving shots. In ' this Souter showed what a ' master he is of the lob and he 1 won, 6-4 6-2. Crookenden ’ and G. Davidson, of Canter- ' bury, two tall, slim players, ■ had what can only be dest cribed as a “slogging” match » which Crookenden won, 6-2, i 6-2, because he kept his I “slogs” in better. Some of the serving was quite devai stating. Hawkes was given a few : lessons in return of service by A. L. Blackwell, of Can--1 terbury, whom he beat. 6-4, 1 6-3; Judge beat J. W. Duggan, 1 of Canterbury, 6-3, 6-3, after • Duggan had shown how he ' could move swiftly from baseline to net and back again in I spite of a heavy build; and I another Canterbury player, a i junior, J. Cullington, who had ■ done so well on the first day i to eliminate the experienced I Aucklander. G. Campbell, was i overawed by Gerard’s pre- . sence at the other end and i won only one game. Below Form Miss Johnston has not had a happy time this season for f after being eliminated in an > early round of the Welling- [ ton championships she was , put out yesterday by a player seeded well below her. Miss j Belton played extremely carefully, switching her drives ; from comer to corner. She : was very alert and watched ; the ball right on to her racket. . Miss Johnston helped her with many shots out the back .or into the net. Miss Belton ; won, 6-2, 6-1. . Miss Glenie had a fairly . comfortable win when she . beat Mis* Cavaye, 6-3, 6-3. . Miss Cavaye played some | strong volley* when she , moved in but *he lost too i many points with loose ' ground shot* for that to help ‘ her much. As usual. Miss ' Glenie was stroking cleanly, with marked follow-through, ' and she made far fewer After losing the first set to ' Miss Green, Miss Smith ' showed again what great con- • trol she ha* of her driving and she won the next two sets 1 by working her opponent out l of position. There was little ’ net play from either but when ’ Miss Green went in she had some success and might have j done so more often. The other quarter-final was a long drawn-out struggle which finished early in the J evening Miss Davidson beat Miss Terry, 7-5. 4-6. 6-3, but ’ Mias Terry had the third New 1 Zealand woman extremely worried. Earlier Miss Terry had beaten Mis* O’CarroU in a similar long match and her steady driving forced Miss Davidson into error. Miss Davidson, who is quite the best hitter among the women of the tournament, showed her best form in patches. Results Mm’s Singles Third Round.—L. A. Gerrard (Cant.) beat J. CulUngtoo (Cant.). 6-0. 6-1: J. B. Souter (WeO.) beet A S. Bums (Auck). 6-4, 6-3; I. 8. Crookenden (Weik.) beet G. Davidson (Cant ). S-k 6-2. R. N. Hawkes (Well ) beat A L. Blackwell (Cant.), 4-4. 6-3: R. G. Clarke (Wefi.) bee* M. C. Htalty (Cant.). 6-3. 6-3; C. G. Judge , (Cant.) beet J. Duggan (Cant.). 6- 6-3; J. Lockington (Auck.) beat G. D. Most (Cant), 6-2. 3-6. 7- J. E. Robson (Auck.) beat I L. W Watkins (Cent), 6-1. 6-1. Quarter-finals.—Gerrard beat Souter. 9-7, 7-5: Hawkee beet Crookenden. 6-4. 6-4; Clarke beat Judge, g-0. 9-7; Robson beat Lockington. 6-1. 6-3.

Women’s Singles Second Round.—Miss E Green (Auck.) beat Mrs D. McKlnnel (Cant.), 6-2, 6-4; Mias M. Johnston (Weil.) beat Mias M. Stewart (Otago). 6-2. 6-3: Miss P. Belton (Auck.) beat Miss D. Smith (Cant). 6-2. 6-4; Mias E Cavaye (Hutt) beat Miss L. Smith (Auck.). 6-3, 6-3: Miss J. Glenie (Auck.) beat Mrs P. Leopold (Cant.), 6-1, 7-5; Miss E. Terry (Walk.) beat Miss P. O’CarroU (Northland). 4-6. 6-4. 6-0. Quarter-finals.—Miss A Smith (Auck.) beat Miss Green. 4-6. 6-4, 6-2; Miss Belton beat Miss Johnston. 6-2, 6-1; Miss Glenie beat Miss Cavaye, 6-3, 6-3; Miss J. Davidson (Cant) beat Miss Terry, 7-5. 4-6. 6-3. Men’s Doubles Second Round.—Souter and Hawkes beat D. Preston and L. J. Walpole (Cant.), 6-3. 6-2; A. D. L. Hunter (Cant.) and Blackwell beat R. McCutcheon and W. Edgecumbe (Cant). 6-3, 6-0; Cullington and A. D. Atkinson (Cant) beat Duggan and D. Greig (Cent), 6-3. 6-0; Burns and Robson beat Davidson and W. Thom (Cant.), 7-5, 6-3. Quarter-finals. Crookenden and Gerrard beat T. Harneiss and B. W. Crofts (Cant). 6-2, 10-8; Clarke and Moss beat Lockington and Judge, 6-2, 6-2. Women’s Doubles Quarter-finals.—Misses Johnton and Davidson beat Misses G. Fleming (Auck.) and Stewart, 6-1, 6-2; Misses Terry and Belton beat Misses L. Smith and Cavaye. 6-3. 6-4: Misses O’CarroU and S. Rich (Cant.) beat Mesdames Leopold and MteKinnel, 7-5, 6-2; Misses Glenie and Green beat Misses S. Peters and A. Woods (Cant.), 6-2. 6-0. Mixed Doubles Second Round.—Clarke and Miss Green beat G. Ford and Miss D. Smith (Cant.). 6-0, 8-6; Crookenden and Miss A Smith beat Healey and Mrs McKinhel, 6-2. 6-4; G. Campbell (Auck.) and Miss Cavaye beat Moss and Mrs Leopold, 6-1 4-6. 6-3; P. Dibley (Auck.) and Miss Belton beat Burns and Miss L. Smith 6-1. 6-4: Robson and Miss Johnston beat Watkins and Miss Rich. 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; Souter and Miss Glenie beat Hunter and Miss O’Carroll. 6-3, 6-3. Quarter-finals. Robson and Miss Johnston beat Dibley and Miss Belton, 6-3. 7-5.