LAWN TENNIS Fields Reduced To 16 In Singles Events

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29716, 9 January 1962, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS Fields Reduced To 16 In Singles Events

The completion of the second rounds of singles at the New Zealand lawn tennis championships at Wilding Park yesterday brought the fields down to 16—in the men’s singles a fair balance among Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury; in the women’s singles a marked Auckland dominance.

No seeded player has been beaten. The men’s singles field has five from both Auckland and Wellington, four from Canterbury and one each from Waikato and Northland; the women’s singles has no fewer than 10 from Auckland, two each from Wellington and Canterbury, and one each from Waikato and Northland.

Not one of the 10 men’s singles yesterday went the full five sets but three went to four sets and two of these especially were very closely fought. The 15-year-old Wellington player, N. McAffer, v.’ho had had a long fivesetter with A. L. Blackwell, of Canterbury, on the first day, again featured in a long match, and again with a Canterbury player. He beat B. J. Shirlaw. 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. A match with an even closer score, although not as long, was that in which a

member of the Canterbury junior Slazenger Shield team, A. R. Brooks, aged 16. beat G. S. Eaton, of Marlborough, 7-9. 8-6, 7-5, 7-5. In the other four-set match, the tenthranked New Zealand man, F. Scarlett, of Wellington, beat a former national junior champion. R. Welsh, of Southland. 6-2. 6-3, 2-6. 6-2, but apart from the one set Scarlett was always in control. One of the 10 matches was won by default when a former Canterbury champion, A. D. L. Hunter, could not attend, because of influenza. This allowed K. O’Carroll, of Northland, through without having to play a second-round match One of Three Sets Of the four second-round women’s singles played yesterday only one went to three sets and this was an interesting match on the centre court when the seventh-seeded Miss P. O’Carroll beat Miss B. Wright, of Auckland, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Miss O’Carroll is the only seeded player so far who has even looked, like losing a match. By his yin over Shirlaw, McAffer. playing in his first national tournament, has achieved the unusual, if not unique, feat of getting into the last 16 at the age of 15. Today he will meet the 40-year-old A. S. Burns, of Auckland, seeded seventh, and Burns's bustling game will be likely to put the younger player off his slow, deliberate play. The Shirlaw-McAffer encounter was far from spectacular but it was extremely hard fought. It comprised mainly driving without a great deal of pace and much of it was down the middle of the court. Shirlaw has been noted for his steadiness in Canterbury over a number of years and this steadiness nearly brought a different result to the match McAffer Evens After Shirlaw had won the third set he was also 4-1 up in the fourth, but the younger player did well to draw even at 4-4, break Shirlaw's service after a struggle for 5-4, immediately lose his own service, break Shirlaw’s again and then win the last game comfortably from the end with the wind. McAffer, who played in his pullover most of the time, as he did against Blackwell served well and put a sharp angle on his volleys when he went to the net. but he did not seem to go often enough and his whole game seems yet to lack the purpose he will need in a match against a player like Burns. Shirlaw’s length slipped a little m the second half of the fourth set and he lost his advantage.

That match was on a back court and so was the close one between Brooks and Eaton. The deciding factor in this was service breaks 1 here was one in each set; Brooks got three and Eaton one. Both served well but made many errors elsewhere and Brooks also gained an advantage through being faster about the court. Colourful Player , If Welsh has not the ability that his junior win in 1957 promised, he is still a most colourful player and he still brings off some brilliant shots at the most unexpected moments. He served reasonably well throughout and included some sizzling aces but in the first two sets and the last one he played too many loose shots. In the third set he was much more accurate and it looked as if he had steadied up. Some of his passing shots then were outstanding. After one terrific swipe by Welsh his racket left his hand and hit •the umpire’s stand. Scarlett, ranked fourth in Wellington, has a very wellbalanced game. He covers the court tenaciously and anticipates well. The top-seeded L. A. Gerrard. of Canterbury, and the sixth-seeded C. G Judge, tiso of Canterbury, both played on the centre courts. Neither was the slightest bit extended. Gerrard beat N Hoskin, of Southland. 6-1. 6-0, 6-0 Hoskin played the occasional swift passing shot and the occasiona’ winning volley but he could not stand up to Gerrard’s pace.

Judge beat the 16-year-old Aucklander, J. S. Halligan. 6-2, 6-0. 6-1. and Halligan did not look nearly the player he did when he won his firstround match on Saturday. Judge stroked very smoothly, with few errors and looked to be playing only as hard as he had to. Halligan, who might have been a little overawed by the occasion, found he could do little right Seeded Player Down

It looked for a time as if Miss O’Carroll would be the first seeded player to go. Miss Wright, although not serving particularly well, was excelling at the net and almost every time she went there she finished with a winning volley or smash into a corner. But Miss O’Carroll is a most consistent returner and, after losing the first set, she wore Miss Wright down in the other two by hitting almost everything back. This was when Miss Wright might have come to the net more often than she did. The top-seeded Miss R. Morrison had her first singles of the tournament—ohe won

by default in the first round —when she beat the promising 17-year-old Canterbury Howe Shield player. Miss S. Rich, 6-3, 6-0. Miss Rich at times passed Miss Morrison beautifully with her forehand. However, she played too many weak shots on her backhand. In the second set Miss Rich's opposition deteriorated and Miss Morrison was completely competent in all departments. Doubles Matches

Matches were also played in men’s doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles The new pair this season of R. G. Clarke, of Wellington and G. D. Moss, of Canterbury, showed again that they will be one of the best pairs of the season when they beat L. J. Walpole and D E Wright, of Canterbury, 6-0, 6-3. 6-2. Clarke and Moss were far too powerful for their opponents and they played some brilliant shots. The top-seeded pair of L. A. Gerrard (Canterbury) and I. S. Crookenden (Waikato) gave the young Canterbury players. Brooks and P. Boatwood. only one game in each set. They were much too pacy off the ground and at the net. One of the most entertaining doubles of the day was a mixed in which Gerrard and Miss Morrison beat Moss and Mrs P. Leopold, of Canterbury, 6-2, 6-2. That score did not indicate the way in which the losers fought and there were many very exciting rallies. For part of the game Moss played brilliantly, putting away some remarkable winners. As Gerrard and Miss Morrison took control, he tried too much and lapsed into errors. Results:— Men's Singles (Holder: L. A Gerrard, Canterbury.) Second Round (Continued).— G. Campbell (Auck.) beat R. G. Callender (Well.), 7-5. 6-3. 6-3; I. S. Crookenden (Walk.) beat J. Taylor (H.V.). 6-0. 6-0. 6-1: F .Scarlett (Well.) beat R. Welsh (South.) 6-2, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2; C. G. Judge (Cant.) beat J S. Halligan (Auck). 6-2, 6-0. 6-1; K. O’Carroll (North.) beat A D. L. Hunter (Cant.) by default: L. A. Gerrard (Cant.) beat N. Hoskin (South.), 6-1. 6- 6-0; A. R. Brooks (Cant.) beat G. S. Eaton (Marl.), 7-9. 8-6. 7-5. 7-5; N. McAffer (Well.) beat B. J. Shirlaw (Cant.l. 6-3 7- 2-6. 7-5; A. S. Burns (Auck.) beat V. J. Stubbs (Well.). 6-0. 6-1. 6-2; R. G Clarke (Well.) beat G. G. Ford (Cant.), 6-0. 6-0. 6-2. Women’s Singles (Holder: Miss R. Morrison. Auckland.) Second Round (Continued).— Miss P. O'Carroll (North.) beat Miss B. Wright (Auck). 4-6. 6-4, 6-4; Mrs P. Leopold (Cant.) beat Mrs D. McKinnel (Cant.), 6-2. 6-4; Miss R. Morrison (Auck.) beat Miss S. Rich (Cant.). 6-3. 6-0; Miss H. Lockington (Auck.) beat Mrs E. Wentzel (Well.). 11-9, 6-0. Men’s Doubles (Holders: L. A. Gerrard Snd B. E. Woolf) First Round.—R. G. Clarke (Well.) and G. D. Moss (Well.) beat L. J. Walpole and D. E. Wright (Cant.). 6-0, 6-3, 6-2; J. E. Robson and A. S. Burns (Auck.) beat R. Munro and R. J. Goodall (South.), 6-0, 6-0, 6-2: G. Campbell and P. Dibley (Auck.) beat B. J. Shirlaw and M. C. Healey (Cant.). 6-2. 6-2. 6- J. Anderson (Well.) and P. G. Kelly (Mana.) beat B. W Crofts and T. Harneiss (Cant.), 7- 8-6; 6-2. 9-7; L. A. Gerrard (Cant.) and I. S. Crookenden (Waik.) beat A. R. Brooks and P. Boatwood (Cant.), 6-1. 6-1, 6-1; K. O’Carroll (North.) and J. Walker (Waik.) beat R. G. Hastie and L. W. Watkins (Cant.). 6-3. 7-5, 8-1: F. Scarlett and V. J. Stubbs (Well.) beat J Cullington (Cant.) and R. Purser (Auck.); 6-3, 5-7. 6-2. 6-3. Women’s Doubles (Holders: Misses J. Davidson and M. Johnston) First Round.—Mesdames P Dimbleby and H. Robson (Auck.) beat Misses L. Smith (Auck.) and E. Cavaye (H.V.). 6-2, 6-0: Misses R. Morrison and A. Smith (Auck.) beat Misses R. Jones and J. Dunlop (South.). 6-1, 6-1. Second Round.—Misses J. Davidson (Cant.) and M. Johnston (Well.) beat Mrs E. Campbell and Miss K. Williams (Cant.), 6-2. 6-1; Misses E. Green and J. Glenie (Auck.) beat Misses M. Stewart (Otago) and B. Tietjens (Auck.). 6-1, 6-3. Mixed Doubles (Holders: C. G Judge and Miss J. Davidson) Second Round (Continued).— J. B. Souter (Well.) and Miss J. Glenie (Auck.) beat J. Taylor (H.V.) and Miss L. Cullen (South ). 6-4. 6-2; L. A. Gerrard (Cant.) and Miss R. Mor-; rison (Auck.) beat G Moss and Mrs P. Leopold (Cant.), 6-2. 6-2; W. Thom (Cant.) and Miss H. Lockington (Auck.) beat P. G Kelly (Mana.) and Miss G. Hirst (H.V.), 6-4. 8-6.

Matches For Today Court I—J. B Souter v. J. H. Lockington; then J. E. Robson v. G. D. Moss Court 2—J. Crookenden v. F. Scarlett; Miss R. Morrison v. Miss H. Lockington; Miss J. Davidson v. Miss E. Terry. Court 3—R. N. Hawkes v. G. Campbell; C. G. Judge v. K. O’Carroll; L. A Gerrard v. A. Brooks. Court 4.—Miss A. Smith v. Miss A. Glenie; Miss E. Green v. Miss B. Tietjens: Miss P. O’Carroll v. Mrs P. Leopold. Court 5—R. G. Clarke v. R. Purser; N. McAffer v. A. Bur :s; Miss A. Walker v. Miss J. Glenie. Court 6 —Mrs P. Dimbleby v. Miss P. Belton; Miss M. Johnston v. Miss C. Drummond.