TENNIS American Champion Miss Hard Gains Easy Wins

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29724, 18 January 1962, Page 14

TENNIS American Champion Miss Hard Gains Easy Wins

(N.Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, January 17.

Miss Darlene Hard, the American women’s singles champion and twice runner-up at Wimbledon, amazed a large crowd with the ease in which she won her two matches on the first day of the international invitation tennis tournament which began at Stanley street courts, Auckland, today.

Her powerful, free-swinging service had the Auckland player, G. Campbell, in trouble on numerous occasions during a mixed doubles match. Miss Hard and R. Raylor, of Britain, defeated Campbell and Miss E. Cavaye, of Hutt Valley, in 30 minutes, 6-1, 6-4.

In the women’s doubles Miss Hard dropped her first service and she and her partner, Miss E. Terry, the Waikato junior, host their first set 4-6 to Miss S. Clements and Miss C. Drummond.

But Miss Hard improved as the game progressed, and they had little trouble in taking the next two sets to love for the match. Mias Terry, who appeared a little nervous at the start, played soundly in the last two sets. Miss Hard will meet Mia J. Glenie in her first singles a second round match, tomorrow morning.

The three Australian players. K. Fletcher, O. Davidson, and J. Newcombe, and the British pair, R. Taylor and Miss JT. Trewby. featured in 10 matches today. Fletcher Impressive

Fletcher was the most impressive of the Australians and scored a comfortable singles victory over G. Judge, of Canterbury, after a hardhitting match. Judge led most of the way in the first set but could not hang on, losing it 7-5. Fletcher exerted pressure in the next two sets and with some

fiery services and varied play won by 7-5, 6-2, 6-2.

Davidson also displayed a service which was hard to handle as B. Taylor, of Wellington, found to his cost. Davidson had an easy win 6-3, 6-2, 6-0. Newcombe found R. Wong a stern opponent in the second set of his singles, but scrambled home 8-6. He had little difficulty in winning the other sets to take the match, 6-1, 8-6, 6-1. All three Australians have been named as members of the official Australian team to tour overseas later this year. Many Mistakes

Taylor was taken to four sets by the Aucklander E. D White. He displayed some effortless shots which went for clean winners, but made many mistakes in losing the second set He appeared listless and lackadaisical in patches.

The English girl, Miss Trewby, disappointed in losing her singles game to Miss Ethne Green 6-3, 6-2. Miss Trewby was also eliminated from the mixed doubles when she and J. H. Lockington lost to Clarke and Miss Green, 7-5, 7-5. Results:

Men's Stories First Found —R. Taylor (Britain) beat E. D. White, 6-4. 7-9, 8-3. 6-3: W. G Ward beat P. Dibley. 1-6. 2-6. 6-2. 6-4. 6-3;

P. Fletcher beat S. Halligan. 6-4, 6-1. 3-6. 6-4; K. Fletcher (Austral!*) beat G. Judge, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2; K. H. Long beat G. Campbell. 6-2. 6-1. 6-3; G. Moss beat R Keenan, 6-3. 6-3. 6-2: J. O. Newcombe (Australia) beat R. Wong. 6-1, 8-6. 6-1; O. Davidson (Australia) beat B. Taylor, 6-3, 6-2. 6-0.

Women’s Singles First Round.—Miss J. Glenie beat Miss E. Terry, 8-1. 8-6; Miss P. Belton beat Miss E. Cavaye. 7-5, 6-2: Miss A. Smith beat Mrs M. Wong. 6-2, 7-5: Miss R. Morrison beat Miss P. O'Carroll, 6-0. 6-1: Mrs H. Robson beat Miss S. Clements. 6-2. 8-0: Miss E. Green beat Miss J. Trewby (Britain). 6-3, 6-2: Miss J. Davidson beat Miss C. Drummond, 6-3, 7-5. Women's Doubles First Round.—Miss D. Hard (United States) and Miss Terry beat Miss Drummond and Miss Ciaments, 4-6, 6-0, 6-0; Miss Morrison and Mrs Smith beat Miss A. Glenie and Miss O’Carroll, 6-4, 6-4. Men's Doubles First Round.—Fletcher and Newcombe beat White and R. Wong. 6-2. 6-3, 6-1; Taylor and Davidson beat Long and Ward, 6-2, 8-10, 6-3, 6-2. Mixed Doubles First Round.—J. B. Souter and Miss J. Glenie beat R Hawkes and Miss .Terry, 6-1. 6-3; A. S. Burns and Mrs Robson beat G. Moss and Miss A. Glenie. 6-2, 6-3; Clarke and Miss Green beat J. H. Lockington and Miss Trewby. 7-5. 7-5; I. Crookenden and Miss Smith beat B. Taylor and Miss Clements, 6-3, 6-4; R. Taylor and Miss Hard beat Campbell and Miss Cavaye, 6-1. 6-4: Davidson and Miss Belton beat Dibley and Miss Clements, 6-2, 8-6.

Howe, Slazenger Shield Draws

(N.Z Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 17. The draw for the Howe and Slazenger Shield tennis semifinals to be played at Stanley street courts. Auckland, beginning tomorrow, is:— Howe Shield: Auckland v. Canterbury; Taranaki v. Hutt Valley. Slazenger Shield: Auckland v. Canterbury; Wellington v. Manawatu.