TENNIS Successes For N.Z. Girls In Britain

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29848, 14 June 1962, Page 18

TENNIS Successes For N.Z. Girls In Britain

[From F. S RAMSON, manager of the Neto Zealand tourmg tennis teams)

MANCHESTER, June 4 | We were all very pleased to return to London and the Surbiton tournament after, our ten days in Paris at the French championships. Main reason was, of course, that Surbiton was the first of the grass court tournaments and we all hoped that on the more familiar surface more frequent successes would come to various members of the two teams.

Honours in the Surbiton tournament, as far as our women players are concerned, went to Miss A Smith, who reached the semifinals of the women's singles after four good wins. In her semi-final match. M*ss Smith was beaten by Miss C. Caldwell, of America. 8-6. 8-2

Miss E. Green ako had a pood tournament, winning f-ree rounds before meeting Miss Caldwell. Miss P Belton won two rounds but then met Miss Smith who. on the dr", ’ves to win 8-6. 6-3. w'-ile Miss J Davidson met defeat in the first round by Mrs M Varner, of Awii-* Tn the women's doubles, both pair?. Misses Green and Smith. Belton and Davidson, had two wins.

The f'ur women players have now had sufficient successes to gain some recognition over here and we are very hopeful that thev may all be accepted for Wimbledon.

On the men's side the best performance came from I. C~ookend°n and J. Souter who reached the cf the men’s doubles they were defeated 6-4. 8-6 bv the eventual winners. M Mulligan (AustraVa) and N. K”n*s~ t&td’a). Crcokenden also did well in the singles, winning three rounds before falling a victim to the Fvrxrior strategy cf a former New Zealander, M. Otway, who wen 6-4. 6-4. Otway then b<-al W. Reid (Australia) b"t lost in the final to Mulligan.

It was interesting to see another former New Zealand player, J McDonald, performing well in this tournament. Like Otway, he reached the semi-finals and it took Mulligan three good sets to defeat him at that stare.

McDonald has become an accomplished player on English courts, and he is well thought of over here. He has

not reached the stage where he can beat the top-rank players, but he can be very difficult for anyone and has his share of good wins. At Surbiton his best effort was when he beat Kumar, an Indian Davis Cup player, in three sets. The New Zealand men have not experienced as mush success as have the women, in spite of all their trying It seems probable now that most may have to get into Wimbledon the hard way—through the qualifying rounds. There are a large number of able men competitors about and. inevitably, many will be disappointed applicants for entry to Wimbledon; it seems that if two or three of our players gat in we will have reason to oe pleased, if not entirely satisfied.

With Wimbledon not far away now. plans are being made for the return journey of the two teams, the intention being to play in several Eastern countries on the way home, partly to gain experience. and partly as a goodwill gesture to tennis associat'ons and players with whom New Zealand should have more contact in coming years.

The itinerary is not yet fully planned, but the teams will definitely play in Bangkok frem July 13 to 22 and will play in the Malayan championships at Ipoh. near Kuala Lumpur, from July 24 to 29 It is probable that at least two other countries will be visited.