SQUASH RACKETS South Island Title Won By C. Waugh

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29893, 6 August 1962, Page 3

SQUASH RACKETS South Island Title Won By C. Waugh

Combining tight, controlled, and error-free squash with his usual superb court coverage. C. Waugh, of Palmerston North, the New Zealand champion for the last two years, withstood a strong challenge from G. L. Bird. Timaru, to win the 1962 South Island squash rackets title in Christchurch yesterday. In this, his fifth championship success this season, Waugh showed convincingly that he must be strongly favoured to retain his national title at Palmerston North later this month. Waugh did not lose a game tn the tournament, but he had to come from behind in each in the final, and very nearly lost the first to K. R. Green tn the semi-final. Waugh, in the early rounds — possibly because of a lack of really stern opposition—was i hardly as impressive as Bird, who played really well to beat both G. A Davidson and F. N. Coe in four games, and against Coe in the semi-final his game, for him, was remarkably free from errors. There was some fine squash, too. in the other early round matches. Certainly few who witnessed It will soon forget the amazing quarter-final marathon on Saturday morning, when K. R. Green and the Christchurch player, M. J. Simons, occupied the court for an incredible 100 minutes, surely one of the longest matches on record. Simons must have been wellfavoured for South Island selection after the first round—his easy win over B. J. Ftppin was his second such success this season—and his position could hardly have been in doubt after his great performance against Green, the Canterbury open champion, and a nationally ranked player. But the match understandably left Green with little in reserve for the semifinal the same evening, and after a magnificent attempt to take the first game from W’augh. his condition gave out and he offered little further resistance. Bird’s splendid semi-final form promised much for the final, and the stage seemed set for a great and spectacular match. But consistency is not Bird’s greatest asset and although at times he had bursts of real brilliance, his earlier fine placement of his sendee and often unanswerable drives, deserted him

Notwithstanding Waugh’s wonderful retrieving ability. Bird has the shots to 'force at least some errors in each game But, in fact, in the whole match Waugh made only six rallyending mistakes. Bird again beat himself, for his errors for the match totalled 26 and his 30 winners—nine more than Waugh—were not sufficient to compensate. Bird led 6-4 in the first game, 6-2 in the second, and 8-6 In the third, and had he taken any of these he might well have won for there was really little between them But Waugh’s superior temperament, his fine tight placements—he scored a number of times with shots so close to the walls that Bird, al- ; though in position, could not maxe the recovery—some lovely lobs and length shots, his fine anticipation and physical condition. and his almost complete lack of unnecessary errors were m the end. decisive Results were:— South Island Championship.— Quarter-finals: C. Waugh (Palmerston North) beat W A. Green iTYmaru), 9-0, 9-0, 10-8; K R Green (Timaru) beat M J Simons (Christchurch) 9-7 s-a 9-5. 9-10. 9-6; F N Coe (Timaru) beat P. L. Mackenzie (Chriatchurch) 9-5. 9-2 L. Bird (Timaru) beat G. A. ipa vi dson < Chr istx?h urcii) 9-4 S7'. 4 ;?' 9 ' 2 Semi-finals: tVaugh ? R - Green. 10-8, 9-0, 9-2-Bird beat Coe. 9-2. 7-9. 9-2 9-3 Final: Waugh beat Bi-d 9-6 9-6. 10-8

Junior Champ; First round: J G Foulds beat M M Jphjjl 'Timaru 1 by default: P M. Hi.’l beat T. Jones (Oamaru 1 9-3. 9-0. 9-3. Quarter-finals: B J. Rippin (Timaru) beat B : Croft. 9-1, 9-0, 9-1: L. J Wal!?^le ?® at F oiii<U. 9-8. 2-9. 9-3. J-9 9-1; Hill beat G Young m Oamaru). 9-1. 9-0. 9-6: J N Isaacs (Timaru) beat R A I Latham. 9-2. 9-4, 5-9. 9-2 Semi- ] finals: Ripnin beat Walpole 9-1. 9-2. 7-9. 9-5: Hili beat J. N :Isaacs 9-1. 9-6 5-9. 9-5 Final: ; Rippin beat Hill. 9-2. 9-3. 9-4. | B Grade Championship.— |Quarter-finals: R. Goodall beat ;L. J. Walpole. 3-9. 9-5. 9-2. 6-9, ,9-4: M O. Hold-worth beat C C. Kissling. 3-9. 9-2 9-7. 9-4; T Henshall Invercargill) beat K J. Brown. 9-4. 9-3. 9-2: R A 'Latham beat E. R Morris, 9-2. ;8-10. 3-9. 9-4. 10-3 Semi-finals: 1 Holdsworth oeat Graham. 9-6 9-7. 10-8; Latham beat Henshall, 7-9 9-4 6-9, 9-3. 9-5. Final: > Latham beat Holdsworth. 9-7 3-9, 7-9. 9-6 9-2. C Grade Championship First round: J. A. Roonev beat G. Young, 9-1, 9-3. 9-5; S Suckling beat C. G. Moore, 9-5, 9-2. 9-2; M. P. Isaacs beat G w. Graham by default; P. Andrews beat R. Murdock. 4-9. 9-6. 9-5. 4-9. 9-7. Semi-finals: Suckling beat Rooney. 7-9. 8-10: .•9-7. 9-3. 9-2: M P. Isaacs beat Andrews, 9-2. 8-to 4-9. 9-3, 9-4 iFinal: Suckling beat Isaacs. 9-2 ,9-7. 10-9

A Grade Flight.—First round: L. G. Milne beat G. C. P. Beadel. 9-3. 9-6. 9-10. 9-1; B. J. Rippin beat P. M. Hill. 9-0, 2-9, 9-0, 9-1 Semi-final: Rippin beat Milne. 10-9. 9-3. 9-5 Final: Rippin beat J. N. Isaacs. 9-6. 9-4. 4-9, 10-8.

B Grade Flight.—Semi-finals: R. Nolan beat J. G. Dreaver. 9-7. 9-7. 9-4: C. A. McDonald beat R. Croft. 9-1, 9-0. 6-9. 9-0. Final: McDonald beat Nolan. 9-2, 9-3, 9-7. Handicap.—Second round: T. Henshall (Invercargill) beat S Suckling, 6-9. 9-6. 4-9. 9-2. 9- G. W. Graham beat W. Cubitt (Oamaru) by default: B. Armstrong (Oamaru) beat R. Nolan (Timaru) by default; T. Jones (Oamaru) beat J. W. Groeott. 9-10. 9-4. 9-0, 8-9. 9-5; C. J. Moore (Timaru) beat R. Murdock (Masterton), 6-9. 9-6, 10- 7-9, 9-5: c. A McDonald beat N. Heafey (Oamaru), 5-9, 9-0. 9-1, 9-3: M. P. Isaacs (Timaru) beat C. C. Kissling. 1-9, 9-7, 9-5 8-10 9-1; E. R. Morris beat J. A. Rooney, 9-2. 7- 9-7, 9-5. Quarter-finals: Henshall beat Graham by default; Armstrong beat Jones. 9-2. 9-3. 6-9, 2-9 9-2: McDonald beat Moore, 9-4. 9-2, 9-3: Isaacs beat Morris. 9-4. 10-9, 5-9, 6-9. 10-8. Semi-finals: Henshall beat Armstrong. 9-8, 10-9. 2-9, 8- 9-4; Isaacs beat McDonald, 9- 7-9. 9-5, 10-9. Final: Henshall beat M D. Isaacs, 9-2. 9-4, 9-2.