Lawn Tennis University, Cashmere Lead In Senior Competitions

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30007, 17 December 1962, Page 21

Lawn Tennis University, Cashmere Lead In Senior Competitions

With two day* to go to complete a round. University is the only team unbeaten in the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's senior men’s competition. A round has been finished in the senior women's competition and, as expected, (ashmere, last season's winner, is in the lead. At Wilding Park on Saturday afjerrxxxi the wxanen played the round that was • when it rauned on ne first day of the ootnpe•.tion, on November 3. The main result was that Fendal- : on. which had cut down Cashmere’s lead by hooding . to a tie the previous week, beat United, which was half a poj¥t ahead of rt, by 4 matches to 2. to go into second position. The points xn the women’s compeUtdon are: Cashmere 3j. Ferxiauton 2|, Avonside 2, United 2, Sairiey 0. Ln the ..•/her contest on Saturday, Cashmere beat Shirley withojt the Loss of a maxh and Avonside had the bye.

Only four day* have been played in the senior men’s competition because two were missed on account of rain. On Saturday morning at the United club's court*. University beat the bottom team, Barrington, without trie loss of a matcn. North Linwood beat Elmwood by 8 sets to 6. Cashmere, last 'season's winner, beat Edgeware by 65 games to 63 and Woolston beat United by 6 matches to 0. University is in a fine position to win the competition tor tne first time for some years. It is likely to lose P. S. Alexander after Christmas but it is a.so likely to gain C. G. Judge, who is now not available for the New Zealand University team’s visit to Australia, and M. 7. Simons, who is at the Christchurch Hospital, but who has not played yet this season. So any hopes by other teams that University might be weakened will probably not be realised. Absent Player* Several leading players were absent from Saturday’s matches. United suffered most with the absence of W. J. Lewthwaite and A. Brooks. Elmwood was without L. W. Watkins, B. R. Crawford the top player for North Linwood did not take part because of a sore wrist, and D. A. Henderson was replaced in the University teem by R. G. Hastie. a Canterbury S azenger Shield player in recent seasons, who won his singles and doubles. In the women’s competition the notable absentee was Miss J. Davidson, top player for Cashmere. who was taking part in the Wellington championships for the second week-end in succession. One of the most pleasing features of the men’s competition was the fine showing of the young North Linwood players. R Bruce and J. Martin. First, they scored a fine win over the Vip Elmwood doubles pair. W. Thom and J. Averill, a former Opawa player, who was playing hi* first senior match this season, and then each won his singles. They were mainly responsible for the team beating Emwood by 8 sets to 6 with the deciding set won by R. Watson in his singles with Thom Martin and Bruce beat Thom •nd Averill, 6-4. 8-6. after trailing, 0-4 in the second set. Martin, W’ho is only 15 and a son of a former noted Canterbury tennis administrator, Mr D. Martin, was sent by the association to the New South Wales age and school championship* this year, and he seems to have benefited bv the trip As yet he is of very fine build out he has well-developed strokes, especially on the forehand, and more weight will almost certainly bring more power. In his singles, at fourth for his team, he beat C. Pollitt, 6-4. 6-4 and Pollitt is no mean opponent. Bruce also played excellently in the doubles and best his singles opponent. Averill 6-4. 6-4. , Watson is a player who thrives on three-set matches and. although he lost. 6-2. 4-7, 5- to Thom, he played determinedly and the set was a valuable one. The young Barrington team lost all its matches to Univers.ty but it certainly was not disgraced. The top player, G. G Ford, who is ranked top junior in the province lost to G. Davidson, who has some chance of being ranked top senior in the province. 4-6. 6-8. Davidson is a powerful player, especially in service, but he was not overawed and he took full advantage of Davidson’s errors. Ford was aced and he was passed out of position but he fought back each time. Another junior. W. Edgecumbe caused L. J. Walpole considerably difficulty and consternation. Edgecumbe is one of the steadiest and coolest players in the competition and he returned almost everything Walpole cared to deliver. Walpole himself is noted for his consistency but he had a good match in Edgecumbe. The second University player P S. Alexander—he played top the previous week—was in grand form when he beat L. Elliott. 6-1. 6-1. Elliott had no answer to Alexander’s brilliant control on all his shots from all parts of the court. B. J. Aldridge, top for Woolston beat R. McCutcheon. 6-8. 6- 6-4. It w’as an even match which Aldridge won by his

determination. McCutcheon is certainly one of the most attractive stylists in the competition but he is inclined to lift the ball as a rally progresses by pulling away. L. Martin, top for Edgeware. »as expected to give the top Cashmere player. B. J. Shir“w. a stiffer test than he did but Shirlaw won. 6-2. 6-2. when Martin made numerous errors. Fine Singles Quite the best of the women’s singles was between Misses K. Williams (Cashmere) and J. Cusdin (Shirley). Miss Williams won. 2-6. 11-9, 6-4. but she met a Miss Cusdin who was probably playing her best tennisthis season. Miss Cusdin hit hard and she moved towards the net as often as she could to keep Miss Williams on the run in the first set and for much of the second set. Miss Cusdin had two match points in the second set at 9-8 and 40-15 after Miss Williams had had three set pointe at 8-7 and 40-0. Miss Williams showed grand fighting qualities and in the third set she put her strong first service in a lot to gain an early initiative. Miss S. Rich, top for United, was again in great form when she beat Miss J. McKain (Fendalton). 6-2. 6-1. Miss Rich hit hard, especially In service and her placement was admirable. Results:— SENIOR MEN North Linwood v. Elmwood Singles.—R. Watson lost to W. Thom. 6-2, 4-6, 5-7; E. Cormack lost to J. Duggan, 1-6, 0-6; R. Bruce beat J. Averill. 6-4. 6-4; J. Martin beat C. C. Pollitt, 6-4. 6-4. Doubles—Bruce and Martin beat Thom and Averill. 6-4, 8- Watson and Cormack lost tog Pollitt and Duggan, 6-2, 2-6, North Linwood won by 8 sets to 6. . Edgeware v. Cashmere Singles.—L. Martin lost to B. Shirlaw. 2-6. 2-6; B. Baxter beat I. D. Armstrong. 0-6. 6-0 6-1; B. Crofts lost to R. Minson. 4-6 4-6; P. Boatwood beat S. Bullen. 5-7, 1-6. Doubles.—Martin and Baxter lost to Shirlaw and Minson. 9- 1-6. 3-6; Crofts and Boatwood beat Armstrong and Bullen. 7-5. 6-4. Cashmere won by 65 games to 63. Barrington v. University Singles —G. G. Ford lost to G. Davidson. 4-6. 6-8; L. Elliott lost to P. S. Alexander, 1- 1-6; W. Edgecumbe lost to L. J. Walpole. 4-6, 6-4 3-6; A. Knight lost to R. G. Hastie. 2- 1-6. Doubles.—Elliott and Ford lost to Davidson and Alexander. 2-6, 1-6; Knight and Edgecumbe lost to Walpole and Hastie, 3-6. 3-

University won by 6 matches to 0. Woolston v. United Singles.—B. J. Aldridge beat R. McCutcheon, 6-8, 6-4, 6-4; M. Agar beat J. Brebner, 6-1, 6-2; R. Neumann beat R. van Ysselsteyw, 6-2. 6-2; D. Adair beat D. G. Owen, 6-2. 6-2. Doubles—Aldridge and Neumann beat McCutcheon and Brebner 5-7, 6-4. 6-4; Agar and Adair beat Owen and van Ysselsteyw. 6-1, 6-0. Woolston won by 6 matches to 0. SENIOR WOMEN Fendalton v. United Singles —Miss J. McKain lost to Miss S. Rich, 2-6, 1-6; Mrs P. Boatwood beat Miss C. Andrew, 6-1, 6-2: Mrs L. Buxton beat Miss D. Hopping. 9-7, 7-5; Miss M. A. McNish beat Miss P. Cuddon, 6-4, 7-5. Doubles.—Misses McKain and McNish lost to Misses Rich and Andrew. 4-6, 1-6: Mesdames Boatwood and Buxton beat Misses Hopping and Cuddon. 6-4, 6-4. Fendalton won by 4 matches to 2. Cashmere v. Shirley Singles.—Miss K. Williams beat Miss J. Cusdin, 2-6. 11-9, 6- Mrs E. Campbell beat J. Hatch, 6-3, 6-2; Mrs H. Lovegrove beat Mrs P. Sanders. 1-6, 7- 7-5. Doubles—Miss Williams and Mrs Campbell beat Miss Cusdin and Mrs Sanders, 6-0, 6-4; Mesdames Ryan and Lovegrove beat Miss Hatch and Mrs Allen, 6-3, 6-1. Cashmere won by 6 matches to 0. SENIOR RESERVE Fendalton beat University by 5 matches to 1; North Linwood beat Edgeware by 5 matches to 1; Beckenham beat Cashmere by 9 sets to 7. SECOND GRADE MEN South Brighton beat New Brighton by 5 matches to 1; North Linwood beat Elmwood by 5 matches to 1; Beckenham beat Shirley by 5 matches to 1; Opawa beat Linwood Avenue by 4 matches to 2; St. Ninian’s beat Avonside by 78 games to 77; Addington Catholic and South Christchurch drew, 9 sets all. FIRST MIXED A Opawa beat Avonside by 134 games to 125; Woolston beat Beckenham by 13 matches to 3: Elmwood beat University by 14 matches to 2; Cashmere beat Barrington by 13 matches to 3. SECOND GRADE Section I North Linwood beat Addington Catholic by 13 matches to 3; Edge ware beat Elmwood by 10 matches to 6; Riccarton Domain beat Avonside by 9 matches to 7.