Good Displays By New Zealanders

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

Good Displays By New Zealanders

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 16. Lawn tennis in New Zealand grew in stature in an unofficial test match at Stanley street today when the Mexicans, who next week will challenge Australia for the Davis Cup, were held to a draw. Antonio Palafox, the Mexican No. 2, was beaten by the long, lean left-hander, I. S. Crookenden in a match of 65 games which lasted just on two hours and a half.

Two hours or so later, Osuna, who ranks No. 6 in the world's first 10, was behind 4-5 in the fifth set with L. A. Gerrard poised to serve out the match. Gerrard lost his service and with it the opportunity to score one of the important victories of his career. Crookenden beat Palafox, 10-8, 14-12. 5-7. 6-3; and Osuna beat Gerrard, 6-1, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4. 7-5. The remaining Mexicans. P Contreras and M. Llamas, comfortably beat E. D. White and K. H. Long, of Auckland. 6-4, 6-2, in an amusing encounter. The Mexicans have their eyes fixed on the Davis Cup challenge round and anything now happening is incidental to their determination to take the cup back to Mexico City. It was still an achievement for the New Zealanders to push these fine players to a draw. Crookenden. especially, enhanced his reputation. His service at its best reached a fine standard and except for a bad period when, like Gerrard. he muffed an opportunity to win his match on service, he concentrated deeply and successfully. Gerrard's form varied from

dreadful to begin with to brilliant in the middle stages to unreliability towards the end. The Mexicans were charming sportsmen. They played well —if not well enough, at this stage, to look like certain conquerors of the Australians—they descended at no stage to those offensive mannerisms which have made the displays of so many young men so tiresome in recent times and when they expressed themselves it was humorously so that everyone laughed and joined in the fun. J. E. Robson and B. E. Woolf appeared to have chances of victory when they played for Auckland on Saturday. Woolf dominated the first set and seemed sure to sweep through the second as well against Llamas. However, the mobile Llamas had the feel of the court and by slightly and subtly lifting the pace of his game he compelled Woolf to mistime. Robson stayed in the game so successfully against Osuna that he won the second set. The battle was then for the breakthrough of service. Robson won it and the gallery raised a muted cheer or two as he went to 4-1 in the final set. He could not hold the advantage and Osuna rallied to 4-all and eventually took the set, 9-7. Scores (Mexican names first): R. Osuna beat J. E. Robson, 7-5, 5-7, 9-7; A. Palafo" beat K. H. Long, 6-2, 6-2; M. Llamas beat B. E. Woolf. 2-6, 6-2, 6-3: P. Contreras beat E. D. White, 6-4, 6-0; Osuna and Palafox beat Robson and Woolf, 7-5. 7-5.