TENNIS Sponsored Tourney For Christchurch

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 15

TENNIS Sponsored Tourney For Christchurch

th faUriMbto tateroatieaal ißVttßttMl tMinNMMBt* tin* Hat to that beta aaaeaHy ta AnclUaae. weald ataMMrt cattataly be teM to Ckrtetckarck next rear aad the year after, the ehataaan (Mr O. R. B. Atkieaoa) aa-

aaaaeed at last, evewteg’s iswiag ef the asaaagemeat cowuntttee ef tha Canter* bary Laws Tennis Aaaaciattaa.

Negotiations with a private company for the sponsorship of international tennis players to such a tournament in Christchurch wore at present in hand. Mr Atkinson said. External and internal travelling expenses for between six and eight international players woulcf be paid by the company if negotiations were completed satisfactorily. Canterbury had to have a big invitation International tournament every year which would build up interest in the province. The success of the Auckland tournament had shown that it would do that. The Auckland invitation tournament was at present “the tournament” of New Zealand, said Mr Atkinson.

The company with which Canterbury was negotiating was the same one which sponsored players to the Auckland tournament. Accordingly, the company would ask the Auckland association to nominate the players it wanted and Canterbury would have to have the same players for its proposed tournament.

The company would stipulate that the players would have to be available tor two weeks in New Zealand so that they could attend both tournaments. Mr Atkinson said. Mr M. C. Healey's motion that the negotiations be carried on was passed unanimously. Auckland had lost money at the beginning, but not later. Mr Healey said. At the beginning Auckland had had only two international players in its invitation tournament, but this season it expected 15 or so. The Auckland tournament had reached the stage where overseas players were looking forward to their invitations, he said.

The visiting British team would make a brief stop at Christchurch airport on Wednesday afternoon on its way to Timaru, members were told. Mr Atkinson and several members of the management committee will meet the team.

On February 15 the four-man team will arrive in Christchurch in preparation for the

••coiid unofficial tart to be played at Wilding Perk on February if sad 18.11 m team earnpriees M. Cox. aged IS. ranked eighth ta Britain, B. Tester, aged 8L ranked ninth in Britain. 8. Matthews, aged 17, junior champion of Britain for the last three years and son of the fainoua soccer player, and G. Stillwell, aged 17, runnerup to Matthews for the junior championship. It is expected that I. 3. Crookenden, of Auckland. R. C. Clarke, of Wellington, C. G. Judge and G. A. Davidson, of Canterbury, will be included tn the unofficial test team It available. A sub-committee has been set up to make arrangements. The four-man professional lawn tennis troupe, R. A. Laver, K. Rose wall (Australia). A. Glmeno (Spain) and L Ayala (Chile), which is st present in the Dominion, will not be seen at Wilding Park. Mr Atkinson said that the terms were not suitable.