Auckland Holds Both Junior Trophies

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30043, 30 January 1963, Page 6

Auckland Holds Both Junior Trophies

Auckland held both the interprovincial junior lawn tennis trophies, the Slazenger Shield for boys and the Howe Shield for girls when the finals were held at Wilding Park yesterday. In both finals they beat Canterbury teams—by 8 matches to 2 in the Slazenger Shield and by 7 matches to 3 in the Howe Shield.

Auckland has easily the best record for both of these trophies. In the 15 seasons they have been competed for, Auckland has now had 10 wins in the Slazenger Shield and 11 in the Howe Shield, which it has now taken for the seventh year in succession. Only one of the 10 members of the two Auckland

teams won a title at the national junior championships when D. Simmonds won the under 19 boys' doubles with P. Thomson, of Waikato. But Auckland had two very well-balanced sides, strong from top to bottom— J. S. Halligan, Simmonds, S. Tietjens, B. Dibley, and R. Potter (reserve) in the boys; and A. Glenie, B. Asplin, L. Raisebeck, C. Fleming, and B. Vercoe (reserve) in the girls.

Both the Auckland teams were assured of their trophy successes by the end of the singles yesterday when both led by six matches to two. Actually both had won before that because the girls led by six matches to one and the boys, although they led only by five matches to two and Canterbury could have evened the matches by winning the other three, had a decisive sets lead.

At this stage the last singles, between Dibley and W. Edgecombe (Canterbury) stood at set-all and Auckland led by 11 sets to five. If Edgecumbe had won the third set, which he did hot, and Canterbury had won both doubles in straight sets, Auckland would still have won by 11 sets to 10.

The Auckland girls* lead on the singles perhaps did not quite do justice to the Canterbury players, for there were three singles lost by Canterbury players faiily narrowly. In fact, there was some merit in the performance of both Canterbury teams, first in both getting to the finals and then at least in giving some strong opposition to Aucklanders in individual matches.

But it was most noticeable in the two days of these competitions and in the six days of the national junior championships that young North Island players generally have more confidence than their South Island counterparts and the ability to win matches they sometimes look as if they might lose. Four Wins At the same time, one of the beet performances of the two days was given by D. Smith, the top Canterbury girl, who won her four singles, beating Misses Glenie and Asplin, of Auckland, and E. Cavaye and C. McLauchlan (Hutt valley). Both Misses Cavaye and Glenie were seeded above her tor the national junior title and Miss Asplin was one behind her at sixth. Miss Glenie beat her. 6-4, 6-3 at the junior championships but yesterday Mias Smith won. 1-6. 6-4, 8-6. The top Auckland boy, Halligan, won both his singles without a great deal of trouble, beating R. McCutcheon, 6-3, 6-1 and G. Ford, 6-2, 6-3. Halligan began badly with many errors against McCutcheon but played very forcefully after that Against Ford he was down, 1-3 in the second set but won five games in succession for the match.

With quick reaction, Slmmonda aerved and voHeyad

with precision against Fo._ to take the first set 6-0 in fast time and the second, 6-3, when Ford improved. However, he received stiffer opposition from McCutcheon whose lovely ground strokes, especially his backhand cross-court passing shot, took him to one set point at 5-3 and three more at 5-4.

McCutcheon could not finish off and he lost. 6-8. 3-6. In the third position it was Canterbury which had- the strength beoause A. Brooks won both his singles as he did in the semi-finals. In better form than be has been for some time. Brooks beet Dibtey, 6-2. 6-4 and Tietjens. 7-5, 7-5. In both matches Brooks served and

snashed with a superb action end. although Tietjens had his chance to take the match to three sets when he held set points in the second set, Brooks just managed to keep him under control. Tletjena aad DiWey woo their matches with the fourth Canterbury player. W. Edgecumbe, but Dibiey had plenty of dUßculty to wta. U-14. 14. 0-4. In the third set he was vety careful. His drop shots and well-placed volleying woo him potato. Hayed Wen Mias Smith did wonderfully wen for her two wins. First she beet Mtai AspUa. S-g, 1-S. 0-3 by attacktag wtth her ground strokes which were most consistont to the tost and third sets. The former Queenslander. Mtai Awlin. put erect

punched hard to an parts of the court.

It was a. fiend fighting revocery Miss Smith made against Miss Glenie to win. 1-6, 6-4. 8-6. Miss Glenie obviously had a heavy cold and she made frequent stoppages to blow her nose but Mias Smith might have got her measure In the end in spite of that. Miss Glenie had leads of 4-1 in the second set and 3-0 in the third but she bowed to Miss Smith's determination and steadiness.

Both Misses Asplin and Glenie beat the second Canterbury player H. Bruce, reasonably comfortably but C. Andrew, third for Canterbury gave both her opponents a struggle. Miss Fleming won, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. and Miss Raisebeck. 7-3, 8-6. Bliss Andrew hit hard against them both but she was not as steady at crucial times. D. Hopping (Canterbury) was beaten, 6-1, 6-1 by MUs Raisebeck but she took Miss Fleming to 7-5, 6-4. In the contests between the losers of Monday’s semi-finals, the Wellington boys beat Otago by 9 matches to 1. and the Hutt Valley girls beat Otago by 8 matches to 3.

Results:— SLAZENGER SHIELD,

Auckland v. Canterbury Singles.—J. S. Halligan beat R. McCutcheon, 6-3, B-lj D. Simmonds beat G. Ford, 6-0, 6-4; S. Tietlens beat W. Edgecumbe, 6-3, 6-3; B. Dibley lost to A. Brooks. 3-6. 4-6; Halligan beat Ford, 4-3, 4-3: Simmonds beat McCutcheon, 4-6. 6-3; Tietjens Doubles.—Halligan and Simmonds beat Ford and Brooks, 4-6, IS, 6-2; Tietjens and_Dibley beat McCutcheon and Edgecumbe. 6-2, 7-5. Auckland won by 6 matches to 2.

Wellington v. Otago Singles.—N. McAffer beat B. Kaye 7-5, 0-1; G. Harris beat W. Sutherland. 8-1, 8-6; O. Parun beat D. Anderson. 8-8. 6-2; D. Hawkes beat P. Downie, 6-4. 3-8, 9-7; McAffer beat Sutherland, 6-8, 6-3. 6-1; Harris beat Kaye. 6-1. 6-1; Parun beat Downie, 7-6, 6-3; Hawkes lost to Anderson 4-6. 3-6. Doubles.—McAffer and Parun beat Kayo and Sutherland. 6-0. 4-6, 6-1; Harris and Hawkes beat Anderson and Downie, 7-5. 6-3. Wellington won by 0 matches to 1. HOWB SHIBLD Canterbury v. Auckland Singles.—D. Smith beat B. Asplin, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3; H. Bruce lost to A. Gienle. 2-6. 1-6; C. Andrew lost to C. Fleming, 3-6. 6-4, 4-6; D. Hopping lost to L. Ralsebeek, 1-6. 1-6; Bruce loot to Asplin. 4-6 3-6; Smith beat Gienle, 1-6, 6-4, 8-6; Hopping lost to Fleming, 4-6, 6-7; Andrew lost to Raisebeck, 6-7, 6-8. Doubles.—Smith and Andrew beat Gienle and Asplin, 6-2,8-6: Bruce and Hopping lost to Fleming and Ralseoeck. 6-3, 2-6, 6-8. Auckland won by 7 matches to 3. Hutt Valley v. Otago

Singles.—E. Cavaye beat J. Davies, 6-0. 6-3; C. McLsuchlan beat L Ashby, 6-3 6-2) B. McNeiily beat J. Bolden. 6-0. 6-3: B Heaton beat J. OGorman, 7-6, 7-5; Cavaye beat Ashby. 8-6. 8-3: McLsuchlan beat Davies. 6-4, 6-3; McNeiily lost to OGorman, 4-6. 1-6; Heaton beat Holden. 6-1. 6-1. Doubles.—Cavaye and McLsuchlan lost to Davies and Ashby. 3-6, 5-7; McNeiily and Heaton beat Holden and OGorman, 6-4. 6-2. Hutt Valley won by 8 matches to 2. Order Of N.Z. Team (NX Press Association) WELLINGTON, Jan. 30. The runner-up in the men’s singles at the New Zealand tennis championships, R. G Clarke, Wellington, has been named fourth in the New Zealand team to play the English team at Dunedin on Friday and Saturday. The order Is L. A. Gerrard (Auckland), t S. Crookenden (Auckland). J. E. Robson (Auckland), and Clarke. It was nominated by the national selectors. Messrs M. C. Healey. A. S. Bums and 1. R. Bentley, and announced today by the chairman of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association management committee (Mr F. 8. Ramson).

The tie with the'English team will be pteyed on Wilding Shield lines—four singles and two doubles each day. Gerrard will pair with Robson and Clarke wtlh Crookenden in the doubles.