CLOSE CONTEST IN SENIOR TENNIS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30100, 6 April 1963, Page 9

CLOSE CONTEST IN SENIOR TENNIS

I’UNIVERSITY won the senior men’s tennis competition for the first time since 1957-58, Cashmere won the senior women's competition for the fifth year in succession. At their

suvnguM wiry were quite the best teams, but whereas the Cashmere women held the lead throughout, the University men dropped behind. It was only the nature of the competition that allowed their undoubted superiority to be reflected in the final result.

After winning its first four matches very comfortably, University lost three in succession during the va-

cation to finish the first round behind both Edgeware and Cashmere. In many seasons this would have marked the end of the competition except for a play-off between Cashmere and Edgeware, but welcoming the return of its leading players, University was able to win its two matches in the knock-out round easily. The knock-out round added even more interest to what was the most even competitions for some seasons. Only Barrington, was not up to standard and did not win a match; all the rest won four, five or six of their nine fixtures. After the first round the teams were divided into sections, so that some teams met strong teams a second time and others met weak teams. Apart from University at the top and Barrington at the bottom, it would be difficult to place the teams accurately. University’s win was its fourth in 10 seasons. It had to use 11 players this season, and only one of them, C. G. Judge (he played one match this time) was in the 1957-58 team. University’s last winning side. Two others are playing for other clubs—B. J. Shirlaw (Cashmere) and B. Crofts (Edgeware). The main members of the University team, G. A. Davidson. P. S. Alexander

and L. J. Walpole were ranked first, second and fourth in the province ait Christmas so the success is not surprising. The two other mainstays were D. Henderson and R. G. Hastie, who won all four matches he played. Best singles results for all teams were:—

The women’s competition was not nearly as interesting because it was almost a foregone conclusion throughout. There was some excitement when Cashmere was held to a tie of 50 games all in the first round by Fendalton after each had won three matches and the same number of sets. In the second round Fendalton again halved matches with Cashmere, but Cashmere won on sets.

However, at no stage did Cashmere lose its lead. Throughout the five seasons the same five players—Miss J. Davidson, Miss K. Williams, Mrs E. Campbell, Mrs H. Lovegrove and Mrs A. Ryan—have played almost without change. Only one other player, Mrs D. Brightwell, played in one match this time. Mrs Ryan did not play last season and only for the first four matches this season, winning them all.

Cashmere's strength in the last five seasons is understandable when it is known that in that time, Miss Davidson has played 23 singles with one loss—she is unbeaten for four seasons—Miss Williams, 30 with three losses, and Mrs Campbell 30 with five losses. Altogether in her nine seasons of senior club play, Miss Davidson has won 46 of 51 singles and

Fendalton deserves credit for entering the competition in 1930-61 and coming fifth, improving to third last season and to second this season. Mrs L Buxton has won five of seven singles each of the three seasons, Mrs P. Boatwood, six of seven last season, five' of seven this season. Best performance in singles this season were:

P w L G. Davidson . 8 8 0 M. Agar . 9 8 1 w. Lewthwaite . . 8 7 1 B. Aldridge . 9 7 2 L. Walpole . 6 6 0 R McCutcheoh . . 8 8 2 p. Alexander ... . 6 3 1 p. Boatwood ... . 7 5 2 B. Crofts . 7 5 2 L. Watkins . 7 5 2 J. Duggan . 7 5 2 G. Hastie . 4 4 0

P w L Miss D. Smith .... 6 6 0 Miss K. Williams .. « 6 3 Miss J. Davidson .. 5 5 0 Mrs E. Campbell .. 7 5 2 Mrs P. Boatwood .. 7 5 2 Mrs L. Buxton .... 7 5 2 Miss M. McNish .... 7 5 2 Mrs A. Ryan X. 4 0 Miss P. Craythoma « 4 0