U.S. Opponent Likely For Robson In Tennis Titles

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30337, 13 January 1964, Page 13

U.S. Opponent Likely For Robson In Tennis Titles

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, January 12. If play in the national lawn tennis championships goes according to assessment, the visiting United States Davis Cup player, E. L. Scott, should meet the three-times New Zealand champion, J. E. Robson, in a quarterfinal. As a late entry, Scott was not seeded. When the tournament begins at Central Park, Wellington, tomorrow, he will meet J. S. Taylor (Wellington). After that his opponents are likely to be the outstanding Wellington junior, N. C. McAffer, and the eighth-seeded F. Scarlett (Wellington) before Robson, seeded fourth.

By the seeding the other quarter-finals should R. G. Clarke (2) v. R. N. Hawkes (5) R. Wong (7) v. J. B. Souter (3); and A. S. Burns (6) v. L. A. Gerrard (1).

To get to the quarter-finals, Clarke, last year’s runnerup, may have to meet the experienced P. Becroft, once ranked fourth in New Zealand. Hawkes may receive his strongest opposition from the Auckland, D. G. Campbell, who caused a sensation in the first round last year when he held a match point against Clarke but lost it on a disputed line call. Souter’s third-round opponent may be the 1963 national junior champion, P. Thomson, of Northland, and Gerrard could be given his difficulties by the leading Hutt Valley player, R. S. Sandilands, who has been playing well in Wellington this season.

Canterbury men have not fared well in the draw. In the first round R. McCutcheon will meet Gerrard, the 15-year-old J. Mitchell - will play Thomson, L. W. Watkins will meet Robson, and D. Greig will play an experienced Wellington man, B. R. Boon. W. Thom, who is drawn against a young North Shore player, C. Johnson, has the best chance of survival. The visitor in the women’s singles, Miss R. Bentley, of Britain, was also unseeded because of a late entry but she has a seeded player’s place in the draw because of the withdrawal of Miss M. A. Smith, seeded fifth. By the seedings, the quarter-finals should be Miss E. Green (2) v. Mrs E. F. Stephan (8); Miss J. Glenie v. Miss Bentley; Miss S. Rich (7) v. Miss E .Terry (4); and Miss S. Clement (6) v. Miss J. Davidson (1). The bottom half of the draw has some interesting possibilities. In the first round Miss B. Vercoe, who has had a fine record in Auckland this season, will meet Miss D. Smith, of Canterbury. Miss Smith has also been playing well and has beaten Miss Rich twice to be ranked second in the province to Miss Rich’s third.

The winner will play Miss Terry, whom Miss Vercoe beat earlier in the season and from whom Miss Smith took the first set in the Canterbury championships. Abbreviations used in the draws and seedings are:—Auckland (Auck.), Wellington (Wn.), Waikato (Waik.), Hutt Valley (H.V.), North Shore (N.S.), Canterbury (Cant.). The seedings are:— Men’s Singles.—l, L. A. Gerrard (Auck.); 2, R. G. Clarke (Wn.); 3, J. B. Souter (Wn.); 4, J. E. Robson (Auck.); 5, R. N. Hawkes (Wn.); 6, A. S. Burns (Auck.); 7, R. Wong (Auck.); 8, F. Scarlett (Wn.). Women’s singles.—l, Miss J. Davidson (Cant.): 2, Miss E. Green (NS.); 3, Miss J. Glenie (Auck.); 4, Miss E. Terry 5, Miss M. A. Smith (Auck); (Waik.); 5, Miss M. A. Smith (Auck.), since withdrawn: 6. Miss S. Clement (N.S.); 7, Miss S. Rich (Cant.); 8, Mrs E. F. Stephan (Auck.). Men’s Doules—l. Burns and Robson; 2, Souter and Clarke; 3, Gerrard and J. S. Halligan (Auck); 4, Hawkes and B. Young (Auck.). Women’s Doubles. —1, Misses Davidson and Green; 2, Misses Clement and Terry; 3, Misses .J. Glenie and A. Glenie; 4.

Misses Rich and P. O'Carroll (Northland). Mixed Doubles.—l. E. Scott (U.S.) and Mrs M. Law (Wn.); 2. Gerrard and Miss Terry; 3. Clarke and Miss Green; 4. Burns and Mrs J. E. Robson (Auck.); 5, Souter and Miss Davidson; 6, Hawkes and Miss Clement; 7, B. Taylor (Wn.) and Miss R. Bentley (England); 8. D. Campbell (Auck.) and Miss J. Glenie. The singles draws are:— Men’s Singles

R. G. Clarke (Wn.) v. K. O'Carroll (Northland); J. Ferguson (Auck.), bye; D. Simmonds (Auck.) v. G. M. Elliott (Northland): P. Beecroft (Auck.), bye; R. N. Hawkes (Wn.) v. D. Cassidy (N.S.); D. H. Ogier (Wanganui), bye; C. Johnson (N.S.) v. W. Thom (Cant.); D. Campbell (Auck.), bye; J. E. Robson (Auck.) v. L. W. Watkins (Cant..); C. Pascoe (Auck.), bye; B. R. Boon (Wn.) v. D. H. Greig (Cant.); P. Kelly (Mana.), a bye; F. Scarlett (Wn.) v. R. Potter (Auck.): D. Hawkes (Wn.). bye; N. C. McAffer (Wn.) v. J. Smith (Southland); J. S. Taylor (Wn.) v. E. L. Scott (United States). J. S. Halligan (Auck.) v. O. Henderson (Waik.); B. P. Taylor (Wn.), bye; G. Edge (Waik.) v. J. Borough (Auck.); R. Wong

(Auck). bye; J. Mitchell (Cant) v. P. Thomson (Northland); B. Dibley (Auck). bye; M. J. Chnstison (Wn.) v. C. Ronayne (Auck.); J. B. Souter (Wn.). ye; B. N. Shute (H.V.) v. A Mahy (Bay of P.); V. Stubbs (Wn.), bye: B. Young (Auck ) v. L. M. Kane (H V): A. S. Burns (Auck.). bye: D. Theyers (Auck.) v. R. Sandilands (H.V ); B. M. O’Conner (H.V.), R. McCutcheon (Cant.), L. A. Gerrard (Auck.), byes.

Women's Singles Miss E. Green (N.S.) v. Mrs I. Vause (Wn.): Mrs E. Wentzel (Wn.) v. Miss L. Raisbcck (Auck.); Mrs E. Stephan (Auck.) v. Mrs T. McGregor (Wn.); Miss H. S. Clarke (Wn ). bye; Miss J. Glenie (Auck.) v. Miss J. McKenzie (Wn.);' Miss L. M. Farrell (H. 8. bye; Miss R. Bentley (England) v. Miss D. Poole (H.V.); Miss P. O’Carroll (Northland), bye. Miss J. Hayvice (Wn.) v. Miss C. W. Fleming (Auck ); Miss A. Mitchell (N.S.) v. Miss S. Rich (Cant.); Miss B. Vercoe (Auck ) v. Miss D. A. Smith (Cant.); Miss E. Terry (Waik.), bye: Miss E. Cavaye (H.V.) v. Miss A. Glenie (Auck.); Miss S. Clement (N.S.), bye; Miss S. Field (Otago) v. Miss L. Smith (Auck.); Miss J. Davidson (Cant.), bye.