NATIONAL TENNIS Canterbury Women Do Better Than The Men

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30338, 14 January 1964, Page 12

NATIONAL TENNIS Canterbury Women Do Better Than The Men

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, January 13. All three Canterbury entrants remained in the field after the first round of the women’s singles at the national tennis championships at Central Park, Wellington, today, but only one of five Canterbury men survived. Two Canterbury players, Miss D. Smith and J. W. Mitchell, took part in matches which were among the best of a comparatively quiet day. No seeded player was beaten and all the seeds who played won in straight sets. The lonely Canterbury man for the second round tomorrow is W. Thom, who had a reasonably comfortable win over C. P. Johnson, of North Shore, 6-3, 6-0, 7-5. Ranked fifth New Zealand junior last year, Johnson was behind Thom in speed of service, accuracy and volleying ability.

One of the other Canterbury men entered, D. H. Greig, did not arrive ait the tournament and his opponent, B. R. Boon, won by default. The others were a little unfortunate in the stature of their opponents. There was a meeting between the champions of the islands, L. A. Gerrard (North) and R. McCutcheon (South). That Gerrard won, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, may be the disappointing indication of the difference in men’s standard from island to island. However, it must be taken into account that McCutcheon is still a junior and Gerrard one of the most experienced players New Zealand has ever had.

Gerrard looks sharp indeed after his Wellington title loss and his North Island title win at Wanganui. He was hitting the ball just as early as usual and McCutcheon’s only points came from some good passing shots on his ground strokes. There was a similar pattern when the fourth-seeded J. E. Robson (Auckland) beat L. W. Watkins (Canterbury), 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. Watkins played some good winners, but he was out-stroked and outmanoeuvred. Cause for Hope Apart from Thom, it was Mitchell who gave some hope for Canterbury men’s tennis. Playing in his first national senior tournament at the age of 15, he impressed greatly again as he has done at each tournament of his northern tour.

Mitchell, a remarkably mature lad for 15, gave last year’s national junior champion, P, Thomson, of' Northland, now aged 19, considerable opposition on his way to a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6,.6-2 win. Mitchell stroked well, he lacked concentration at times, but he emerged with great credit. Miss Smith, the former Rangiora girl now living in Christchurch and only one season out of junior ranks, had a strange match with Miss B. Vercoe, of Auckland, who won the Canterbury under-17 title last January. Miss Vercoe has had considerable success among seniors this season and it appeared for a time as if this might continue against Miss Smith.

When everything Miss Vercoe hit, and she does hit nearly everything, went in

the court, Miss Smith dropped the points by hitting out. Miss Vercoe won the first set, 6-1. It was a very patient Miss Smith who began returning ball for ball in the second set to win it narrowly, 7-5. “I’m sick of messing kround,” said Miss Smith before the third set, and proceeded to win it, 6-0, with pace, attack, and enterprise. That was the game she might have played throughout. The top-seeded woman, Miss J. Davidson (Canterbury), had a bye in the first round, and Miss S. Rich (Canterbury), seeded seventh, beat Miss Mitchell (North ’Shore). 6-4, 6-3. Miss Rich chased the ball wonderfully well. Powerful Player The visiting United States player, E. L. Scott, recently ranked fourth, showed some of his power of service and ground shot when he beat J. S. Taylor (Wellington), 6-1, 6-4, 6-1, but he was very erratic.

Miss R. Bentley, the tall English girl, who is the overseas visitor in the women’s sections, was in devastating form to beat Miss D. Poole (Hutt Valley). 6-1, 6-1. Already the programme has been delayed because heavy rain during the night made the courts unfit for play until after 1 p.m. Even then they were dead and play also suffered from a bitterly cold wind. In the following results abbreviations are: Wellington (W.), Auckland (A.), Northland (N.), Otago (O.), Canterbury (C.), Bay of Plenty (8.P.). North Shore (N.S.), Hutt Valley (H.V.), Waikato (Waik.), Southland (S.), United States (U.S.). Men’s Singles R. G. Clarke (W.) beat K. O'Canoll (N.), 6-2, 6-1, 6-2; D. Simmonds (A.) beat G. M. Elliott (N.), 6-2, 6-1, 6-3; R. N. Hawkes (W.) beat D. Cassidy (N.S.), 6-0, 6-0, 6-2; W. Thom (C.) beat C. Johnson (N.S.), 6-3, 6-0, 7-5; J. E. Robson (A.) beat A. L. Watkins (C.), 6-1. 6-1, 6-1; F. Scarlett (W.) beat R. Potter (A.), 6-1, 7-5, 6-2; N. McAffer (W.) beat J. Smith (S.), 6-2. 6-1, 6-1; E. Scott (U.S.) beat

J. S. Taylor (W.), 6-1, 6-4, 6-1; J. S. Halligan (A.) beat O. Henderson (Walk.), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; P. Thompson (N.) beat J. Mitchell (C.), 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2; C. Ronayne (A.) beat M. J. Christison (W.), 6-0, 8-6, 1-6; B. N. Shute (H.V.) beat A. Mahy (8.P.), 6-3, 7-5, 6-2; B. Young (A.) beat L. M. Kane (H.V.), 6-4, 6-2, 9-7; R. Sandilands (H.V.) beat D. Theyers (A.), 6-3, 6-1, 6-0. Second round: L. A. Gerrard (A.) beat R. McCutcheon (C.). 6-1, 6-1, 6-2; Sandilands beat B. M. O’Connor (W.), 6-1, 6-0, 6-0. Women’s Singles First round: Miss E. Green (N.S.) beat Mrs I. Vause (W.), 6-2, 6-0; Miss L. Raisbeck (A.) beat Mrs E. Wentzel (W.), 7-5, 6-1; Mrs E. Stephan (A.) beat Mrs T McGregor (W.), 6-1, 6-2; Miss J. Glenie (A.) beat Miss J. MacKenzie (W.), 6-1, 6-1; Miss R. Bentley (England) beat Miss D. Poole (H.V.), 6-1, 6-1; Miss J. Hayvice (W.) beat Miss G. Fleming (A.). 6-2, 6-3; Miss S. Rich (C.) beat Miss A. Mitchell (N.S.), 6-4, 6-3; Miss E. Cavaye (H.V.) beat Miss A. Glenie (A.), 6-2, 7-5; Miss S Field (O.) beat Miss L. Smith (A.), 6-2, 6-1; Miss D. Smith (C.) beat Miss B. Vercoe (A.), 1-6, 7-5, 6-0. Mixed Doubles First round: Hawkes and Miss Clement beat Taylor and Miss Poole, 6-1, 6-0; Pascoe and Miss Raisbeck beat Halligan and Miss Smith, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4; Clarke and Miss Green beat Theyers and Miss Fleming, 6-4, 7-5; O’Carroll and Miss O’Carroll beat Young and Mrs Wentzel, 8-6, 6-4; Souter and Miss Davidson beat Stubbs and Miss Mackenzie, 7-5, 6- Scott and Mrs Law beat Simmonds and Miss A. Glenie, 6-2, 6-4; Ferguson and Miss Mitchell beat Henderson and Miss Field, 7- 6-0; Campbell and Miss J. Glenie beat Ogier and Mrs McGregor, 6-4, 6-3; McAffer and Miss Cavaye beat Thom and Miss Smith, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4; Burns and Mrs Robson beat Edge and Mrs Vause, 6-1, 7-5; Becroft and Mrs Stephan beat Potter and Miss Farrell. 6-2, 6-2; Taylor and Miss Bentley beat Thomson and Miss Clarke, 8-6, 4-6, 7-5; Kelly and Miss Hayvice beat Cassidy and Miss Vercoe, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.