LAWN TENNIS Leaders Beaten In Senior Men’s Matches

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 15

LAWN TENNIS Leaders Beaten In Senior Men’s Matches

The sixth round of matches has left the Christchurch senior men’s lawn tennis competition in a highly interesting position. Woolston (73 points), the leader, and Edgeware (61), second, were both beaten. Edgeware had also been beaten in the previous round which had put it behind Woolston then.

Woolsbon’s defeat did not wrest the lead from it but it allowed United, which has also had only the one loss, to join it Responsible tor Wooteton’s hiuniliartnon was Elmwood, which won by four matches to two to share third place equal with Bdgeware. The new team in the compebitioin, the young Beckenham aide, beat Edgeware by four matches to two when the contest was played earlier in the week by mutual amrangemenit

because some players were not available on Saturday. In the other fixtures, United beat Cashmere by five matches to one and North Linwood beat University by tour matches to two. It was North Linwood’s first win for the season. The points, on the basis of 10 far a win and one each for each individual match, are: Woolston 75, United 75, Edgeware 63, Elmwood 63, Beckenham 61, North Linwood 20, University 18, Cashmere 8. Next Saturday In next Saturday’s matches, which will complete a series of seven, the round postponed from December 21 will be played. It has the important meetings of Woolston and Edgeware, United and Beckenham. A number of teams have suffered from absentees in the second part of the season and Edgeware, especially, is missing B. Baxter, who was its top man before Christmas but who will not play again this season because of a leg .injury. However, in the other noteworthy result both Woolston and Elmwood were at full strength. Elmwood was too strong at the top when its leading pair, W. Thom. who played well at the national championships, and L. W. Watkins, won their doubles and their singles. The Thom-Aldridge singles had a surprising score when Thom took the first set, 6-0, lost the second, 10-12, and won the third, 6-1. Thom, served, smashed and moved round the court well' and he waa matched by. Aldridge’s determination in the second set only. • Watkins had a creditable win over the consistent M. Agar, 7-5, 6-3, .and C. A. Poiliitt won the fourth singles for Elmwood. G. G.

Ford won the only singles for Woolston. The leading players for Beckenham, A. Brooks and J. Mitchell, both juniors, also won their singles. Brooks beat E L. Martin in three sets and the 15-year-dd Mitchell continued his fine form of recent tournaments when he beat B. W. Crofts, 6-2, 6-3. Other good wins in singles were gained by B. J, Shirlaw (Cashmere) who beat R v McCutcheon (United), who is ranked above him, and J. S Taylor (University), who beat B. R. Crawford (North lanwood). Taylor, a former Wellington player now teaching in Christchurch, and who has played here before, was at top for University which has now had to call on 14 players for the season. Far Ahead

Cashmere is far ahead of its opponents in the women’s competition. On Saturday it beat its nearest rival, Avonside, by five matches to one. The other contest was more interesting when United, which lost to Fendalton, six sets to seven, when they met before, tamed the tables markedly and won by six matches to nil. Fendalton was without Miss J. McKain and Mrs L. Buxton.

Canterbury’s leading woman. Miss J. Davidson, runner-up for the recent national championship, beat Mrs D. McKtonel (Avonsdde), 6-0, 6-4, but she had periods when she was a little unnerved by Mrs McKinnel’s consistent returning. Eventually Miss Davidson’s beautiful strokes and her pace were too much. Miss A. Woods won the only point for Avonside when she was much more accurate than Miss P. McLean, and won, 6-4, 6-1. In the other top singles, Miss S. Rich (United) beat Mins P. Boatwood (Feridalton), 6-4, 6-3. Miss Rich stroked the ball well but Mrs Boatwood gave some very strong opposition in patches when she went into the net for volleys.. Women’s paints are: Cashmere 75, Avonside 34, Shirley 30, Fendalton 28, United 24. Avonside and Shirley have had two byes, Cashmere and Fendalton a bye each, and United has not had a bye.

Results:— SENIOB MIN United v. Csshmere . S1 "« 1 * s --T?. McCutcheon lost to B. J, Shlriaw. 6-8 6-2 5-7; W. G. Lewthwaite beat J. Betteridge, 6-3 6-4; R. Van Yaselsteyn beat I. D. Armstrong, 4-6. 9-7. 6-2; J. Brebner beat S. Bullen 6-1. 8-6. Doubles.—McCutcheon and Lewthwaite beat Shirlaw and Betterjdge_ 6-3, 3-6, 6-1; Brebner and Van Ysselsteyn beat Armstrong and Bullen, by default. United won by 5 matches to 1. University ▼. North Linwood Singles.—-J. S. Taylor beat B. R. Crawfonf 3-6 6-4, 6-3; B. R. Judge beat J. Martin, 8-6, 6-3; D. D. M. Stewart lost to R. Payne. 2-6. 0-6; B. Carter lost to R. Bruce 2-6, 6-8. Doubles.—Taylor and Judge lost to Crawford and Martin, 0-6 6-3 3-6; Stewart and Carter lost to Payne and Bruce, 1- 6-2 3-6. North Linwood won by 4 matches to 2. Elmwood v. Woolston Singles.—W. Thom beat B. J. Aldridge, 6-0. 10-12, 6-1; L. W. Watkins beat M. Agar, 7-5, 6-3; J. W. Duggan lost to G. G. Ford, 4-6, 12-10. 9-11; C. A. Polliti beat V. Price 6-3, 6-1. Doubles.—Watkins' and Thom beat Aldridge and Ford. 8-6, 6- Duggan and Pollitt lost to Agar and Price, 6-8, 2-6. Elmwood won by 4 matches to 2. Edgeware v. Beekenham Singles.—E. L. Martin lost to A. Brooks, 6-4. 2-6. 4-6; B. Crofts lost to J. Mitchell 3-6, 3.6; P. Boatwood beat G. Freear, 7- 6-2;. A. Gowans lost to R. Blunt. 9-11, 0-6. Doubles.—Martin and Boatwood beat Brooks and Mitchell, 6-4, 6-2; Crofts and Gowans lost to Blunt and Freear. 3-6. 6-2, 2Beckenham won by 4 matches to 2. SENIOR WOMEN United v. Fendalton ' Singles.—Miss S. Rich beat Mr s P. Boatwood, 6-4, 6-3: Miss C. Andrew beat Mias M, A. McNlsh. 6-2, 6-3; Miss D. Hopping beat Miss D. Newton, 6-3, 6-1; Miss L. Watson beat Miss S. Mackay 5-7. 7-5, 6-1. Doubles.—Misses Rich and Andrews beat Mrs Boatwood and Miss McNish, 6-2, 6-3; Misses Hopping and Watson beat Misses Newton and Mackay, 6-2, 6-o. ; United won by 6 matches to 0. Cashmere v. Avonside Singles.—Mias 3. Davidson beat Mrs D. McKinnel, 6-0, 6-4; Mrs E. Campbell beat Miss.L. Pledger. 6-4, 6-1; Miss P. McLean lost to Miss A. Woods, 4-6, 1-6; Mrs H. Lovegrove beat Mrs D. Macdonald. 6-0, 6-0. Doubles.—Misses Davidson and McLean beat Mrs McKinnel and Miss Pledger, 6-3, 6-3; Mesdames Campbell and Lovegrove beat Miss Woods and Mrs Macdonald. 6-0, 6-2. Cashmere won by 5 matches to 1.