Men’s, Women’s Tennis Teams Play Nelson

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30603, 20 November 1964, Page 17

Men’s, Women’s Tennis Teams Play Nelson

,x* ai ?terb ur y men s and women’s tennis teams will tomorrow begin their quests for the interprovincaal trophies—the Wilding Shield and iXunneiey Casket—run this season under a new svstem.

In recent years, Canterbury and the South Island association have taken little part in these competitions. They have been conducted on a challenge basis and have been dominated by Auckland. When the cost of travelling the furthest distance has been weighed against the likelihood of success Canterbury challenges have seldom been worth-while. Now the competitions have been changed to a zonal system, the outlook has changed. At least Canterbury has the chance of wins before it would face the holders. Men At Nelson Its first chance comes tomorrow when the teams will meet Nelson in the South Island northern zone, the men at Nelson, the women at Wilding Park. The teams are:— Wilding Shield.—Canterbury.—W. Thom, B. Aldridge, M. Agar, B. Crofts. Nelson.— L. Goodall, P. Steinmetz, G. Scott, M. Riddell, Nunneley Casket.—Canterbury.—Misses D. Smith, S. Field, C. Andrew, J. Hatch. Nelson.—Mrs J. Hanna, Misses C. Addis, J. Heslop, J. Anderson. Stronger Teams Canterbury should be able to win both contests. I .a ct season a Canterbury subassociations’ representative side lost to Nelson but the Canterbury teams tomorrow will be considerably stronger and Nelson seems to have lost some of its leading play-

ers, especially among the women. Mrs L. Fitzgerald, formerly Miss L. Luxton, of Christchurch and nationally ranked, Miss J. Shanahan, Mesdames J. Goodall, B. Buckton and A. Ingrish were all members of last season’s Nelson teams not available now. The women are led by another former Christchurch player, Mrs Hanna, formerly Miss J. Cusdin, top for Shirley, a Canterbury representative and winner of the 1962 Labour week-end tournament. Miss Addis has been prominent in some Christchurch junior tournaments. Goodall, a player with strong ground shots and good court coverage, heads the Nelson men, but he will meet Thom and Aldridge fit and with considerable variety In their play. Player Missing Steinmetz is also a former Christchurch player who has spent the last few seasons in

Blenheim and has now shifted to Nelson. Steinmetz has a strong service and he played well for Marlborough against Canterbury last season. Canterbury has selected almost its strongest teams according to its latest rankings but a few leading players are not yet available. Mrs Davy, formerly Miss R. Morrison, has an engagement elsewhere this week-end but she should strengthen the side for later games. Players like G. Davidson and C. G. Judge may also be available for the men’s team later. In the South Island southern zone of the trophies, Otago will meet North Otago and if the Otago teams win, as they are expected to, and the Canterbury teams win, they would meet in Christchurch on December 12 to find the South Island winners to challenge the holders. Auckland holds the Wilding Shield and Waikato, the Nunneley Casket.