Women's Senior Tennis Struggling

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30901, 6 November 1965, Page 11

Women's Senior Tennis Struggling

VOR several years eight teams appeared each season in the senior women’s inter-club tennis competition; then there were six, five, and now only four.

Last season’s four teams were Avonside, Shirley, United and Cashmere but this season United and Cashmere have dropped out, to be replaced by Edgeware and Elmwood. The situation gives little cause for rejoicing. In some ways it is tragic. In the early 1950’s United had two teams in the women’s competition, both strong. Its withdrawal, to add to the relegation of its senior men’s team, means that this fine old club with its magnificent grass courts has no senior team. The women of required standard were just not to be found. Miss S. Rich is overseas, Miss C. Andrew was not available.

More startling is the demise of Cashmere. Before last season it had won the competition for five years tn succession but when it lost Miss J. Davidson, Mrs E. Campbell and Miss K. Williams last season it finished bottom and now it is out altogether. Avonside and Shirley have managed to retain some semblance of continuity and the two new teams have a predominance of young players whose presence should certainly not lesson the interest left in the competition. However, standing out like a giant in spite of her diminutive sire is the New Zealand women’s champion, Mrs R. Davy, at the head of the Avonside team. She will not gain a great deal from the competition to prepare her for the tournament season. The teams are:—

Avonside. Mrs Davy leads Misses L. Pledger, A. Woods and Mrs B. McNicol. The steady and experienced Miss S. Field has been lost but the rest played last season. Miss Woods has lost

only two club matches In two seasons and Mrs Davy, of course, won all her six matches last season. Tournaments may cause her to miss a few days. Shirley.—Miss D. Smith and Miss J. Hatch are entered again but Mrs R. Keppel, who won eight out of nine singles last season.

has not been named. The other two members are Mrs B. Leopold, formerly Miss B. Blackburn, a sound player when she last took part, and Miss B. Rylie. Edgeware.—The team is headed by Miss Field, who lost only one singles last season for Avonside. It has also Miss L. Watson, a determined player of last season’s United team and a young trio of J. Habgood, R. Dillon and R. Waites. Miss Dillon was a quarter-finalist in the national under-15 championship in January and is ranked third on the national under-15 list.

Elmwood.—Another young team of Misses J. Bishop, L. Wood, R. Legge and A. Lawrence. Miss Bishop, the province’s top girl, was runner-up for the New Zealand under-17 singles in January, winner of the doubles and is second on the national under-17 list. Miss Legge won the Canterbury hardcourt junior singles in August. Today in the first round at Wilding Park the two new teams. Edgeware and Elmwood, will meet and Avonside will play Shirley.