Elmwood Heads Tennis; Two Close Matches

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31234, 5 December 1966, Page 12

Elmwood Heads Tennis; Two Close Matches

Elmwood took a substantial lead in the Christchurch senior men’s tennis competition when it overwhelmed North Linwood at Wilding Park on Saturday without the loss of a match or even a set. With 29 points, Elmwood is 10 ahead of United.

The competition is well behind schedule. It began all right as set down, on October 22, but Saturday’s were the first matches since. November 5 and 19 were both wet and representative matches were played on November 26. Even on Saturday one of the four fixtures, between Beckenham and University, was not played because Beckenham had three of its players in the Canterb u r y Slazenger Shield side.

There was some fascinating tennis on Saturday. The other two contests were just as long and close and that between Elmwood and North Linwood was quick and comfortable. United and Cashmere won three matches each, six sets each, and the result had to be decided on games, Cashmere winning 57-54. Although Woolston beat Edgeware by 4 matches to 2, the result hinged on the last singles, between the top men, which went far into the afternoon after the day had begun at 9.30 a.m. Woolston, winner of the grade for three years in succession, was weakened this season and it lost on the first day when several of the regular members could not play. However, it now looks a formidable team again. After winning both the doubles, Woolston took the first singles too when the experienced M. Agar beat C. Wood, 6-3, 6-3.

Then Edgeware fought back. E. L. Martin had one of his days of devastating form to slash balls all round the court and beat the young former Mid-Can-terbury player, I. Behrnes, with the loss of only two games. When Martin is in that sort of hitting mood, he plays some remarkable shots and nothing seems to go wrong.

On an adjacent court, B. Crofts (Edgeware), showing his usual determination, won the first set, 6-1, from R. Neumann before they battled long and hard for the second. Crofts led, 5- but dropped his service. Neumann led, 6-5, and had set point but lost. So they went on, Neumann serving strongly, Crofts returning some wonderful winners from defensive positions. Neumann had a long reach but sometimes did not get to the ball quickly enough. Crofts sometimes looked as if he was about to collapse but this look had its usual deception and he eventually had the greater stamina for an 11-9 set. Hard Task This left P. Boatwood (Edgeware) with the unenviable task of facing B. J. Aldridge and having to win in straight sets. Boatwood has been in fine form lately and he was given a chance. However, he lost the first set but still battled furiously to go down in three sets in a match lasting two hours and a half. Aldridge won, 6-3. 8-10, 9-7, because he was more consistent at the end. United and Cashmere also had an enthralling tussle and Cashmere must have gone some way to satisfy those who suggested it was the weak entrant. Although United was without two key players, R. McCutcheon and A. L. Blackwell, credit must go to Cashmere for a courageous display. In the top singles R. Minson, back after a period of retirement, gave the young J. Griffiths, promoted to top for United, a difficult task. Minson is a master of the lob and can also smash with considerable force. Griffith still had trouble with his footwork but he played some cross-court drives of merit. He lasted well in another long match. J. Dickie won the second singles for Cashmere when J. Taylor made the greater number of errors and T. Wilson, a newcomer to the Cashmere side, scored well with his victory over the formidable W. G. Lewthwaite. In the other top singles, W. Thom (Elmwood) was stroking cleanly and swiftly to beat P. Angland (North Linwood), 6 2, 6Points are: Elmwood 29. United 19, Woolston 17, Edgeware 16, Cashmere 15, Beckenham 14, University 2, North Linwood 0 University and Beckenham have one match to play. Results:— United v. Cashmere Singles.—J. Griffiths beat R. Minson, 7-5, 6-4; J. Taylor lost

to J. Dickie, 2-6, 3-6; W. G. Lewthwaite lost to T. Wilson, 4- 2-6; R. Van Ysselsteyn beat S. Bullen, 6-3, 6-1. Doubles.—Griffiths and Taylor lost to Dickie and Minson, 1-6, 5- Lewthwaite and Van Ysselsteyn beat Bullen and Wilson, 6- 6-3. Cashmere won by 57 games to 54. Woolston v. Edgeware Singles.—B. J. Aldridge beat P. Boatwood, 3-6, 10-8, 9-7; R. Neumann lost to B. Crofts, 1-6, 9-11; I. Behrnes lost to E. L. Martin, 0-6, 2-6: M. Agar beat C. Wood, 6-3, 6-3. Doubles.—Aldridge and Behrnes beat Boatwood and Martin, 2-6. 6-4, 8-6; Neumann and Agar beat Crofts and Wood, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. Woolston won by 4 matches to 2. Elmwood v. North Linwood Singles.—W. Thom beat P.

Angland, 6-2, 6-3: W. Edgecumbe I beat B. Crawford, 6-0, 6-1; G. jßodley beat R. Watson. 6-3, 6-4: L. Legge beat J. Cullington, 6-3, 8-6. ! Doubles.—Thom and Legge 'beat Watson and Cullington. 6-3, 6-4; Edgecumbe and Rodley beat Crawford and Angland, 6-1, | 6-3. I Elmwood won by 6 matches to 0.