NEW YEAR PROBLEM

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31235, 6 December 1966, Page 21

NEW YEAR PROBLEM

Dates Gash In Tennis "The Press’ 1 Special Service AUCKLAND. The clashing dates of the North Island tennis championships at Lower Hutt and the South Island championships at Nelson over the New Year period have given the N.Z.L.T.A. an unforseen headache.

The two English ranked players, M. Cox and G. Stilwell, want to come to New Zealand at this time. The association now has to decide which tournament they will play in, and where they will send the young New Zealand Davis Cup team. The association's problem has been accentuated by the choice of tournaments submitteed by New Zealand’s top players. The older, more experienced player, led by Wellington’s J. B. Souter, H. N. Hawkes, and R. G. Clarke, have chosen Nelson, and the younger set wish to play at Hutt Valley. Without the news that Cox and Stilwell would be available, the Nelson association asked for B. Fairlie, O. Parum, K. Woolcott, and J. Mitchell, and it was thought that probably Parun and Woolcott would go to Nelson. This has all changed now. The N.Z.L.T.A. has two alternatives. It can send the lot to Nelson and make the South Island championships virtually a second national championship, leaving the Hutt tournament with limited chances of success, or it can split the Davis Cup team up, to bring more life to the North Island championships.

The executive was unable to make up its mind one way or the other. Before deciding, however, it will confer with Cox and Stilwell, and the Nelson, Hutt Valley and Wellington associations.

Wellington is being offered the chance of having Cox and Stilwell, as well as the Davis Cup team, for the Wellington championships on December 26-31.