Junior Titles To Auckland

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31583, 22 January 1968, Page 9

Junior Titles To Auckland

Both Canterbury under-17 singles titles went to Auckland players when the Canterbury junior lawn tennis championships concluded at Wilding Park on Saturday. P. Gunning (Auckland) and Miss S. Monds (North Shore) outplayed their opponents to justify their first seeding and take the titles. L. Smith (Southland) won the under-15 boys' singles final and Canterbury’s only success outside the under-13 events was in the under-15 girls' singles. Gunning proved too steady and too powerful for R. Webster (Canterbury) in their first set, but had a few shocks before winning the second.

The tall Webster, whose net play could not match that of Gunning, began to pass Gunning with a series of superb backhands. He took a game from Gunning but lost his own service twice. A lucklustre girls’ final was enlivened by a firm forehand by Miss S. Monds, who had little

trouble with Miss A. Hodgson (Waikato). Smith had too many shots for his fellow Southlander, T. Wilson, although the game was closer than the 6-2, 6-0 score may suggest. Wilson is younger and far less experienced than Smith, who had a strong overhead game. Miss S. Moore (Canterbury) won a good match against Miss P. Bamford (Canterbury) in the under-15 girls* singles final. Both players had good ground strokes and drove the ball hard. The under-13 boys’ singles final provided one of the best matches of the day. Two Canterbury boys fought a long duel, made unusual because they were both left-handed. N. Blackburn, who had some excellent shots and a good sense of tactics, eventually won in three sets but P. Davey contested every point and came from behind to win the second set. The best doubles match was that played by Gunning and the diminutive K. Lewis (Canterbury) against the Canterbury pair, A. Dillon and G. Clifford. Gunning and Lewis dominated the net to win the first set 6-2 but were lobbed and passed so successfully that they lost the second 1-6. The third set was very even until Clifford lost his

concentration and made a succession of errors. Abbreviations for the following results are: N. 0.-, North Otago; N.S. North Shore; C., Canterbury; 0., Otago; A., Auckland; Walk., Waikato; N. Nelson; S., Southland. Results were:— UNDER 17 Boys’ Singles Final.—P. Gunning (A.) beat R. Webster (C.), 6-3, 6-4. Boys* Doubles Final.—Gunning and K. Lewis (C.) beat N. Dillon (C.) and G Clifford (C.), 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. Girls' Singles Final.—S. Monds (N.S.) beat AHodgson (Walk.), 6-4, 6-3. Girls' Doubles Final.—A. Hodgson (Walk.) and C. Ritchie (Walk.) beat S. Monds (N.S.) and S. Stirling (S.), 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Mixed Doubles Final. —R. Webster (C.) and S. Stirling (S.) beat R. Adams (C.) and S. Monds (N.S.), 6-1 8 6 - UHDBR 15 Boys* Singles Final.—L. Smith (S.) beat T Wilson (S.). 6-2, 6-0. Boys* Doubles Semi-final. D. Mitchell

and P. Mathewson (C.) beat T Mooney (C.) and K. Schroeder (C.), 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Final. —Mitchell and Matthew son beat R. Wood (N. 0. and K Fahy (S.), 11-9, 1-6, 6-4. Girls* Singles Semi-final.—P. Bamford (C.) beat R. Tayles (S.), 8-6, 4-6, 8-6. Final.—S. Moore (C.) beat Bamford, 6-2, 6-1. Girls' Doubles Final.—E. Coe (C.) and G. Skilling (C.) beat P. Bamford (C.) and E. Dunne (C.), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Mixed Doubles Semi-final.—L. Smith (S.) and A. Meates (C.) beat L. Johns (S.) and K. Fahey (S.), 6-1, 6-8 6-3. Final.—T. Mooney (C.) and S. Moore (0.C.) beat Smith and Meates, 6-3, 6-3. UNDER IS Boys' Singles Final.—N. Blackburn (C.) beat P. Davey (C.), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Boys* Doubles Final.— A. James (C.) and B Sanders (C.) beat P. Davey (C.) and N. Blackburn (C.), 6-1. 6-4 Mixed Doubles Final.—L. Proctor (S.) and L Milne (S.) beat N. Blackburn (C.), and P. Smitheran (C.), 6-3 6-0.