Upsets Feature At Blenheim

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31587, 26 January 1968, Page 17

Upsets Feature At Blenheim

(New Zealand Press Association) BLENHEIM. Unseeded players forcing their way into finals promise to highlight the closing stages of the New Zealand age group tennis championships at Blenheim.

Miss P. Bamford (Canterbury) who was unseeded in the under-15 girls’ section yesterday reached the final after beating Miss I. Johns (Southland, also unseeded) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Miss Johns had earlier beaten the No. 1 seed, Miss I. Ward (Auckland). Miss Bamford caused another first-round upset when she convincingly beat the third seed, Miss G. Russell (Auckland). In the quarter-final of the under-15 boys’ doubles, the first seeds, C. Gunning and

D. Shorter (Auckland) beat the fourth seeds, G. Collins and I. Smith (Southland) after a marathon match. Gunning and Shorter won the first set 15-13, and the second 9-7. D. Walker (Auckland) in the under-17 boys’ singles, played with beautiful control in his semi-final match against S. Menzies (Wellington). Menzies had little luck. His passing volleys often sat on the net and rolled back when he had the court open and his shots deep to the base lines were skimming out. However, the second seeded Walker was in control in the second set, and finished the match at 6-2, 6-0. In the under-17 mixed doubles, the Auckland pair, C. Greendale and Miss C. Edwards, will play off the final with D. Waler (Auckland) and Miss S. Monds (North Shore).