Tennis Titles To Top Seeds

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31656, 17 April 1968, Page 13

Tennis Titles To Top Seeds

(New Zealand Press Association)

CAMBRIDGE.

Two Aucklanders, D. Simmonds and Miss B. Vercoe, who were the top seeds, won the singles finals in the national hard*court tennis championships at Cambridge yesterday.

Simmonds was in towering form to beat the veteran, J. A. Barry (Waikato), in the men’s final.

title-holder when he partnered H. Broun, also of Auckland, to win the men’s doubles. But they had a hard struggle in the final against I. Beverley and 1. Corbett, the Waikato hard-court champions. Results:

Barry gained an early lead, but Simmonds mounted an attacking game. His forceful passing shots often had Barry in difficulties and several times he volleyed winners from defensive positions. Barry’s serve was not as severe as in earlier games, but his failure to win the final did not detract from his fine performance in winning through earlier rounds after an absence of 10 years from national competition. Speed About Court Miss Vercoe maintained the steady, almost faultless game which had marked her play throughout the tournament, and always held the advantage over Miss P. Rogan (North Shore) in the women’s final. Her quickness and court craft often positioned her for winning shots. Simmonds became a dual

Men's Singles.—Final: D. Simmonds (Auckland) beat J. A. Barry (Waikato), 6-3, 6-3. Women’s Singles.—Final: Miss B. Vercoe (Auckland) beat Miss P. Rogan (North Shore), 6-2, 6-1. Men's Doubles.—Semi-finals: I. Beverley (Auckland) and I. Corbett (Waikato) beat J. Lockington (Auckland) and J. Simpson (North Shore), 6-3, 4-6, 6-3: Simmonds and H. Broun (Auckland) beat F. Schwanner and P. Thomson (Auckland). 6-3, 6-3. Final: Broun and Simmonds beat Beverley and Corbett, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Women s Doubles. —r Final: Miss M. McKegg (Northland) and Miss Rogan beat Miss S. Collins (Southland) and Miss B. Paterson (Waikato), 7-5, 6-2.

Mixed Doubles.—Semi-finals: Thompson and Miss McKegg beat Lockington and Miss J. Bloxham (Bay of Plenty), 6-2, 6- O'Carroll and Miss Rogan beat Broun and Miss Vercoe, 7- 6-4. 6-0 Final: O’Carroll and Miss Rogan beat Thompson and Miss McKegg, 3-6, 6-0, 6-1.