Tennis, Hospitality For N.Z. Men

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31661, 23 April 1968, Page 17

Tennis, Hospitality For N.Z. Men

Descriptions of some good play by B. E. Fairlie and himself, of overwhelming hospitality, and of problems with illness, have been given by the New Zealand Davis Cup player, R. N. Hawkes, of Wellington, in letters and postcards to his parents, Mr and Mrs J. R. Hawkes, of Seagrave Place, Christchurch.

After practising In Melbourne with players such as J. Fraser, a noted Wimbledon entrant with his brother, N. A Fraser, several years ago, Hawkes tells of meeting Fairlie in Perth and arriving with him in Mauritius. Hawkes said that he had written to the Mauritian L.T.A. to arrange a practice but when both Fairlie and Hawkes arrived, the practice was changed to an exhibition match.

“They provided pressurised balls, energetic ball boys and a surprising crowd at such small notice. However, Brian and I were very tired after travelling and it was extremely hot and humid. Accordingly our tennis was not good and, after an hour and a half, with the score at 6-6 in the third, and with both of us nearly expiring from the heat, we were saved by a tropical downpour.” Squash Win Hawkes said that in spite of all this the spectators seemed to enjoy the tennis. During the break for the weather, Hawkes, who is also a noted squash player, met the top local player and won without the loss of a point. When the weather cleared. Fairlie and Hawkes played an exhibition doubles with two local players. The Mauritian association showed them round the island and wanted them to stay longer for water ski-ing, skindiving and fishing but the New

Zealanders had to move to Uganda. Hawkes describes how he and Fairlie were the guests of a charming English-edu-cated African couple, Fred and Esther Semazzi, for the days they stayed in Kampala. “Treated like kings,” they had the attentions of four servants for cleaning their shoes, preparing their meals, looking after their rooms and doing their washing. Clay Courts

In the Uganda tournament at the Lugogo stadium on slow, clay courts, Fairlie and Hawkes were in a field with such strong opponents as K. Fletcher, the Australian who now lives in Hong Kong, C. Stubs, the Victorian runnerup in the New Zealand men’s

singles, the Spaniard, J. Couder, and Mrs Margaret Court, formerly Miss M. Smith. Also playing was a New Zealander, R. Greenwood, of Wellington, who now lives in Uganda.

Hawkes became ill in Kampala and could not do himself justice but Fairlie was in good form. Because of rain, the first day of the tournament had to be played indoors on boards and Fairlie, seeded second, showed his ability under pressure by saving five match points against a young Australian, I. Fletcher, before going on to win. Hawkes, able to play the next day but still weak, lost to a young Australian, R. Keldie, who was runner-up in the Australian doubles.

I Fairlie went from strength to strength, beating Couder in a semi-final and then an Australian, A. Stone, in the final. Stone had eliminated K. Fletcher in a semi-final. Hawkes said that Fairlie kept an immaculate length and moved to the net for punishing volleying and smashing to beat Couder, considered one of the best clay court players in Europe Large and enthusiastic crowds, about half Africans, attended throughout the tournament but the organisers would not allow women’s doubles because they felt they had little spectator interest.

Fairlie, Fletcher and Hawkes were interviewed on television on their first night in Kampala and Fletcher was asked some pointed questions about whether he was really an amateur. Hawkes himself attracted interest from the interviewer who wondered how he could be a barrister and solicitor and have become .proficient as a tennis player as well.

Hawkes and Fairlie moved on to Nairobi, Kenya, where they played on slippery clay courts and where Hawkes was again troubled with illness. Fairlie beat Hawkes in a quarter-final and then had the tables turned on him by Couder, who was in turn beaten by Stone before a crowd of about 2000. In the doubles, Fairlie and Hawkes lost to the eventual winners, K. Carpenter (Canada) and B. Geraghty (Australia). Huge Crowds

In the South African championships at Johannesburg, Hawkes found the 6000 ft altitude and the fast courts too difficult and lost to the sixthranked South African, C. Brebner, in three sets at this Wimbledon-like tournament with huge crowds every day. From then his tennis improved. Fairlie and Hawkes won two rounds of doubles before losing to the Australian runners-up, Keldie and Addison.

Hawkes had remarkable success in the mixed. Teamed with Miss A. McAlpine, an average South African player, he beat the American G. Scott, who was in New Zealand in 1964, and Eva Linquist, the Swede in the first round, then a leading South African, G. Forbes and Mrs J Drysdale, his sister, before losing to the Dane, T. Ulrich, and Miss L. Pericoli, of Italy, 64, 4-6, 5-7, after leading 5-3 in the third set. Invitation Declined

Fairlie and Hawkes received an attractive invitation to go to Rhodesia for ■ some Davis Cup-style matches, but Hawkes was already committed to go to Israel. Apart from his descriptions of tournaments, Hawkes tells of the hospitality and the visits to national parks that are among the things that have made the life of a touring amateur so attractive in recent years.

South Africa Wins Test

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) DURBAN. South Africa won the fourth tennis test against Australia, 4-2, levelling the series at one-all after two tests were drawn.

In the latest test, the South African men won both their singles matches as well as the doubles. The Australians won one women’s singles and the women’s doubles. Five tests are still to be played.

R. Hewitt (South Africa) beat T. Addison, 6-0, 6-2; F. McMillan (South Africa) beat R: Keldie, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3: Hewitt and McMillan beat Addison and Keldie, 6-3, 6-4.

Miss M. Godwin (South Africa) beat Miss K. Krantzcke, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Mrs M. Court (Australia) beat Miss P. Walkden, 6-3, 9-7; Mrs Court and Miss Krantzcke beat Misses Godwin and Walkden, 6-3, 6-4. rv