Opawa Wins Winter Tennis Again

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31737, 22 July 1968, Page 12

Opawa Wins Winter Tennis Again

Opawa, which also won the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s winter competition in 1964 and 1966, succeeded again when it beat Beckenham II by 4 matches to 2 in the playoff at Wilding Park yesterday.

Earlier Opawa had won section I, with 74 points, and Beckenham II had won section 11, with 78. In section I, Opawa beat Beckenham I by 5 matches to 1 in the last day of the sectional play. The Opawa side was a strong and experienced one and the younger Beckenham players did well to be even at 1-1 and 2-2, after Opawa had won the women’s doubles and one mixed doubles, and Beckenham had won the men’s doubles and one mixed. However, Opawa was ahead on games at that stage.

Then Opawa won the second two mixed doubles fairly comfortably in failing light. The two sides were equally affected by loss of regular players. Mrs B. Lee was unable to play for Opawa because of illness and Miss S. Moore, the top-ranked national under--15 girl, was missed from the Beckenham team.

Mrs A. Kite was a sound substitute for Mrs Lee in the Opawa team and, although she remained on the baseline, she won her doubles and her two mixed doubles with Hill, easily. Hill was a clever tactician in both his mixed doubles, but he and the young G. Jackson lost their doubles in three sets to R. Tuck and B. Charlesworth.

Tuck played steadily throughout and he was well supported in the mixed by Miss A. Meates who drove hard and low, clipping the baselines. Charlesworth and Miss P. James, the substitute for Miss Moore, lost both their mixed doubles but Charlesworth showed bursts of considerable energy at the net, and Miss James retrieved well.

Mrs C. Jackson and her son, the other Opawa mixed pair, were forced on to the defence by the excellent length of Tuck and Miss Meates, but they showed they were an experienced combination against Charlesworth and Miss James.

One of those who has played in the winter competition for several years said the conditions this year had been bleak throughout. There had been no choice of playing with or against the sun. Opawa v. Beckenham Men’s Doubles.—H. Hill and G. Jackson lost to B. Charlesworth and R. Tuck, 4-6, 6-5, 1-6. Women’s Doubles.—Mesdames C. Jackson and A. Kite beat Misses A. Meates and P. James, 6-3, 6-0. Mixed Doubles.—Hill and Mrs Kite beat Charlesworth and Miss James, 9-1; beat Tuck and Miss Meates, 9-1; Jackson and Mrs Jackson lost to Tuck and Miss Meates, 6-9; beat Charlesworth and Miss James, 9-3. Opawa won by 4 matches to 2.