Foster And Mrs Traill Win Championships

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31772, 31 August 1968, Page 14

Foster And Mrs Traill Win Championships

.J he 7? p se !? s ’ B ’ Foster (Otago) and Mrs N. Traill (Northland) won the men s and women’s singles titles at the New Zealand table tennis championships at Cowles Stadium last evening, but not before both appeared in danger of being upset.

Mrs Traill equalled the record of Miss M. M. Hoar (Auckland) when she beat the 17-year-old Miss Y. M. Fogarty (Otago), 2114, 21-14, 19-21, 21-18 to win the title for the seventh time. Foster won for the second time when he beat another former title-holder, A. R Tomlinson (Auckland), 21-18, 21-13, 9-21, 21-19. Foster is only the second player to win the North Island, South Island and na tional singles titles in the i same year. R. V. Jackson I (Auckland) accomplished this feat in 1955.

Foster won the first two men s singles final games fairly comfortably, but Tomlinson, hitting with more authority, forced him away from the table to take the third. It seemed that Tomlinson’s lead of 18-13 would force the fourth match to five games. Foster, determined to avoid this after a strenuous week's play, rallied to take the next six points and lead 19-18. Tomlinson won the next rally, but Foster took the next two points with some difficulty to capture the title he won for the first time In Christchurch In 1968.

Exciting Match The women's singles final was the most exciting of the evening. Mrs Traill had not lost a game all week. Her play, as In the first two games of the final, was a model of consistency and Miss Fogarty, who was seeded NO. 5. suddenly found the confidence to use her loop drive and forehand smash to the full

Mrs Traill led 1843 in the third game and her usual calm attitude made it appear that she would have a comfortable threegame victory. Then Miss Fogarty began hitting with success. The pair became level at 18-all and for the first time Mrs Traill looked a little ruffled. She lost the game and almost her confidence with it. She quickly became 17-12 down tn the fourtl

game after the had the misfortune to see three of four re<rom Mi6s F »B»riy hit the eage. Then the great experience of Mrs Traill began to tell. Miss Fogarty became tense and she reverted to her pushing game Instead of continuing to carrv the fight. Mrs Traill won th? next five points and after ios. mg one, the last four points to take the title tor the P seventh Win Deserved The unseeded pair of Mrs Tram and Miss C M. OCarroll (Northland! deservedly beat the fourth seeds Misses V. M. and finai’n, F ?^ rty In the final of the women's doubles In a lack-lustre match, Foster and Tomlinson beat T. J. and K. T. O Carroll (Northland) I

21-15. 21-13. 21-15 In the final of the men’, doublet. Result,.— singlet.—semi-finals: B. A. Foster (0.) beat C. J. Jennings (A ), 21-n. 21-18, 21-10: A. R. Tomlinson (A.) beat T. J. O’Car. roll (N.), 21-10, 21-10, 2119. Final: Foiter beat Tomlinson, 21-18, 21-13, 9-21. 21-10. Doubles.—Final: Foster and Tomlinson beat T. J. O’Carroll and K. T. O Carroll (N.), 2115, 21-13, 21-18. WOHEN Singlei.—-Final; Mias N. Traill (N.) beat Miss Y. M. Fogarty (0.), 2114, 21-14, 19-21, 21-18. Doubles.—Final: Mrt Traill and Miss C. M. O’Carroll (N.) beat Misses Y. M. and M. J. FogI arty, 19-21, 21-19, 13-21. 21-15, 121-15.