McGhie wins the Auckland title

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33113, 2 January 1973, Page 10

McGhie wins the Auckland title

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND.

The 19-year-old Aucklander, R. McGhie, has won the first round in the tournament circuit battle to deprive A. Parun and R. Hawkes of a place in the 1973 Davis Cup squad.

Yesterday, in the Basssponsored Auckland tennis championships at the Stanley Street courts, McGhie scrambled back from a two-set deficit to defeat Hawkes in the semi-finals, and today, in another five-set match, lie beat Parun for the title. 6 4. 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 7-6. On the previous day, Hawkes, the No. 1 seed, had been pushed to the limit to outlast I. Beverley (Waikato) in a four-hour, five-set quar-ter-final. Then he had another one hour and a half of! doubles, which inevitably! meant that the 32-year-old Wellington lawyer was not! as agile as usual". Nor was he volleying so well. Also, an old injury began ( to play up. Four years ago: he tore the ligaments in his] right elbow, and this eventu-: ally forced him to default m the doubles final in which he and Parun were to meet Beverley and the Australian, R. Rheinberger. McGhie was more impressive in his defeat of Parun, and there was little between the two. The 12-point tiebreaker decided the fifth set and the match but he was a little lucky at times. In the women’s singles final, the Wellington 20-yet rold, Miss Pryde, beat the heavy-hitting American, Miss Bostrom, 7-6, 6-2. Results:— Men’s Singles.—Quarter-finals: Hawke’s beat Beverley, 6-3, 6-7. 3-6, 7-5, 7-6: McGhie beat G. Oliver. 7-6. 6-4, 7-6; P. Thomson beat J Ross 6-2, 6-2, 6-4; A. Parun beat Becraft. 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Semi-finals: McGhie beat Hawkes. 3-6. 2-6. 6-2. 6-4, 6-3: Parun beat Thomson, 6-4. 6-4, 6-4. Final: McGhie beat Parun, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6. 3-6. 7-6. Women’s singles.—Miss Pryde beat Miss J. Connor, 6-2. 6-4: Miss Bostrom beat Miss B. Vercoe, 6-3. .6-3. Final: Miss Pryde beat Miss Bostrom, 7-6, 6-2. Men’s doubles. —Quarter-finals: Beverley and Rheinberger beat H. Fickentscher (West Germany) and A. Mahy. 6-3, 6-3; D. Simmonds (Wellington) and C. Green-i

dale beat McGhie and Thomson, 7-6, 7-6; Ross and D. Turner beat W. Watson (Wellington) and P. Smith. 6-0, 6-2; Hawkes and Parun beat D Shaw and G. Eliott, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Semi-finals: Beverley and Rheinberger beat Simmonds and Greendale, 7-6, 7-6; Hawkes and Parun beat Ross and Turner, 6-3, 6-4, Final: Beverley and Rheinberger won by default.

Women’s doubles.—Semi-finals: Misses J. Fraser and Vercoe heat Misses E. Stephan and B. Ward, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; Misses J. Connor and J. Amer beat Misses Pryde (Wellington) and P. O’Carroll (Northland). 6-4, 6-1. Final: Misses Fraser and Vercoe beat Misses Connor and Amer, 2-6, 6-3. 6-2.