Lockington finding success great embarrassment

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33128, 19 January 1973, Page 20

Lockington finding success great embarrassment

(By

A. M. MENZIES)

A New Zealand tennis selector has embarrassed himself. J. H. Lockington, of Auckland, will not need to consider his prospects for this year’s Davis Cup team, but a team of four men and four women will go to Australia next month, and Lockington has reached the men’s singles semi-finals in the BP national championships.

Eight overseas players and eight New Zealanders were seeded, but Lockington was not among them.

Yesterday, he beat the second-seeded New Zealander, P. Thomson (Auckland), 7-6, 3-6,1-6, 7-5, 6-2, to reach the last four. Lockington’s situation was remarkable. As a selector and member of the national association's junior advisory committee, Lockington had booked a plane to Wanganui yesterday afternoon to watch age-group championships. The selectors have already been criticised this season for not being on the spot. Apart from that, on Wed-

nesday evening he had his tennis clothes in a distinctive sports bag taken from the back of a car, of which a door was forced. His rackets were left. He borrowed clothes for yesterday’s match.

Aged 33, Lockington was first ranked nationally in 1960 at ninth, and his highest placing was third in 1967, but he could not remember after his match yesterday whether he had reached the national semi-finals before.

A chemist by occupation, he felt the need of some of his own medicine in the first set against Thomson when the sun affected him and he kept pulling up the collar of his shirt to protect his neck.

Winning stroke He struggled through that set to a tie-break mainly because his forehand, punched decisively, was frequently a point winner — and he won tlie tie-break, 7-2. Thomson, who has wristy shots and a lot of slice, won the next two sets comfortably, 6-3, 6-1, and it looked as if Lockington would be able to keep his commitments at Wanganui. He came off for the break,

down one set to two, and received a telegram from a former chairman of the national management committee, Mr S. Painter, from Hanmer Springs, who had obviously heard the result of the first set: “Well done. Are you available for ladies’ team for Australia.” Spurred by this insult. Lockington won the fourth set, 7-5, and the fifth, 6-2.

Made own pace

He was not serving particularly well but he continued to hit his forehand strongly,’ and managed to slow the pace to suit him. Thomson deteriorated towards the end and could do little right. ft was a fine win for a man who is not considered the force now that he once was in New Zealand tennis. But there was a boot on the other foot.

Last week. Lockington, as manager of the boys’ national development squad, sat behind the court nervously following every shot his top team member, R. Simpson, played. Yesterday. Simpson was able to sit back and analyse Lockington’s game.

Change of court If the Lockington-Thomson result was the most significant of the day. the spectators certainly did not think it was the most interesting match. In the day’s schedule, Miss E. Goolagong and the Frenchwoman, Miss N. Fuchs, were to have played on court one after the LockingtonThomson match. However, the women’s fixture was announced for court two and the crowd, which was closely congregated to one side, suddenly moved, and Lockington and Thomson could do little but wait for the exodus to end. Lockington and Thomson would not begrudge the crowd the delightful strokes it was treated to from Miss Goolagong. She beat Miss Fuchs, 6-3, 6-0, and made everything look so easy.

Little to fault She lost points when she was pressed deep in the back hand corner, because the topspin backhand she played from there was sometimes not lifted enough to go over. But she player beautifully apart from that. She was very quick in the change of direction, she dipped her service into the court without putting any effort into it, she slammed passing shots down the line or across court, and she obtained a quite remarkable angle when close to the net. Her most thrilling shot was the half-volley from half-court or closer, over which she had complete control. Miss Fuchs who like Lockington, was booked out on a plane, had seme good moments but she had no answer to the all-court game of a former Winbledon champion.

Sporting gesture Miss Goolagong made another appearance yesterday when she and her mixed doubles partner, K Warwick

I —they were Wimbledon (finalists last year—beat two |young Australians. R. Casey ■and Miss D. Fromhoitz. 6-1 (6-2. | Casey, who has shown (himself to be a fine sportsman. had to default a men’s doubles because of an ankle injury, but he said he would not default the mixed doubles because he knew how much people wanted to see Miss Goolagong. The other men’s semifinalist found yesterday was the West German, H. Plotz, one of the best clay-court players in Europe. Plotz beat the top New Zealand seed, A. Parun (Wellington), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1. by his touch play and quick reaction. His service is not particularly strong but after that he places so well that opponents 'are deceived.

Quarter-final draw . Today, Warwick will meet the New Zealander, R. McGhie, to decide who will play Plotz in the semi-finals, and another Australian, S. Ball, will play an American, T. Noonan, for the chance to face Lockington. The second overseas seed, Miss J. Young, is also through to the womens semifinals. Miss Young yesterday beat the American. Miss P. Bostrom, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Miss Bostrom, who has reached the finals of both the Auckland and Wellington titles on a successful New Zealand tour, concentrated well but was forced back by the consistent attack of the Australian.