TOP WOMAN TENNIS PLAYER DEFEATED

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33712, 9 December 1974, Page 29

TOP WOMAN TENNIS PLAYER DEFEATED

The most notable occurrence in senior tennis in Christchurch on Saturday was the defeat of New Zealand’s secondranked woman and Canterbury’s first, Mrs R. Hunt, by the former top Otago woman now living in Canterbury, Mrs S. Haig.

Mrs Haig and Mrs Hunt were both members of the successful Canterbury Nunneley Casket side last season, but Mrs Hunt has always been regarded as the better player.

On Saturday Mrs Hunt was obviously struggling and it is reported that she is not well. She has been in pain in the last week and on one stroke in the last game against Mrs Haig she got stomach cramp, nearly fell, and had considerable difficulty necovering. Mrs Haig had won the first set, 6-3, and she took the match when Mrs Hunt defaulted at 3-5 in the second set.

Mrs Hunt had had trouble finding her true form this season and she was bothered earlier last week when she beat Miss C. Newton, 6-3, 6-4, in a ranking match. Mrs Haig w]as as steady as usual, chasing every ball and returning with pace and direction.

, Elmwood and Edgeware are still unbeaten in the men’s competition. Elmwood was able to steal another point on its main rival when it beat Shirley without the loss of a match while Edgeware beat Woolston by 5 matches to 1. In the other fixture. United beat North Linwood by 4 matches to 2. The points are.—Elmwood 45, Edgeware 42, United 24, Shirley 22, North Linwood 8, Wootton 3. ALDRIDGE BACK

The men’s grade also had some distinguishing features. One of these was the return of B. J. Aldridge to the Woolston team after his trip overseas with the National Band. Aldridge played only at second on his first day, and he was soundly defeated by a very quick T. Mooney, of Edgeware, who swung the ball away from Aldridge’s reach.

Another well-known Canterbury man who returned to the grade was J. Martin, of North Linwood. Martin, who has been in Britain for two years, had played the previous two Saturdays in the club’s senior reserve team, but he showed that he is better placed in the senior men’s grade when he beat tyPattinson, of United, 6-7, 6-1, 6-1. They played some exciting tennis, and Martin’s flowing strokes were good to see again. Not at bait Elmwood’s top man, W. Edgeeumbe, Is another who Is not up to his best yet this season. The previous Saturday he had a difficult time with a junior, D. Neilson, and on Saturday he was tested again by another young player, R. Adams, of Shirley. Adams has developed a fine service and he had plenty of enterprise. However, Edgecumbe had slightly the more accuracy and won, 7-5, 6-3. In the second singles, W. Thom, an old campaigner, played down the lines, especially on return of service, against the wily D. Haworth. As well Thom got sharp angles on volley and smash, and Haworth occasionally made the simple misjudgement of letting balls go which were in. Thom finished the match with a flamboyant ace which he modestly admitted later was an accident. Edgeware’s top man, S. Menzies, who had a loss at ranking last week to the leading junior, P. Hampton, gave very little away on Saturday when he beat C. Hunt (Woolston). 6-1, 6-1. And there was a similarly decisive margin in the top singles of the United-North Linwood encounter when the tall R. Webster (United) conceded S. Burns only the one game. WOMEN'S MATCHES Avonside and Elmwood are neck and neck in the women’s competition. Elmwood has al-

ready had its bye and Avonside had the bye on Saturday while Elmwood beat Edgeware by 4 matches to 2, and North Linwood beat Beckenham by 5 matches to 1. Edgeware has also had its bye.

The points are.—Elmwood 22, Avonside 22. North Linwood 14. Edgeware 12, Beckenham 2. Both men’s and women’s grades were short of leading players because many of them are also top juniors who were playing in Slazenger and Howe Shield zone matches. Apart from the defeat of Mrs Hunt by Mrs Haig, there was a surprisingly easy victory by Miss R. Smith (North Linwood) over Miss S. Moore (Beckenham) in the other top singles. Results:— Edgeware 5, Woolston 1 Singles.—S. Menzies beat C. Hunt, 6-1, 6-1; T. Mooney beat B. Aldridge, 64), 6-1; P. Boatwood lost to P. Gibson, 4-6, 5-7; M. O’Flaherty beat G. Wilson, 6-4, 6-4. Doubles.—Menzies and Boatwood beat Hunt and Aidridge, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Mooney and O’Flaherty beat Gibson and Wilson, 6-4, 6-4. United 4 North Linwood 2 Singles.—R. Webster beat S. Burns, 6-0, 6-1; R. McCutcheon beat T. Ralfe. 6-4, 6-2; N. Pattinson lost to J. Martin, 7-6, 1-6, 1- J. Taylor beat C. Dyer, 7-5, 6-4. Doubles.—Webster and Pattinson beat Burns and Dyer. 6-2, 2- 6-2; McCutcheon and Taylor lost to Ralfe and Martin, 4-6, 2-6. Elmwood i, Shirley 0 ’ Singles.—W. Edgecumbe beat R. Adams, 7-5, 6-3; W. Thom beat D. Haworth, 6-2, 6-4; G. Harris beat J. Hampton, 6-1; 6-1; G. Rodley beat B. Hibbard. 6-4. 3-6, 6-2. Doubles.—Harris and Thom beat Adams and Hampton, 6-1, 6-0; Edgcumbe and Rodley beat Haworth and Hibbard, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. SENIOR WOMEN North Linwood 5, Beckenham 1 Singles.—Miss S. Moore lost to Miss R. Smith, 0-6. 3-6; Miss M. Mills lost to Miss S. Lynn. 1-6, 4-6; Mrs J. Drewett lost to Miss B. Thomas, 0-6, 2-6; Miss A.

Davidson beat Miss P. Salkeld, 6-0, 6-1. Doubles.—Misses Moore and Davidson lost to Misses Smith and Lynn, 3-6, 3-6; Miss Mills and Mrs Drewett lost to Misses Thomas and Salkeld. 3-6, 0-6. Elmwood 4, Edgeware 2 Singles.—Mrs R. Hunt lost to Mrs S. Haig, 3-6, 3-5 (by default); Miss S. Field beaf Mrs J. Langford, 64, 6-3; Mrs A. Chambers beat Mrs L. Brown, 6-3, 6-0; Mrs C. Armitage beat Mrs F. Hindson, 2-6, 6-1. 6-0. Doubles.—Mesdames Hunt and Armitage lost to Mesdames Haig and Langford. 3-6. 6-2, 2-6; Miss Field and Mrs Chambers beat Mesdames Brown and Hindson, 6-2, 64.