Canterbury women hopeful of retaining tennis casket

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33774, 21 February 1975, Page 24

Canterbury women hopeful of retaining tennis casket

(By

A. M. MENZIES)

The same Canterbury women’s tennis team which won the Nunneley Casket for the province last season—for the first time in 29 years—will defend the trophy this week-end with high hopes.

These hopes have been heightened by the fact that Auckland, by far the most frequent winner over a long period, has already been ousted from this season’s competition by Waikato.

Canterbury beat Auckland in last season’s final after beginning the contest in Wellington, being unable to complete it because of rain, and travelling to Auckland a fortnight later to finish it off. Change of pattern Whether some changes in circumstances this season react to Canterbury’s advantage or disadvantage remains to be seen. Firstly, the pattern of Wilding Shield and Nunneley Casket' play has been changed. Instead of eight singles and two doubles, the meetings are now of four singles and four doubles, reverse doubles being played instead of reverse singles. And secondly, the Canterbury players have not had such a settled season. The top player, Mrs Robyn Hunt, has had problems with illness, and the No. 3, Miss Judith Phillips, did not return from Australia until mid-season. Mrs Hunt has had two

losses to the second player, Mrs Shirley Haig — one in a club match and one at ranking — but the selectors apparently still consider Mrs Hunt the best prospect at top because of her undoubted strength when she is at her best. And the doubles combinations, with so much now depending on them, are far from tried ones. Last year, Mesdames Hunt and Haig were paired but they lost to the top Aucklanders, while Misses Phillips and Christine Newton won the second doubles.

On this year’s tournament circuit, Mrs Hunt and Miss Phillips played some matches together, and Mrs Haig had some success with the Swede, Miss Nina Bohm. Aggressive pairing

Now Mrs Hunt will be paired with Miss Newton — they play similarly aggressive games — and Mrs Haig will partner Miss Phillips.

The Waikato side which beat Auckland this season is Miss Pauline Elliott, Miss Sheryl Tebbutt, Miss Helen Harris, and Miss B. Paterson. Misses Elliott, Harris, and Paterson were all in the team over which Canterbury gained a 6-1 winning lead in a semifinal at Wellington last year before rain prevented a finish.

In Wellington tomorrow, Canterbury will play Hutt Valley while Waikato will meet Southland, the winners to play off on Sunday. It will be surprising if Canterbury cannot beat both. Clean sweep? Perhaps too much to hope for would be a success in the Wilding Shield as well. Canterbury junior teams recently won both the Slazenger and Howe Shields, and to have the four trophies in the province would be unprecedented. But the men’s team of Warren Edgecumbe, Simon Menzies, Carey Brading, and Peter Hampton has first to get past Wellington, which will probably include the Hawkes brothers, and then probably Auckland, which has Chris Lewis, Peter Langsford, Paul Thomson, and F. Whitaker.