Tennis champion's brief sojourn in Canterbury

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34031, 20 December 1975, Page 4

Tennis champion's brief sojourn in Canterbury

(By

JOHN BROOKS)

Lawn tennis buffs in Canterbury have had a tantalisingly fleeting glimpse of the talents of the former national women’s singles champion, Mrs Marilyn Lawrence. in the last fewweeks.

Her efforts have helped Elmwood reach the lead in the senior women’s competition and progress to the zone final of the Rothmans national inter-club contest.

But that, alas, represents the extent of her contributions in Christchurch, for the time being. Her engineer husband, Alistair, is to be engaged at the Marsden Point oil refinery for 12 to 15 months, and the couple will leave for Whangarei in a few weeks.

Mrs Lawrence hopes that she and her husband will eventually return to Christchurch. a city for which she has developed a special affection.

In the intervening period she plans to continue her association with tennis in Northland, which has such well-remembered players as Ethne Green. Patsy Belton and Ann Stevens in its ranks.

But Mrs Lawrence, who achieved fame under her maiden name of Marilyn Pryde. is firm in her intention to play purely for

enjoyment. “I got. out when 1 was at the top." she said. “That had been my intention, and I have no regrets. “I still potter, and I am happy to be able to play in a more relaxed atmosphere. However, I find it hard to modify my approach; I have always played to win.” Mrs Lawrence might be tempted to enter for a major contest, such as the Benson and Hedges tournament, but this would not imply a change of mind on her tennis future. "If 1 was to come back seriously I would want to do the necessary preparation. And I don’t like being tied to regular play now.” After her crushing 6-0. 6-0 victory against one of Canterbury’s most experienced players, Mrs Diane McKinnel, in hot and gusty conditions recently, Mrs Lawrence gave some observers the impression that she had cried "enough” too soon. But although her retirement from the pulsating world of overseas tours and big tournaments came at a comparatively early age, her career in the sport had been a long one. Before winning the national singles crown in 1968 and 1970, she had been NewZealand under-15 champion at the age of 13, and

claimed the national under--19 singles title a season later. She was still in junior ranks when she won

her New Zealand senior titles. Marilyn Lawrence was a “natural” from the time

she first swung a racket. A sports reporter on the staff of “The Press,” Kevin McMenamin, can recall her as a tiny pigtailed eleven-year-old hitting shots of undoubted quality at the Karori courts in Wellington.

He can recall, too, his meeting with a man who fancied himself as a proficient tennis player. The man was considerably out of countenance. He had condescendingly offered to give the small girl a “hitup” — and had been run off his feet in trying to reach her accurate lobs and volleys. Marilyn Pryde went on, to win 12 national titles in three grades, and represented New Zealand in the Federation Cup. Now, however, she is attracted by new pursuits.! Water ski-ing has her im-j mediate attention, and shei hopes to polish her tech-' nique on the balmy Northland waters. And overseas travel is another possibility for the future. "Life’s a ball.” she said, “ and I am enjoying it.”