Semi-finalists found in N.Z. tennis singles

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34041, 3 January 1976, Page 28

Semi-finalists found in N.Z. tennis singles

J. K. BROOKS)

Three New Zealanders and an Australian will fight out the sem finals of the men’s singles event in the BP New Zealand tennis champion ships at Wilding Park this morning.

Onni Parun (Wellington), thrice winner of the title, will play Russell Simpson (Auckland), the runner-up last season; and the galloping postman from Sydney. Wayne Cowley, will face the 6ft 4in Aucklander. Peter Langsford.

The two top-*eeded players in the women's singles. .Indi th Connor (Auckland) and Pauline ElHott (Waikato), reached the tinal of their event.

But Miss Connor and her partner, Judith Phillips (Canterbury), favourites for the women's doubles title, were eliminated in th® semi-finals by the Canterbury <r«nbmation of Shirlev Haig and Robyn Hunt. The four survivors in the l men's singles reached rh<*ir eminent positions during a dav which held more than its usual share of drama A broken racquet. a backmuscle injury, fatigue, and the aftermath of an unset all played their parts in the outcome.

The broken racquet belonged to Chris Lewis (Auckland). the go’den boy of New Zealand tennis, who came to Christchurch with the Wimbledon junior and British under 21 titles to his credit. In the early stages of his quarter-final against Cowley, Lewis had the misfortune to

I break the last of his special raquets, which are made in Belgium and sent to him from Scotland. ' He played on with borl rowed racquets, but was i clearly dispirited through the twist of fate, and was well beaten bv Cowley, who was in top form. Only in the third | set. when he fought back after saving two match points, jdid Lewis make an imprecision. "1 just couldn’t settle down after my racquet broke," (Lewis <aid. "One of the borIrowed racquets was much ; shorter than my own. and trie ' ther was 101 b heavier 1 have telephoned and written t the makers for new racquets, but without result If I can’t get new racquets. ■1 won’t be able to plav in The Benson and Hedges' tournament at Auckland." Played well •'But Wayne played really well.” he said. “He beat me (last year, too.”

Cowley played with great | exuberance, and his stinging half-volleys were too much [for a flat-footed Lewis. The man with the back injury was Peter Feigel 7Austria), who was forced to i default his quarter-final to ISimpson at one set al). ; “1 hurt my back two months ago in Austria, and 'the pain comes and goes in spasms,” he said. “1 did not know whether to risk it tn hie third set against Russell.! but I had lost confidence ini serving, and my concentration had gone.” I Feigel, however. iaterl played with his compatriot. Gerhard Wimmer, in a! doubles quarter-final and came through the test without much discomfort.

Fatigue affected Parun, ’who had an adventurous time I reaching New Zealand, and I who was faced with three (singles matches yesterday to make up for lost time. “I haven’t played for a month, and being confronted with three best-of-five I set matches today was a tall iorder.” he said. “I felt pretty iwearv, and half-way through | the second set against Dick '(Hawkes’) I wondered whether I would make it. But that second-set win gave me a lift — and I went on from there.” Hawkes gave a courageous display, hitting some fine winners in his first-set success. and pressing Parun closely in the second. But Parun. who admitted to feeling strain from wielding a racket after a lay-off, was in control in the last two sets.

The 14st 71b Queenslander, Dale Collings, was the toast of the park in the morning after beating the defending champion, Wimmer, in straight sets. But he found Langsford a sterner pfoposi-

tion. and made many error as he tired badly in the fourth set. “I Was hoping that the weather would be hot, because that is when I play my best.” Langsford said “Dale had played two sets earlier, and I was content t< stay out there as long as pos sible, to try to wear hiv down. “He hits the ball hard. am I hung about the net in a bi' to prevent him from set.tin: up his powerful scorin’ shots.” Women’s matches Langsford had played Co’ lings once previously h singles, and beaten him on clay in Britain. Yesterday, his ground shots were narticn larly impressive. 6-. it bt admitted his service was causing him bother, as his slow wind-up indicated. “I will be hitting a fewhundred balls tonight.” he said. Miss Connor was too good for Mrs Hunt in the first women’s semi-final, but Miss Elliott had to retrieve as never before to overcome the stubborn opposition of Mrs Haig in the other match. However, the two Canterbury -women combined splendidly in the doubles, and will be difficult opponents for Miss Elliott and Christine Newton (Canterbury) in the final.

The most remarkable match yesterday was a men’s doubles encounter in which Simpson and Tony Parun (Wellington) faced Steve Stefanki (United States) and Greg Hutchison (Australia). The match w-ent to four sets, each of which ended in a tiebreaker. The New Zealanders won, to advance to the quarter-finals. Matches starting at 9.30 a.m. today are:— Men’s singles.—W, Cowley v. P. Langsford; O Parun v. R. Simpson Men’s doubles. —R. Hawkes and K. Carpenter v. D Collings and C. Robertson. Mixed doubles. —G. Wimmer and Miss P Elliott v G. Slater and Miss J. Sim. Men’s plate.—P. Hampton v. P. Smith; P. Beecrol’t v. G. Snook Women's plate. — Mrs E. Stephan v. Miss H. Harris.