Elmwood top tennis club in N.Z.

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34120, 5 April 1976, Page 13

Elmwood top tennis club in N.Z.

way when its senior The Elmwood Tennis Club marked its jubilee year in the best possible May when its senior team won the Rothmans Cup for the national inter-club competition at Wilding Park on Saturday. The club had earlier won both the Canterbury men’s and women’s titles, and crowned these performances by beating Mount Eden of Auckland, for the right to be called the champion club of New Zealand. Elmwood’s win on Saturday was achieved without the services of its captain, Bill Thom, who was at the funeral of his father-in-law on the West Coast. But Thom’s friend and clubmate, Gary Harris, handled the extra workload splendidly, and it was his brilliant play in the men’s and mixed doubles which tipped the balance in Elmwood’s favour. THREE-SET DOUBLES

The volatile John Mills gave Mount Eden an early lead when he beat Warren Edgecumbe in three sets in the men’s singles, but Robyn Hunt evened the rubber scores by overpowering the tenacious veteran, Bev Ward, in two hard-fought sets. The Mount Eden mixed doubles experts. Peter Becroft and his sister. Elaine Stephan, have a combined age of 94 years, but they belied this with their energetic and purposeful play against Harris and Marilyn Lawrence. But Harris’s spectacular retrieving and assertive net play brought the Elmwood pair back from a losing position to take the match in three sets.

Elmwood clinched its win when Harris and Edgecumbe, chasing every ball and unleashing superbly angled volleys, overcame Mills and Becroft in the men’s doubles. Edgecumbe, renowned in Canterbury for his powers of endurance, had time for only a few’ congratulations before dashing off to fulfil his obligations in the senior badminton competition. Mount Eden achieved belated success when Mrs Stephan and Beverley Verroe beat Mesdames Hunt and Lawrence in the women’s doubles. But by then

the cup was In Elmwood’s firm Edgecumbe won the first four games of his singles against Mills, and held on to his lead as Mills rallied. The lanky Mount Eden star was clearly superior in the second set, but Edgecumbe threw himself at every shot in the third, and made Mills earn his win. CLEVER VARIATION

“John, you’re playing so badlv its unbelievable,” Mills said to himself several times. Neither he nor Edgecumbe believed it, however, for Mills varied his pace cleverly which put the Elmwood man at a disadvantage. *‘l just wasn’t good enough,” he said. It was a different story in the doubles. Edgecumbe ” and Harris showed good courtcraft, with Edgecumbe patrolling the baseline and Harris a formidable figure at the net. the winners kept coming. Becroft and Mills contested the first set strongly, but Mills’s impetuosity cost the side dearlv in the second. Mrs Ward looked awkward in her singles, especially in contrast to the classical style of Mrs Hunt, but proved a difficult player to beat. She played steadily. concentrating on keeping the ball in play, so that Mrs Hunt had to work hard for her points. In one rally, the Elmwood No. 1 played a blistering serve, two smashes, and two volleys — but still lost the point.

However, Mrs Hunt was markely superior overhead and her judgment of length was excellent. Mrs Lawrence, who flew from Whangarei to make her farewell appearance for Elmwood, played some uncharacteristic shots in the early part of the mixed doubles. But she gained inspiration from Harris’s bounding zeal, and the combination recovered from one set down and 1-3 in the second to win handsomely. Becroft and Mrs Stephan played constructively in defeat; and their demeanour provided an object lesson for young players. Mrs Stephan and Beverley Vereoe combined well and were more consistent titan Mesdames Hunt and Lawrence in the women's doubles. The Elmwood supporters. however, did not complain about the loss. DETAILED RESULTS Results, with Elmwood names first, were: — Men’s singles.—W. Edgecumbe lost to J. Mills. 6-4. 1-6. 3-6. Women's singles.—R. Hunt beat B. Ward, 6-4. 6-3. Men’s doubles. — Edgecumbe and G. Harris beat P. Becroft and Mills. 7-6. 6-2. Women's doubles.—Mesdames Hunt and M. Lawrence lost to B. Vercoe and E. Stephan, 6-7, 6-2. 4-6. Mixed doubles.—Harris and Mrs Lawrence beat Becroft and Mrs Stephan. 6-7. 6-3, 6-2.