Young tennis team

Press, 8 December 1976, Page 48

Young tennis team

The Canterbury lawn tennis selectors have plumped for youth in choosing their men’s team for the Rothmans inter-district tournament at Wilding Park on December 27, 28 and 29. Four of the five players named yesterday are teenagers, and three of those four are still juniors (under-19). Although the wily Elmwood club veteran, Warren Edgecumbe, has held his place in spite of four singles defeats this season, the average age of the team is a shade under 21 — surely one of the youngest Canterbury A sides. The players chosen are Edgecumbe, Peter Hampton (Shirley), Stephen Harley (North Linwood), Brett Hibbert (Shirley) and Michael Mooney (Edgeware).

The women’s team to defend the Rothmans Trophy consists, as expected, of the four players who figure on the national top 10 list. They are Sally Chapman (Beckenham), Robyn Hunt (Elmwood), Christine Newton (Avonside) and Judith Phillips (United). Mrs P. Leopold, who announced the teams on behalf of her fellow Canterbury selectors, Messrs T. Ralfe and W. Thom, said the names had been listed alphabetically because playing orders h-d yet to be determined. Edgecumbe, Hampton and Mooney of the men’s team and Misses Chapman, Newton and Phillips of the women’s side participated in the inaugural Rothmans interdistrict tournament at the same venue 12 months ago.

Mrs Hunt, a reserve on that occasion, returns to the team in place of Shirley Haig, who recently gave birth to her first child. Two men of the 1975 team who failed to regain their places were Ralph Webster (United) and the former notional representative, John Souter (Timaru).

It was not expected that Souter would hold his place after a disappointing series last year. But Webster, who was Canterbury’s most successful player in men’s singles at the first interdistrict contest, showed signs of running into form recently with wins against Grantley Judge n.id Alan Croad. Hampton, the present Can-

terbury champion, Mooney and Harley formed toe New Zealand junior boys’ team last summer, and the lithe and powerful Hibbert is a member of the national development squad. All four strike the ball firmly and are developing rapidly as tacticians. Edgecumbe, a long-serving representative, has not been at his best so far this season, but is known as a tough campaigner when the chips are down. The women’s team is bound to start as a warm favourite in its section. Miss Newton is a stronger and more reliable player after her Federation Cup tour, and Miss Chapman is making great strides towards the top of the junior ladder. Mrs Hunt is back in big tennis full-time and Miss Phillips is running into form after a late start. The Canterbury team to play South Canterbury at Wilding Park next Sunday is: Men: S. Harley, P. Hampton, A. Croad, B. Knight, D. McKay, T. Ralfe. Women: J. Phillips, D. Mc-

' Kinnel, J. Macdonald. J. Wil- ' son, C. Oakley, A. Davidson i Wellington’s tennis selec- > tor has come up with a i strong team to defend toe ■ National inter-district championship at Christchurch. I The strength of the men’s ; side has been boosted by the • inclusion of the Hutt Valley ■ professional coach, David t Simmonds, and toe burly , Maungaraki player, Paul i Fyfe, who had previously in--5 dicated they were not available for selection. ; The teams, in playing j order, are:—Men: Simmond . 5 Richard Hawkes, Stephen i Temple, Malcolm Ellcy, r Fyfe. Women: Stepham.' j Fleming. Debbie Scott. > Nancy Sturman. Diane Orc. . Barbara McNicol (captain: • _____.______ Boxing.—An appeals court ; acquitted the Argentinian woi ’ middle-weight boxing champic l Carlos Monzon, of charge- < hitting a photographer 10 >eai.ago. The decision overruled I earlier sentence of 18 month., in prison Boxing.—The Tongan heavy • weight, Luke Veikoso. scored a ninth-round knock-out win against Kcke Nakeieavkl (liiu in Papeete, Tahiti, to win the ■ South Seas title.