N.Z. junior tennis moved

Press, 21 December 1976, Page 6

N.Z. junior tennis moved

I PA Auckland Only three hours and a half play was possible in the national junior tennis championships at Stanley Street yesterday before rain drove players from the courts and caused play to be abandoned for the day. Au a result of the saturation of the courts play todav has been transferred to the Nicholson Park courts. There will be a start with the mixed doubles at 8.30 a.m. while other events will begin an hour later. The dismay felt bv the competitors that thev will plav the next rounds on hard courts instead of grass was especially acute for the junior boys. They will face the prospects again of countering the dangerous spin of D. Mustard (Auckland), who so successfully intimidated his opponents with top-spun loop shots in the Auckland junior championships last week. The switch of venue w ill be a particular bitter blow for G. Ryder (Auckland), the second seed, who was left in a sea of indecision by the unpredictable bounce of Mustard’s returns last week

Both players are from the Remuera club and are drawn to meet in the quarter-finals. Today, Ryder will have his first match against L. Walton (Canterbury') in the second round.

All ths seeded players except one who played yesterday had comfortable wins. The orilv exception was Michael Moonev (Canterbury!, the top seed who ,n hls against the New Zealand Maori and North Shore representative, pjay ™“ ns ‘ w h*n rain stopped Only one match In the junior girls singles first round was w doned"' 1 when play "as aban Le Y> n junior, Diane Ord. who has been rueing her luck in always drawing the top seed in the first round,” advanced t > the second round with a com in. ¥? g W | n agam , st the North Shore girl, Jenny McLeod. Howevei. °, rd WI U meet ‘he fourth s« ed ' Julie Verdellen (Canterbury), today. playera — involv!ng Canterbury Boys’ singles.—B. Hibbert beat B - Cleverlev Shore), 6-0, 6-0; G. Liddell (.south Canterbury) beat R. McLeod (Auckland), 6-0. S-3; S Har Canterbury) beat G. Evans (Wellington). 6-3, 6-0 singles—C. Oakley *£l"‘® rt «Iry> 1 ry> heat Smith (North Shore), 6-4. 6-2; A Bidwell (North Shore) beat P. Lewthw-aite (Canterbury 6-3. M; >J_ verdellen (Canterbury) be*: 1 S. Palmer (Auckland), 6-2, HJ