American leads tennis LEAD SHARED

Press, 28 December 1977, Page 15

American leads tennis LEAD SHARED

A Californian, Dennis Gibson, has taken the early lead after the first tournament on the Bass beer national tennis grand prix. Gibson, aged 26, a regular tour player for the last four years and a graduate of San Jose State University, heads the men’s field by virtue of his singles win in the CBA-Marac championships at Wellington. In the final of the event Gibson came back from losing the second set to beat the top seeded Aucklander, Peter Langsford, in a third set tiebreaker indoors. Gibson received 12 points for the win, as did the leading American, Mona Guerrant, in the women’s field. The grand prix is held over the nine tournaments on the New Zealand tennis circuit. A total of $5500 will be distributed to the

top 15 men and top eight women who emerge as the most consistently successful over the circuit. Women’s and men’s singles winners in each event will receive 12 points. The runners-up get eight, losing semi-finalists six, losing quarter-finalists four and losers in the round of 16, two. Doubles title winners are awarded six points, runners-up four, losing semi-finalists three, losing quarter-final-ists two and losers in the last 16 get one. The only exceptions to this system are the Rothmans district teams’ championships at present being played at Wilding Park, where match winners receive two points in singles and one in doubles, and the Benson and Hedges Open, in which a qualifying event win earns one

point, a win in the main draw three. The New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association’s executive director, Mr S. Painter, says that in the points format there is more money available to a smaller number of players. This has been done to provide more incentive and encouragement to players dedicated to tennis “fulltime.” The next event on the grant prix circuit is the Canterbury championships this week and then tournaments in Nelson, Blenheim, Auckland, Whangarei and North Shore. The grand prix placings will finally be decided at the BP national championships at Stanley Street, Auckland, from January 25 to 30. By then the top man on the summer circuit will get a bonus of $6OO while the top woman will be $5OO better off.

A recalculation of the points scored by the various Canterbury Cricket Association first grade teams has disclosed that Sydenham and High School Old Boys are tied in the lead. Both have 66 points, four more than Lancaster Park. Old Boys have recorded one more win — a one-day victory — but Sydenham has made up that deficit by having a distinct advantage in batting performance points. Lancaster Park’s aggressiveness at the crease has earned it most batting The full table is:—

points, but only the bottom side, East Christ-church-Shirley, has had less success with its bowling. The competition promises to be most exciting after the Christmas break. As well as the top three, Riccarton, Bumside-West-University and St Albans are still in the running for “The Press” pennant. The fragility of the St Albans batting is reflected by its poor return of performance points, its bowlers deserving the credit for the club being within 11* points of the joint leaders.

Team Bat Bowl 12pt 6pt Tie Points Old Boys .. .. 15$ 20$ 2 1 — 66 Svdenham .. .. 21 21 2 — » 66 L. Park .. 27 11 1 1 1 62 Riccarton . 18 18 o — 60 Bumside-West .. 19 15$ 2 58$ St Albans 6$ 24 1 1 1 54$ Old Coll. . .. 16 11 — East-Shirley Si — 1 - 21