Few South Island seeds

Press, 11 August 1979, Page 12

Few South Island seeds

By

DAVID LEGGAT

North Island players dominate the seedings for the national table tennis championships, which will be held in Auckland at the end of the month.

Four South Island players have been included in the open singles competitions, but Canterbury is represented more prominently in the doubles listings.

Canterbury’s top-ranked players, Wayne Adamson and Jan Morris, are placed seventh and second respectively in the open singles. Surprisingly, Debbie Looms, the promising Marlborough player, is seeded third in the women’s singles, despite having shown better form than Miss Morris in recent encounters.

However, Miss Morris, the only South Islander in the national team which competed at the last world championships, is an experienced and determined player. It is interesting to note that the New Zealand

Table Tennis Association has opted to keep the players in virtually the same order of seeding as they were for the official 1978 ranking list. There is the odd exception. Adamson has slipped one place, after being ranked sixth, Malcolm Temperley, the talented Auckland player, has risen two places to sixth, and Mike Saunders has dropped down one notch to eighth seed. The past year has been tough for the defending men’s singles champion, Kerry Palmer, of Auckland.' He caused an upset by beating the tall Franklin left-hander, Robert Blair, in last year’s final, after Blair had eliminated the outstanding James Morris in the semi-finals. He was then named only as the non-travelling reserve for the national team and this year, after a spell overseas, he returns to find himself omitted altogether from the North Island team to contest the inter-island event at the championships.

Palmer’s 20-year-old sister, Shelley, who made her first overseas trip with the national team after winning the women’s singles title last year, is again seeded first. However, this year she will not have to face the challenge of the third-ranked international, Angela Brackenridge, .

Last year, Miss Palmer beat Miss Brackenridge in a lengthy semi-final, but this season Miss Brackenridge is overseas and will miss the championships. Canterbury’s top doubles pairing of Adamson and the consistent Maurice Burrowes, are seeded second in the men’s doubles behind the left-hander, Richard Lee, and Morris. Misses Morris and Looms are the top seeds for the women’s doubles and Miss Morris partners James Morris as second seeds for the mixed doubles. Adamson and Miss Looms are third seeds for this event. The dedicated Avonside II player, Mark Clasper, finds himself in an unusual position. He has failed to win a seeding in the under 18 boys singles but has been named as reserve for the South Island team.

Canterbury has three players seeded in the veteran events. Neville Brightwell is the second seed in the 45 years and

over men's singles while Thelma May is top seed in the women’s section. They are the top seeds for the mixed doubles. The skilful John Armstrong is the top seed in the 35 years and over mens’ singles while Mrs May is third seed in the women’s grade.