Abundant tennis activity

Press, 18 October 1980, Page 20

Abundant tennis activity

By

JOHN BROOKS

A full and interesting programme for the approaching tennis season has been devised by the energetic officials of the Canterbury association. The start will be substantial, for on Labour Day week-end the first round of the Bank of New Zealand senior inter-club competitions will coincide with the Farmers and Haywrights provincial junior hardcourt championships. From then on, activity at Wilding Park will be intense, with the greatest public interest being focussed on the Skellerup All Star Canterbury cham-

pionships, from December 18 to 21, and the Air New Zealand Masters tournament, from February 5 to 8. Prominent overseas players and some of the leading New Zealanders are expected to dominate the draw in both these contests. But if the locals feel they are being squeezed out of contention, they will find consolation in a new event, the Canterbury closed senior championships, which will be played under Farmers and Haywrights sponsorship -. at Show Week-end. On the same week-end

the Merivale Travel primary schools’ championships , a popular innovation last sumjner, will be held. Both this tournament arid the provincial secondary schools’ events, early in December, will probably be enthusiastically, supported, judging by the increased numbers of teams and players coming forward for junior interclub play. Several changes have been made to the senior

competition regulations. Two of them relate to the points system, often the butt of criticism. - From this season the number of bonus points awarded for a team win will be halved, from six to three, and first round points in the

men’s competition will not' be carried forward into section play. However, the first round points will still be used to determine the grouping for the second. The first round leader will not go unrewarded; a new trophy for that competition will be presented by the B.N.Z. The two section winners at the end of the second round will dispute the grand final of the championship. United and Elmwood have been the two title winners since this format was embraced, and they are likely to be among the leading contenders again. The competition will be shorn of some of its glamour because of the absences of Michael Mooney, Stephen Harley and Peter Hampton, and the circuit demands on Brett Hibbert. But the eight teams all have prospects, of fielding solid combinations, and the struggle promises to be intense. The women’s competition will boast its usual crop of nationally ranked players, although tournament commitments will probably . prevent

Christine Newton from taking much part. Her Shirley team-mates, all of whom are juniors, will face a stern challenge today from Cashmere for fifth place in the field. The highlight of the junior season will be the playing of the T.A.A. national age championships (under 17 and under 15) on grass and the recently instituted B.P. under 13 national contest on hardcourts between December

27 and January 1. Canterbury players usually do well in junior competition, and the depth of ability in the province Will be tested in the national teams events. The finals this season will be held in Timaru, early in January.

The seniors- will have their inter-district competition at Lower Hutt late in February, and the veterans will have their chance to shine at the Canterbury tournament from March 6 to 8. The Country teams will come to the city on February 22, and two representative matches, against Otago and South Canterbury, are proposed for the provincial sides. Grand prix contests will be conducted for men and women in conjunction with the inter-club and ranking games, and, at the end of the season, a “Personality of the Year” award will be made. Stephen Harley was the first winner last summer. ... >