Upset win to former tennis boss

Press, 14 November 1981, Page 64

Upset win to former tennis boss

By'

JOHN BROOKS

Instead of handing out prizes, the former administrative head of Canterbury tennis, Colin Hunt, might receive an award or two when the Farmers and Haywrights Canterbury closed championships reach their climax at Wilding Park tomorrow.

Hunt recently relinquished the position of chairman of the C.L.T.A. management committee, and by the way he played yesterday it seemed that a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. In the open singles he upset the Canterbury representative. Rhett Mason, in three fluctuating sets, and then combined with the evergreen Bill Thom to breeze through the first round of the open doubles. With his confidence boosted, the burly Hunt will oppose the third seeded Ralph Webster in the quar-ter-finals today. The favourite. Michael Mooney, will face Richard Dalman. and a keen duel is expected. Sally Chapman and Carolyn Oakley justified their top rankings in the women's open singles, and in the semifinals they will play Jane Howe and Jill Hibbert, respectively. Although the mid-after-noon sunshine tested their stamina. Hunt and Mason produced an absorbing match on the Wilding Park grass. Hunt made the better start, and went on to dominate the first set, but his lithe rival was much more assertive and successful in the second. The deciding set was keenly contested, but Hunt’s serve was reliable, his forehands were usually accurate, and his concentration never wavered.

Mason, always vulnerable at this stage of the season because of his university studies, struck some hand-

some shots, but made tod many unforced errors, such as being too late on the vol lev.

Mooney's game did not appear to have been modi; fied by his experience in Germany, and he won his matches without much bother. Although he did not hit his smashes convincingly!