Fendalton women show form

Press, 23 November 1981, Page 20

Fendalton women show form

It has not taken Fendalton long to make its presence felt in the B.N.Z. women’s senior tennis competition. A dramatic recovery leading to an exciting win at Wilding Park on Saturday established Fendalton's women as championship material, even though the club has just re-entered the senior ranks.

After dropping both doubles matches to a Shirley side strengthened by the acquisition of Carolyn Oakley, Fendalton

surprised even its most ardent supporters by capturing all four singles, upsetting provincial ranking notions in the process. The win was capped by Lyn Cowie, who boosted her career record by edging out Miss Oakley in a third-set tie-breaker at the end of an intense and protracted duel.

The title-holder. United, kept close to the-pace by beating Cashmere, and Barrington, another newcomer to the grade, had too much strength for the

once powerful Avonside. Fendalton leads the competition with 14 points, followed by United, with 13, Barrington, with 11, Shirley, with'nine, Cashmere, with four, and Avonside. with three.

Although Fendalton lost both doubles to Shirley, there were signs of the later reversal in the efforts of Miss Cowie and her partner, Sally Hughey, against Miss Oakley and Julieanne Taylor. The Shirley combination, strong on paper if not in practice, had to work hard for its success. The better known team of Jill Hibbert and Jane Clarke forged ahead strongly for Shirley after early uncertainty. However, Shirley’s supremacy vanished rapidly with Misses Clarke, Taylor, and Hibbert all losing by a score of 1-6 in the second set. Ann Davidson’s precise and authoritative strokes from the back of the court overcame Miss Taylor’s resistance, and Angela Brading and Miss Hughey toppled Miss Clarke and Miss Hibbert respectively. None of these results were expected, and Miss Cowie developed the trend with her upset win over Miss Oakley. But it was a well earned success and it,

showed that the Fendalton woman is a more assertive competitor than she was last season, with increased accuracy and firmness of shot.

In spite of the forbidding presence of Sally Chapman, at No. 1 for Cashmere, United contrived to gain the upper hand, chiefly due to the play of Philippa Lewthwaite. With the contest delicately balanced, this relatively new Canterbury representative came from one set down to beat Kate Hatherton in the crucial singles. Miss Hatherton played soundly, especially on the backhand, but Miss Lewthwaite exhibited a high degree of concentration and forced her rival into errors.

Miss Chapman was an unruffled winner in her singles and doubles, but Lynette Lewthwaite and Sue Keddall were in control for United at the Lower half of the order.

Avonside put up a much more valiant struggle against Barrington than the 5-1 scoreline would suggest. Carol and Rhonda Pearce were tantalisingly close to a doubles win and both showed spirit in the singles. Judith Phillips again bowed to her long standing rival, Robyn Hunt, but made her rival s path as rocky as possible. Mrs Hunt received excellent backing from Delia O’Malley, Vicky Ratana, and Debbie Hills, who promise to make Barrington a lively challenger for championship honours. Avonside may be down but it is certainly not out. Dianna McKinnel, the club’s stalwart, battled on grimley like the boy on the burning deck and had the satisfaction of beating Miss Hills in three punishing sets. Results:— Fendalton 4. Shirley 2 A. Davidson beat J. P. Taylor, 7-5, 6-1; L. Cowie beat C. Oakley, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6; S. Hughey beat J. Hibbert, 6-2, 6-1; A. Brading beat J. M. Clarke, 7-5, 6-1. Misses Hughey and Cowie lost to Misses Taylor and Oakley, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6; Misses Davidson and Brading lost to Misses Hibbert and Clark, 6-3, 1-6, 1-6. United 4, Cashmere 2 J. Howe lost to S. E. Chapman, 1-6, 2-6: P. Lewthwaite. beat K. Hatherton, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4: L. F.

Lewthwaite beat F. Ormandy. 62. 7-6; S. Keddall beat C. Winterbourne, 6-2, 6-3. Misses Howe and P. Lewthwaite lost to Misses Chapman and Hatherton, 2-6, 1-6; Mrs Keddall and Miss L. Lewthwaite beat Mesdames Ormandy and Winterbourne, 7-5, 6-2. Barrington 5. Avonside 1 R. R. Hunt beat J. M. Phillips, 6-4, 6-2; D. Hills lost to D. McKinnel, 6-4, 2-6, 5-7; D. O'Malley beat R. Pearce, 7-5, 6-3; V. Ratana beat C. Pearce, 6-4, 7-5. Mrs Hunt and Miss Ratana beat Miss Phillips and Mrs McKinnel, 6-2, 6-3; Misses O’Malley and Hills beat Mrs and Miss Pearce, 5-7,, 6-2, 7-6. SENIOR RESERVE St Ninians 5, Avonhead 1; Edgeware 4, Woolston 2; Bishopdale 5, Elmwood II1; Shirley 14, South Christchurch 2. FIRST MIXED A GRADE United 11, Te Kura 5, Elmwood 10, Fendalton 6.