Best team still not known

Press, 21 December 1981, Page 21

Best team still not known

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The argument over whether Elmwood or United is the top team in Canterbury men's tennis was resolved amicably at Wilding Park on Saturday when the rivals finished with matches, sets and games level for. a sensational tie.

The result is believed to be unprecedented at senior level in Christchurch. Certainly, the grand old man of Canterbury, and New Zealand tennis, Mr Jim Mercer — whose recollections go back to the Anthony Wilding era — cannot recall a similar occurrence.

With bonus and match points being split between the rivals. Elmwood maintained its lead in the B.N.Z. competition, but United slipped to third behind Fendalton, which advanced by seven points in beating Avonside. However, competition positions were forgotten as the tight struggle between two earnest opponents wound up to its frantic finish. In a way, it was a spillover from the controversy over which side should be regarded as the Canterbury champion for last season, and the outcome could not have been more revealing. The men thrust, perhaps unwillingly, into the harsh glare of the spotlight at the finish were a player who retired at the end of last season and a mystery man making his debut in Christchurch senior tennis. Ken Elliott was Elmwood’s man of the moment; he retired at the end of last season but found the appeal of the courts too great to resist. His opponent in the crucial match was John Gardiner, a 21-year-old South African, who has been living in London but is now temporarily domiciled in Christchurch.

After each man had won a set, Elmwood's Peter McCormack who. not surprisingly, is an accountant. calculated that Elliott needed to win the final set by either 6-0 or 6-1 to enable Elmwood to snatch the match on a count-back of games. ' As Gardiner had just won the second set rather easily and had been nosed out of the first set in a see-sawing tie-breaker, hopes of dominance by Elliott seemed highly optimistic. Yet the wiry Elmwood veteran brought the dream close to reality by running up a lead of. 5-0 as Gardiner's game swiftly crumbled. But the young South African, who was completely undemonstrative throughout the match,

broke Elliott's serve at the vital period: then held his own service to ensure that United, at the least, would not lose.

In striving for a third game which would have tipped the scales in United's favour. Gardiner had the mortification of seeing two lobs wafted out of court by the north-easterly breeze. Elliott had won. and the two teams were equal in every conceivable detail. Gardiner was downcast at not having done better, but his captain, Ralph Webster, praised him for a memorable debut. Elliott, wreathed in smiles, declared that he might retire again while he was on a “high.” United took two calculated risks: first it included Gardiner as the replacement for the absent Gary Lawson after the

newcomer had beaten the fancied Bart Cleverley in a midweek match, and then it decided to go for broke in the doubles by teaming Webster with Hugh Robinson.

The two men had not played as a combination for several seasons, but they struck such accord that they scored a straight sets victory over one of the best pairs in the competition, Rhett Mason and Richard Dalman, of Elmwood. Mason and Dalman had not been beaten for two seasons.

McCormack and Elliott had few problems in disposing of Gardiner and Neil Pattinson in the other doubles, to square the score, and then McCormack plaved with his customary attention to detail to beat Pattinson in the singles.

Mason raised Elmwood's hopes by deservedly winning the first set of his match from Robinson, but the redoubtable United No. 1 revealed remarkable stamina which took him clear of a gallant rival in the third set.

Robinson was subsequently chosen by Mr Mercer as the winner of the B.N.Z. “Player of the Day" award. Dogged by illness in November and early December, Webster celebrated his return to robust health by beating Dalman in fine style. Dalman struck the ball with his usual passion, but Webster thrived on the ball coming quickly to his racket, and finally broke his rival's resolve with a raking backhand winner after being made to run from one side of the court to the other.

Fendaltori fought off some useful competition from Avonside to keep its hopes alive. Alistair Chapman overcame his bogeyman. Deane McKinnel. in the ton

singles, and Mike Sibley clambered back from the brink of defeat to down Alan Croad, who is still thriving for full fitness. Mike Purcell led North Linwood to a win against Bishopdale. with Brett Skjellerup gaining a meritorious victory over a tenacious Bruce Williams in the second singles. The second set provided a tennis showpiece, which culminated with Skjellerup coming from 0-3 and 3-6 in the tie-breaker to triumph. Although Noel Dillon lost a third set tie-breaker for, the second round in a row, Edgeware had too many guns for Woolston. One gun it did not have was Colin Hunt,. the man .who whisked the singles away from Dillon and who teamed with his unrelated namesake, David, for a doubles success. Points are:—

Elmwood 36 1 2, Fendalton 34. United Edgeware 25. North Linwood 20, Woolston 19, Avonside 8, Bishopdale 6. Results were:— United 62 games,

Elmwood 62 games H. Robinson beat R. Mason 3-6. 6-4. 6-1; R. D. Webster beat R. Dalman 6-4. 6-1; N. R. Pattinson lost to P. McCormack 1-6, 4-6: J. Gardiner lost to K. H. Elliott 6-7, 6-3, 2-6. Robinson and Webster beat Mason and Dalman 6-4, 6-2; Pattinson and Gardiner lost to McCormack and Elliott 3-6, 1-6. Fendalton 4, Avonside 2 A. K. Chapman beat D. McKinnel 6-2. 7-6; M. J. Searle beat B. K. Clark 6-3, 6-4; M. Sibley beat A. Croad 1-6. 7-6, 6-2: S. Chambers lost to T. Brosnahan 6-2, 2-6. 2-6. Chapman and Searle beat Croad and Clark 6-3. 7-5; Sibley and Chambers lost to McKinnel and Brosnahan 0-6. 2-6. Edgeware 4, Woolston 2 M. Mooney beat D. Hunt 6-2, 64; N. R. Dillon lost to C. A. Hunt 5-7, 6-3. 6-7; S. Agar beat D. McKay 6-3. 6-7. 6-2; B. T. Knight beat D. McNaughton 6-2. 6-4.

Mooney and Agar lost to C. and D. Runt 4-6. 3-6: Dillon and Knight beat Mckay and McNaughton 6-2. 6-1.