U.S. pair fight out dramatic three-setter
PA Auckland Anna-Maria Fernandez and a fellow American, Candy Reynolds, yesterday gave women’s tennis in New Zealand a new dimension in fighting out a dramatic three-setter at Stanley Street
Fernandez won the threehour match, 6-7, (2-7), 7-5, 76 (11-9), in the $lOO,OOO Nu-tri-Metics women’s open quarter-finals. Rarely has play of such calibre been seen in New Zealand, for the Americans rushed the net with venom and showed how overhead shots should be played. Passing shots were executed with such devastating effect that each player sometimes just stood aghast at the brilliance. “I had no right winning the first set and Anna-Maria had no right to win the third and final set,” said Reynolds after the match. Later, when Julie Richarson, the only surviving New Zealander in the singles, was beaten 6-0, 6-4, by the fourth seed, Anne Hobbs, of England, the match lasted only 55 minutes.
Fernandez began the first set against Reynolds with such authority that she went ahead, 5-1. Reynolds fought back to win five games to lead, 6-5. The 25-year-old Californian levelled at 6-6, but lost the tie-breaker, 2-7. Fernandez then won the second set, 7-5. In the third set Reynolds was ahead, 4-1, but Fernandez rallied to lead, 5-4. Each player then held service to force a tiebreaker. It was a tie-breaker full of tension and brilliant play as both chased tirelessly. Reynolds was the first to have a match point, only to have it saved by a brilliant pass on the forehand. At 7-6 Reynolds fired in three fierce smashes in succession. A fourth was missed and the chance of tying up the match was gone as
Fernandez squared at 7-7. A further chance for Reynolds to win the match went begging as Fernandez passed her. Fernandez went on to match points of her own and took advantage of the second by forcing her opponent into error at the net for an 11-9 decision. Reynolds said she had played too tentatively. Fernandez, ranked 180 in the world said she was keen to take the professional circuit seriously again. “I once had tennis tunnel vision, but now my horizons are a little broader. If I enjoy playing I will do so knowing that I have some other profession in the background.” Richardson offered no excuses after her loss: “The first set was an embarrassment.”
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19851213.2.143
Bibliographic details
Press, 13 December 1985, Page 32
Word Count
394U.S. pair fight out dramatic three-setter Press, 13 December 1985, Page 32
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.