Two years in Texas

Press, 12 September 1986, Page 13

Two years in Texas

One Canterbury tennis player currently taking advantage of a two-year tennis scholarship at an American University is Rachel Wilson. She will be studying in a two-year business course, taking lessons in the mornings and having coaching and training for the college tennis team in the afternoons. The junior college she is attending is Midland College, 300 miles from Dallas, Texas. She has just arrived at the college after three months playing on the U.S.T.A. amateur circuit This is a circuit open to all except professional players and most of her opponents were 20 to 21 years of age. She has had some success on the circuit notably in the doubles where

she and another New Zealand girl, Anna Callander, from Wellington, won a doubles tournament, reached the semi-finals in two others and the quar-ter-finals in another two. Most of their rivals employed a baseline type of game and were especially skilled in topspin on all shots. Liz Daly, from Southland, also had some success on the U.S.T.A. circuit during 1985, reaching over-all second in doubles and being ranked 13 in the singles. In recent weeks, however, she has been ill and had to withdraw from tournaments. Rachel Wilson hopes to strengthen any weakness in her game and gain experience wwhich will enable her to fully utilise the natural talent she has;