Absentees mark tennis round

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 22

Absentees mark tennis round

Absentees marked the first day of competition after the Christmas break in the B.N.Z. senior men’s tennis competition at Wilding Park on Saturday. Shirley bounced back from losing Brett Hibbert to put together a sound quartet which carried it to a 4-2 victory over Cashmere, which limped through the day missing its top player, Geoff Brightwell, who had been beckoned by Pink Floyd's concert in the North Island.

Julian Faulls played at No. 2 for Shirley and beat Gregory Young, 6-0, 6-0. Young was unwell, but Faulls’ performance earned him the player of the day honour. Bob Cullen joined Cashmere’s ranks but in spite of a creditable chase could not defuse Shirley’s winning aspirations. Fendalton did not take the loss of its top player Phillip Seeman, who has returned to West Germany, lying down and struck positively against the solid Te Kura combination.

Even Edgeware had a changed line-up in the absence of both Terry Mooney and Joachen Krauss, who has returned to West Germany after a brief spell in the side. But it did not falter against

United, quashing it, 6-0, and taking an early two point break after the first match of the second round.

Edgeware had to work hard to secure the win, as its opposition was hot on its heels often chasing it to three sets.

Stephen Harley, Edgeware's No. 1, was clearly having trouble with his form after an extended break and had his work cut out to beat ■John Honeywell. Honeywell has had a disappointing season, never really fulfilling his promise, and struggled against his competition. He has only recorded one win to date but he made a concerted effort against Harley before losing, 4-6, 6-4, 5-7.

Both players mingled unforced errors with patches of brilliant play but Harley finally found the touch to down his rival.

Geoff Smith reappeared in Edgeware’s line-up and played soundly, beating Paul Dench, 6-2, 6-0. Scott Perkins made a timelv return to form beating Shane McNabb, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2. Perkins has had checkered results this season, winning two and losing three matches. He moved positively and after the gruelling three

setter would have been justifiably proud of his hardearned win.

Michael Young of United pushed Michael Mooney of Edgeware in the first set, conceding 6-4. But Mooney lifted his performance in the second set to take it soundly, 6-2.

In the surprise result of the day. Fendalton edged out Te Kura, 4-2, after a long drawn out battle of wits between Hugh Robinson of Te Kura and Brendon Furness, a determined junior player, fresh from the national under-16 championships in Lower Hutt.

Players and officials alike had thought that Robinson, a stalwart of Canterbury tennis, would prevail and out-think his younger opposition. Indeed, it appeared that this was the correct assumption after Furness conceded the first set, 5-7. But this gritty player is never to be underestimated and he began to pull out some winning shots. He took the second set in the tiebreaker and both sides began to cast nervous glances towards the lengthening tense third set. Furness stuck to his task to win and save the day for Fendalton which was "faced with a 3-3 result but conse-

quently took the 4-2 win.

Andrew Batie, of Te Kura, almost faltered against Alistair Chapman but was able to pull a win out of his bag of tricks after three sets. He won, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6. Chapman found a good length in his ground strokes in the first set and threw Batie off balance.

Chapman has stepped into the No. 1 shoes for his club with aplomb and has equipped himself well against formidable foes. His fight against Batie was one of the longest matches of the day and Batie had to really work to gain the winning edge. Phillip Burke returned to Fendalton’s ranks in place of Seeman and stuck to his task well to beat Michael Smith, 36, 7-5, 6-3.

Avonhead recorded a comfortable win over Elmwood, beating it 4-2, and in spite of being well matched for competition appeared to have the result well in hand. Jon Pierre Andre and Stephen Baird of Elmwood beat Alistair Hunt and Pete Mitchell, 7-5, 6-7, 7-5. It took just over hours for this cliff-hanger to produce the winners and Andre and Mitchell had forfeited two set points in the first set before consolidating to drag

back the two deciding sets and scrape in.

In the top singles clash, Vernon Aubrey of Avonhead beat Richard Dalman in straight sets but did not have the match all his own way.

Dalman played his characteristically big-hitting game, but he unfortunately never compromises power for accuracy.

Aubrey worked the ball well to extend Dalman and force errors. Dalman continued to blast his shots with some success but not enough to curb Aubrey’s inspired play. Aubrey won 6-3, 7-6. Dalman lost’ the tie-breaker 2-7.

Alistair Hunt of Avonhead tidied his first round three set win over Hamish Faulls to beat him in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6.

Hunt’s massive serve and subsequent well set up volleying gave him the edge. Jack Prouting of Avonhead gained a hard fought three set win over Andre, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.

Points after the first round; Edgeware 9, Shirley 7, Avonhead 7, Fendalton 7, Cashmere 2. Elmwood 2, Te Kura 2, United 0.