First-round upset

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 44

First-round upset

PA Auckland Ruth Seaman could see her professional tennis career really take off this year after beating Cammy MacGregor, of the United States, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in the first round of the $lOO,OOO international women’s tennis tournament in Auckland yesterday. The win coupled with Julie Richardson’s firstround victory in the Nutri-Metics tournament gave New Zealand players a great start to the Sleepyhead singles.

Richardson beat the tall I.Bm (sft Ilin) Carin Bakkum (Netherlands), 6-4, 6-1 to give the Dutch girl her second defeat in the first round of the tournament in successive years by a New Zealander. Last year, it was Seaman who dealt out the loss.

Seaman’s win yesterday defended her ranking points gained from the last Nutri-Metics event but in beating MacGregor who is ranked 131 compared with the Otago girl’s 278, another two bonus ranking points could go her way. The win, closely follow-

ing her capture of the New Zealand residential women’s title, has given her the confidence to keep on the professional circuit instead of being content to coach and play inter-league in West Germany.

“My ground strokes have improved and now that I know I can stay with an opponent instead of trying to rush in for a quick couple of points, my game is getting better,” said Seaman after her win.

And while the play in Europe has no doubt helped, for Seaman a man coming into her life has also made a tremendous difference.

Yesterday when she was down in the second set and holding two match points, which she blew in the eighth game of the third set on MacGregor’s serve and again down 15-40 on her own service in the ninth game, Seaman looked to the stand for support. There sitting in the Redwood Stand was Geoff Love, a friend from Otago University days, now her tennis coach and soon to be her travelling compan-

ion on the hectic professional circuit.

“Sure, it was good to have Geoff there,” said Seaman, whose Federation Cup selection chances must also have improved with her national title win and now proving that she has the ability to play and beat well-ranked players. Results.—

Singles, first round: J. Richardson (N.Z.) b C. Bakkum (Neth) 6-4, 6-1; V. Lake (Eng) b J. Golder (U.S.) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4); S. Wasserman (Belgium) b A. Fernandes (U.S.) 6-1, 6-0; K. Steinmets (U.S.) b H. Dahlstrom (Sweden) 4-6, 6-2,' 6-0; R. Seeman (N.Z.) b Cammy MacGregor (U.S.) 6I, 3-6, 6-4; T. Catlin (Eng) b P. Casale (U.S.) 6-4, 6-2; C. Christian (U.S.) b M. Lavat (France) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; Y. Kpizumi (Japan) b D. Hansel (U.S.) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; J. Hetherington (Can) b P. Smith (U.S.) 6-0, 6-2; P. Vasquez (Peru) b J. Byrne (Aust) 6-2, 6-0; A. Kanellopoulou (Greece) b C. Reynolds (U.S.) 6-1, 6-2; A. Croft (Eng) b L. O'Neill (Aust) 6-4,' 3-6, 7-6 (7-2); L. Antonopolis (U.S.) b K. Adams (U.S.) 6-2, 6-3; M. Drake (Can) b A. Schwartz (U.S.) 6-2, 6-2; S. Niox-Chateau (France) b Cynthia MacGregor (U.S.) 63, 6-1; P. Jung (U.S.) b A. Nishya (Japan) 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-1.