Players lack polish in first tennis round

Press, 25 September 1989, Page 24

Players lack polish in first tennis round

Getting back into tennis is like riding a bike — almost. • The first round of this year’s BNZ inter-club men's matches at Wilding Park on Saturday showed that most of the players were reasonably sharp but the polish is yet to come. Shirley, the early favourite, had an entralling tussle with Fendalton in the early rubbers. The addition of Philip Seeman gave Fendalton added impetus. 1 Seeman, fresh from the European circuit, was a cut above Peter Hampton in the top singles winning, 6-4, 6-4. Hampton, who does not play winter sport, had a rude awakening to Seeman’s pacey game. Seeman was at home on the astroturf, which is close to the clay surfaces he has been playing on overseas, and he varied his game aggressively. Seeman broke Hampton’s serve at 2-1 to take the upper hand at 3-1, but Hampton, a wily competitor, still made him work for points. There were several captivating rallies as Hampton scampered desperately backwards and forwards searching for a chance to take control.

Hampton did show that it will not be long before he is back in the saddle before he capitulated. “It was a bit cold out there, but Peter is always tough,” said Seeman afterwards. "There were a few good back court rallies where we got a combination going well.” Julian Faults made an impressive start to the season with steadier and more menacing play. He beat Alistair Chapman, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 3. The errors that have punctuated his form over the years were not evident on Saturday and the result bodes well for the future. . Brendon Furness ran Brett Hibbert close in the second

set of their three set tussle at No. 2. Hibbert won the match, 6-0, 6-7, 6-3, but true to his word, practice had not been a prime concern as university exams loom. Furness had the same dilemma. “It was a battle of the B.Com. students,” he said afterwards. Hamish Faulls made relatively short work of Marty Searle (Fendalton), 6-1, 6-4, and he will be a tough customer at No. 4 for Shirley this season. The United versus te Kura clash produced a result that several had predicted but was still a worthy upset. John Honeywell was not in the Te Kura line-up as he was pursuing his running career, but Justin O’Malley, a junior, took the No. 1 spot with aplomb. He masterminded the demise of Mark Belcher with his velvet gloved play. Several of the senior players have cast wary eyes on the diminutive Te Kura player with their reputations in mind and all are hoping not to play him on his favoured surface — the astroturf. Belcher’s hard-hitting game did not ruffle O’Malley who pushed the ball past him at the net and had little trouble with his serve.

A spectator referred to Hugh Robinson (Te Kura) and Bill Thom’s game as “the battle of two old-timers with a bit of touch.” Robinson filled the bill in terms of experience if not years. The nimble Robinson won the encounter, 6-2, 6-1, and Thom asserted that he has now been beaten by the Te Kura stalwart on three surfaces. Mike Purcell was pushed to three sets by Jason Loveridge (United) eventually clinching it, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1. Shane McNabb was in good form for United as he ripped through Steven Green, 6-2, 6-2. Edgeware took a timely 4-2

win over Elmwood. Stephen Harley had the measure of Richard Dalman, winning 6-1, 6-1. Harley out-thought Dalman with some crafty play. Andrew Merhtens had a successful debut for Edgeware beating. Steven Baird, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, after gaining his confidence. Michael Smith, who played for Te Kura last year, took a win for Edgeware at No. 2 from Rhett Mason, 2-6, 6-5, 6Avonhead was uncompromising as expected, against Cashmere, but there were some close results. Vernon Aubrey and Alistair Hunt (Avonhead) had to work for the top doubles win against Andrew Bruce arid Peter Terrace. They won it, 7- 7-5, but it was crammed with some superb net exchanges and good team work. Hunt and Bruce had a battle of wits in their singles game. Hunt won 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. Points: Avonhead 8, Edgeware 7, Shirley 7, Te Kura 7, Elmwood 2, Fendalton 2, United 2, Cashmere 1. Results.— MEN Avonhead 5, Cashmere 1 Doubles: V. Aubrey and A. Hunt beat A. Bruce and P. Terrace, 7-6, 7-5; M. Young and J. Prouting beat J. McHarg and A. Orangi, 6-4, 6-4.

Singles: Hunt beat Bruce, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4; Aubrey beat McHarg, 6-1, 6-1; Young beat Orangi, 6-2, 7-5; Prouting lost to Terrace, 6-3, 7-5. Shirley 4, Fendalton 2 Doubles: P. Hampton and J. Faulls lost to P. Seeman and A. Chapman 6-2, 6-3; B. Hibbert and H. Faulls beat B. Furness and M. Searle, 6-2, 6-4. Singles: Hampton lost to Seeman, 4-6, 4-6; Hibbert beat Furness, 6-0, 6-7, 6-3; J. Faulls beat Chapman, 6-2, 6-1; H. Faulls beat Searle, 6-1, 6-4. Te Kura 4, United 2 Doubles: M. Purcell and J. O’Malley lost to M.' Belcher and B. Thom, 2-6, 7-5, 4-6; H. Robinson and S. Green beat J. Loveridge and S. McNabb, 6-2, 6-2, Singles: O’Malley beat Belcher, 6-2, 6-2; Purcell beat Loveridge, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1; Robinson beat Thom, 6-2, 6-1; Green lost to McNabb, 2-6, 2-6. ' Edgeware 4, Elmwood 2 Doubles: S. Harley and M. Smith lost to R. Mason and R. Dalman, 3-6, 6-3, 1-6; S. Perkins and A. Mehrtens beat J. P. Andre and S. Baird, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5. Singles: Harley beat Dalman, 6-1, 6-1; Smith beat Mason, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3; Perkins lost to Andre, 2-6, 1-6; Merhtens beat Baird, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.