Wgtn retains tennis title

Press, 18 December 1989, Page 48

Wgtn retains tennis title

From

DIANNA LESLIE

in Wellington The Air New Zealand national interclub tennis league culminated with a magnificent final as Wellington beat Auckland, 17-9, at the Renouf Centre yesterday. Wellington was forced to the line by the ambitious Auckland side which had beaten it in round robin play and the full house was treated to a compelling tussle between the talented sides. Wellington clinched the tie when Belinda Cordwell conquered her erratic form to beat Julie Richardson, 7-6 (7-4). Kelly Evernden sealed the second successive national title

for Wellington, with his singles win over fellow Davis Cup squad member, Bruce Derlin, 6-4. Evernden was hot against Derlin, but the match did not go all his own way as the left-handed Auckland player has been putting in overtime at practice for the BP nationals and Davis Cup. Derlin was quick to pounce on opportunities at the net but he could not douse Evernden’s fiery pace. Wellington collected a winner’s purse of $5OOO for its campaign which has only been seriously challenged by Auckland. Wellington 19, Auckland I 7 Singles (Wellington names first): Jeremy Grubi beat Troy Turnbull, 6-2;

Steve Guy beat Brett Steven, 6-1; Kelly Evernden beat Bruce Derlin, 6-4; Graeme Liddell lost to Greg Long, 6-7 (5-7); Hana Adamkova beat Janine Perkinson, 6-0; Belinda Cordwell beat Julie Richardson, 7-6 (7-4). Doubles: Turnbull and Long beat Grubi and Liddell, 7-6 (7-0); Cordwell and Adamkova lost to Perkinson and Richardson, 5-7; Evernden and Guy beat Derlin and Steven, 6-4. Shirley 22, Edgeware 4 Singles (Shirley names first): Brett Hibbert lost to Stephen Harley, 3-6; Peter Hampton beat Vernon Aubrey 7-6, (8-6); Adam Anderson beat Alistair Hunt, 6-3; Philip Seeman beat Ron Dutton, 6-4; Ruth Seeman beat Chris Hoffee, 6-1; Rennae Stubbs beat Lisa O’Neill, 6-3. Doubles: Hampton and Seeman lost to Hunt and Aubrey, 2-6; Hibbert and Anderson beat Harley and Dutton, 6-2; Stubbs and Seeman beat O’Neill and Hoffee, 6-3.