EXHIBITION TENNIS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22572, 27 February 1948, Page 8

EXHIBITION TENNIS

LOCAL TEAM CHOSEN EXPERIENCED PLAYERS A Gisborne team has been selected to lake part in exhibition tennis matches with visiting Australians at the Gisborne Lawn Tennis Club’s courts next Wednesday. The local team comprises D. Richardson. D. Cranswick and Mesdames M. Hutchinson and V. Stephenson. The visiting Australians will be Jack Dart, Geoff Brown, the latter a Wimbledon finalist, and Misses M. Bevis and Toomey. Mrs. Stephenson has had wide experience at tennis with leading players in Wellington. She ranks in the first four of the Poverty Bay-East Coast district. She and Mrs. Hutchinson should make a formidable combination. Mrs. Hutchinson is one of the topranking women players of the district with New Zealand tournament experience. She had a terrific back-hand and plays a steady all-round game. D. Cranswick is one of the most heady doubles players the Bay has seen for many years and has many titles to his credit. Partnered by Richardson, he reached the quarter-finals in the North Island doubles 'ast season, being defeated by Barry and Lusk in the third set, 6—4. Together they have worked into a splendid combination.

I). Richardson lias a most impressive record as a singles and doubles player and lias" wide tournament experience. Besides reaching the quarterfinals in the North Island championship doubles, he reached the last 16 in the New Zealand singles contest. He lias held the Hawke’s Bay, Poverty Bay and Bay of Plenty singles and doubles titles.