Fletcher Could Upset N.Z. Tennis Hopes

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 3

Fletcher Could Upset N.Z. Tennis Hopes

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. The Australian, K. Fletcher, appears to be the one player who could stop L. A. Gerrard from winning his sixth national title in the New Zealand lawn tennis championships, which will begin at the Stanley street courts today.

Gerrard, who already has five national singles titles to his credit, has won the Wellington and North Island championships this season and is in good form.

Fletcher, who now lives it Hong Kong, is seeded numbei one and Gerrard second. Gerrard had his attempt a his sixth national single: title thwarted last season by the Australian, B. Phillips Moore, but should be hard t< beat on the smooth Stanley street surface. The Englishman, R. Taylor the Auckland champion, J E. Robson, and J. B. Souter of Wellington, who has beer runner-up in the Wellington Auckland and North Islanc championships this season are three other players wh< could upset. Gerrard, Taylor, J. H. Lock ington (Auckland) and R. N Hawkes (Wellington) are the seeded players in the top hall of the draw. Fletcher, Rob son, Souter and K. H. Lon? (Auckland) are the seeded players in the bottom half. : Fletcher has arrived ir i Auckland, but Taylor is not i expected to arrive until today I Miss K. Melville, the top ■ Australian junior, has been I seeded top in the women's singles and has drawn a bye in this event. She could be

hard pressed by Miss E Terry (Waikato); the North Island champion, Mrs E Stephan (Auckland); or the

Auckland champion. Miss S Clement. Junior Titles The convincing manner ir which the unseeded Aucklanc Slazenger Shield player, H. A Broun, eliminated the seventh seeded entrant in the boy’s singles, P. Fyffe (Hutt Vai ley), was a feature of the third day’s play in the junioi . lawn tennis championships al Stanley street yesterday. Elimination matches in the men’s singles events were played at the West End en-tous-cas courts on Satur , day. Results:— Under 19 Boys' Singles Third Round.—O. Parun (Wellington) beat D. Harris (Northland), 6-2, 6-0; G. Eliott (North land) beat W. Davis (Manawatu), 6-3. 6-3; K. Woolcott beat R. Roland (Wellington), 3-6, 6-0. 6-4; D. Cassidy (Auckland) beal B. Tietjens (Auckland), 6-3, 6-3; J. Mitchell (Canterbury) beai J. Barren (Hutt Valley), 6-1. 6-3; H. Brown (Auckland) beat P. Fyfe (Hutt Valley), 6-4, 6-0; J. Ross (Auckland) beat P. Shorter (Auckland), 6-2, 6-4: B Fairlie (Auckland) beai D. Cotter (Auckland), 6-2, 6-3. Under 19 Girls' Singles Third Round—M. Kynaston (Australia) beat A. Stevens (Auckland). 6-1, 5-7. 6-4; Denise Kerr-Taylor (Auckland) beat C. I Bray (Auckland), 6-1, 6-2; S

1.1 Collins (Southland) beat J. Chat I field (Auckland) 6-4. 6-3 .1 Elliot (Manawatu) beat S Pope (Wellington), 6-1. 6-2: Deidre . I Kerr-Taylor (Auckland) beat .1. ; Bishop (Canterbury), 61. 62 1 S. Reid (North Shore) beat M Amer (Auckland). 6-3 6-2: H ■ Ward (North Shore) beat G Steel 1 (Wellington). 61. 6-3: B Vercoe S (Auckland) beat N. Hewitt (Mel- , llngton). 6-0, 6-0 “ Under-19 Boys' Doubles r Quarter-finals—D. Cassidy and . G. Elliot beat P. Fvfe and P 1 Howman, 64, 6-0; B Fair: e and .1. Alexander beat N. Parris and » D. Parun. 6-2. 7-5: O. Parun “ and ,1. Mitchell beat A Guise - and J. Simpson. 6-0, 6-1. ’ Under-19 Girls' Doubles - Quarter-finals.—Dierdre KerrTaylor and B. Vercoe beat 1.. Edwards and E. Thomas. 6 1, 6-0; Denise Kerr-Taylor and s. Reid beat S. Mends and S. Ward, 6-0 62: A. Stevens and H. Ward beat E. Emery and G. ’ Emlth, 6-4, 6-4. Under-19 Mixed Doubles I Third Round.—O. Parun and Miss B. Vercoe beat J. AlexI ander and Miss G. Steel, 6 1. 6-1: P. Fyfe and Miss S Rc:d ( beat D. Mathews and Mtss M Amer, 6-2, 75: K. Woolcott and i Miss S. Pope beat N. Parr s and Miss J Campbell. 60. 6-1: J. Mitchell and Miss Denise Kerr Taylor beat P. Shorter and M -s ; E. Emery, 6-3. 6-1; D. Cassidy and Miss S. Collins beat 11. Brown and Miss G Smith. 6 0 6-1; J Boss and Miss H Ward i beat B Tietjens and Miss S ( Ward, 6-1. 6-3: B Fail-lie and ■ Derdre Kerr-Taylor heal (. Kerridge and Miss II Caldwe”. . 6-1, 60.