Gerrard, Taylor In Semi-Final

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 15

Gerrard, Taylor In Semi-Final

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. L. A. Gerrard, who has won the New Zealand men’s tennis title five times since 1960, looked quite capable of winning it a sixth time when he beat R. G. Clarke, of Wellington, 6-2,6-3,6-2, in the quarter-finals of this year’s championships at Auckland yesterday.

In the other quarterfinal played yesterday, the Englishman, R. Taylor, defeated R. N. Hawkes, of Wellington, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-3.

Hawkes had little answer to the high kick of Taylor’s powerful service, but there was little else to Taylor’s game.

Gerrard on his current form must be warmly favoured to defeat Taylor in the semifinals this morning and go on to meet either K. Fletcher, the Hong Kong-based Australian, or J. E. Robson, the veteran Aucklander, in the final on Sunday. FLETCHER MYSTER

The form of Fletcher is still a mystery. He has won his singles matches without much trouble but, without the help of strong partners, has not shown exceptional doubles form.

Yesterday, he disappeared from the men’s doubles when he and R. A. Wong were beaten in five sets by the Australian universities pair, G. Pollard and P. Keller. In the women’s singles the second seed, Miss Elizabeth Tarry, proved too steady for the young Australian, Miss Margaret Kynaston, and won. 7-5, 6-2, while the 21-year-old Australian Universities player, Miss Anne Jenkins, upset the third seed, Mrs E. Stephan (Auckland), 6-1, 8-6. In the semi-finals today,

Miss Terry meets Miss Jenkins, while the top seed. Miss Kerry Melville, of Melbourne, will play Miss Sue Clement, of North Shore. SUPERB STROKES

Gerrard twice broke Clarke’s service in the - first set, which he won 6-2. Clarke picked up some crisp and deep volleys to lead 3-0 in the second, but Gerrard rallied and played many superb ground strokes in winning the next two games. After dropping his first service Gerrard swept back to win five consecutive games in the third set to take the match. Hawkes had regular difficulty in holding his service in the first set against Taylor, but scampered everywhere on defence and won it, 6-4, by directing his game to Taylor’s backhand. The power of Taylor told from here to the finish, however, and when the match ended Hawkes had broken Taylor’s service only twice. BOTH ON ATTACK The match between Miss Terry and Miss Kynaston was a quick one, if nothing else, for both players chose to attack. Miss Kynaston swept to a 3-0 lead in the first set, but then became somewhat erratic as she strove unsuccessfully to overcome the fine placements, notably on the backhand, of Miss Terry.

Miss Jenkins is a student from Melbourne, who has just finished her arts degree and

is to take her diploma of education this year before starting on a teaching career. Yesterday, she won the first set easily enough from Mrs Stephan, but was down 1-5 in the second before she produced her best passing shots to win the set, 8-6. The unseeded-combination of Taylor and Miss Kynaston eliminated two of the four seeded pairs, A. S. Burns and Mrs H. Robson, and Gerrard and Miss Terry, to reach the final of the mixed doubles.