Top Australian Pair Show Their Power

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30978, 7 February 1966, Page 15

Top Australian Pair Show Their Power

(New Zealand Preet Association) AUCKLAND. The Australian players, R. A. Emerson and Miss Margaret Smith, the Wimbledon champions, dominated the semi-finals of the singles and doubles in the Wills international lawn tennis tournament at Auckland at the week-end.

Emerson had little trouble in taking the men's singles title from R. Taylor, of Great Britain, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, and Miss Smith overwhelmed the Queenslander, Miss Kerry Melville, 6-1, 6-1, with a grand exhibition of power tennis. Emerson took only one hour ■nd 20 minutes to dispose of Taylor in their men's singles final. The Australian had a far better court coverage and his service never let him down. In the semi-finals Taylor had registered one of the two .singles surprises of the tourney when he eliminated a listless F. S. Stolle (Australia) 6-2. 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. Taylor’s attitude yesterday, however, bore no resemblance to the determined play he showed on Saturday. He was erratic and lacksadaisical. He was runner-up in all three events—men’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles. He had to contest four matches yesterday and was on the court, between noon and 7.20 p.m. for more than five and a half hours. Like Small Girl The Australian junior, Miss Melville caused the upset in

the women's singles when she ousted the Australian No. 2 player. Miss Lesley Turner, 6-1. 6-2. on Saturday. However, Miss Melville looked like a small girl playing a giant in the final.

Miss Smith’s volleying was superb. She glided into the net effortlessly and with speed and her court coverage was amazing.

Miss Smith dragged her younger opponent into the net and then caught her out of position with strongly placed drives. Clean Sweep Miss Smith later won the women’s doubles and mixed doubles to give her a clean sweep. Emerson and F. S. Stolle dominated the doubles final. It was not a matter of Emerson and Stolle putting on the pressure as much as Taylor and P. Rodriguez (Chile) slipping into a series of pathetic errors.

TayJor and Rodriguez were not half the team they had been when they combined to oust the New Zealanders, L. A. Gerrard and B. E. Fairlie, on Saturday.

In this semi-final Taylor and Rodriguez had made few errors, but against the harder hitting of Emerson and Stolle they were forced on the defensive Bnd found it hard to keep the ball in court from their backline positions. The only New Zealanders to reach a final were the veteran Auckland women’s pairing. Mesdames Heather Robson and Elaine Stephan, who disposed of Mrs Michelle Rodriguez (France) and Miss Melville, 6-3,

12-14, 6-1. in a minor upset in the semi-finals. The New Zealanders could not foot it with the Australian pair in the final.

A crowd of more than 2000, the largest crowd to attend Stanley street courts for any amateur tennis match, watched the finals. Results: Men's Singles Semi-final.—R. A. Emerson (Australia) beat P. Rodriguez (Chile), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3; R. Taylor (Great Britain) beat F. S. Stolle (Australia), 6-2, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4. Final.—Emerson beat Taylor, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, Women's Singles Semi-finals. —Miss M. Smith (Australia) beat Miss A. Jenkins (Australia), 6-2, 6-1; Miss K. Melville (Australia) beat Miss L. Turner (Australia), 6-1, 6-2. Final.—Miss Smith beat Miss Melville, 6-1, 6-1. Men's Doubles Semi-finals. Emerson and Stolle beat J. E. Robson and A. S. Burns (Auckland), 7-5, 6-2, 6-3; Rodriguez and Taylor beat L. A. Gerrard and B. E. Fairlie (Auckland), .6-2, 6-4, 10-8. Final.—Emerson and Stolle beat Rodriguez and Taylor, 6-4. 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Women's Doubles Semi-finals.—Misses Smith and Turner beat Mrs J. Bignell and Miss A. Genie (Auckland), 6-0, 6-0; Mesdames H. Robson and E. Stephan (Auckland) beat Miss Melville and Mrs M. Rodriguez (France), 6-3, 12-14, 6-2. Final.—Misses Smith and Turner beat Mesdames Robson and Stephan, 6-2, 6-1. Mixed Doubles Semi-finals.—R. Ruffels (Australia) and Miss. Smith beat R. N. Hawkes (Wellington) and Miss Melville, 6-2, 6-4; Taylor and Miss Turner beat J. Gisbert (Spain) and Miss C. Fleming (Auckland), 6-2, 6-4.

Final. —Ruffels and Miss Smith beat Taylor and Miss Turner, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.