Australia Wins Five ITF Cups
Report from the Super-Seniors World Teams Competition, Perth, WA.
Robyn Castle & Tom Hancy, Nov 11, 2009; Photos courtesy of Tim Clayton
In a sensational and exciting day of tennis, Australia won five of the nine cups on offer at the Super-Seniors World Teams’competition held in Perth. In addition, three other teams were runners-up and the ninth team finished sixth.
Gold medals went to our teams in the Gardnar Mulloy (M80), the Jack Crawford (M70), the Queens’ (W75), the Althea Gibson (W70) and the Alice Marble (W60).
Teams that took the Silver medal were the Bitsy Grant (M75), the Britannia (M65) and the Kitty Godfree (W65). The von Cramm team (M60) was plagued by injuries to players and bad luck which resulted in finishing sixth rather than in the top four. A match point won projected the team into the top four, however, the ball was ruled flat or broken and the point rightly replayed resulting in Australia eventually losing the match.
The USA won two Cups, (Britannia and the Bitsy Grant), Great Britain, one, (Kitty Godfree), and Spain, one, (von Cramm). In the Britannia Cup, USA was out for revenge for its loss to the Aussies in 2007, and Richard Johnson set the scene with a decisive win over Dennis Bindon 62 62. Peter Keller kept Australia’s hopes alive in defeating former World #1 Jimmy Parker 61 75, but USA was too strong in the Doubles, Johnson with Ken Robinson defeating Bindon and Keller 64 62 in the decider.
The Kitty Godfree Cup was hard fought between Great Britain and Australia, with Great Britain taking its first victory in over a decade. Jenny Waggot beat Margaret Wayte 67 64 62 in a close encounter, and Sue Hill defeated Heather McKay in straight sets 64 64. Australia can take some consolation in the Doubles, with Pam Brand and Helen Muir defeating Jackie Boothman and June Fisher 63 64.
|
Bitsy Grant Cup; l to r. Max Byrne (c), Graham Brown, and Alan Hocking.
|
In the Bitsy Grant, the USA was too strong for both France and Australia, defeating both nations 3-0. Against France, Alan Hocking took the #2 Singles against Pierre Court 61 26 76, while Max Byrne was victorious over Henri Crutchet 61 63. Alan paired with Graham Brown to take the Doubles 62 63 for a 3-0 win, and a Silver medal. |
|
Gardnar Mulloy Cup; l to r. Ward Hillier, deceased, Alan Bailey, Doug Corbett (c) and Neville Halligan.
|
In the Mulloy Cup, Australia, seeded one, was playing a USA in a repeat of the 2007 and 2008 finals. Alan Bailey convincingly defeated Graydon Nicholls, 61 62, and Ward Hillier was just a convincing in his 61 61 victory over Clem Hopp to put the team in an unbeatable position. These two playing singles went the whole week undefeated. The team was ably supported by Doug Corbett and Neville Halligan. |
|
Jack Crawford Cup; l to r. Bob Howes (c),
Ian King, Tony Harkin and Ian Macdonald.
|
The Jack Crawford team was given a great start against New Zealand, with the win of Ian
King over Lindsay Gordon 62 62 in the first singles rubber. A scare went through the
Aussie camp when Bob Howes was injured in the second point of the match against
Mose Harvey. With his heel and ankle strapped, Bob showed great courage and skill to
dispense with his opponent 63 62 in a straight set victory, giving the team the Cup. Ian
King and Tony Harkin then won the Doubles to make it 3-0. |
|
Althea Gibson Cup: l to r. Joy Rigter, Nola Collins (c), Mary Gordon, Lesley Heumiller
|
It was the women’s teams that delivered three cups. Nola Collins, undefeated for the
week, and Mary Gordon who lost the singles but combined with Lesley Heumiller to win
the Doubles, caused a rare upset by beating the reigning champions, South Africa for the
Althea Gibson Cup. In the deciding third set of the doubles Australia took the set 7-4 in
the tie break. |
|
Queens' Cup; l to r. Margaret Robinson (c), Peg Hoysted, Shirley Whitaker and Elsie Crowe
|
In the Queens’ Cup, Margaret Robinson and Peg Hoysted won their singles for the loss of just 5 games, to give the team an unassailable lead. Peg defeated Yvonne Van Nostrand, while Margaret defeated current world #1 Mary Boswell 61 61. The Americans claimed some consolation in winning the doubles over Shirley Whitaker and Elsie Crowe 63 61. |
|
Alice Marble Cup; l to r. Kerry Ballard (c), Carol Campling, Kerin Tulloch and Jan Johns.
|
The outstanding play of the week by Kerry Ballard and Carol Campling ensured
Australia success in the hotly contested Alice Marble Cup. France was looking to defend
its crown against the #2 seeds in its sixth final in eight years. An early advantage to
Australia with a win to Carol Campling 62 61 against Laurence Goulard set the scene for
Kerry against World #1 Nicole Hesse-Cazaux. “Nothing to lose” – after Hesse-Cazaux
clinched the first set 64, Kerry launched a come-back to take the second by the same
score. With a match point saved at 5-4 to stay in the match, Hesse-Cazaux could not
repeat it at 6-5, giving Kerry the win 7-5, and the Cup to Australia. |
Australia can be proud of the sportsmanship, the determination, fighting spirit and team
cooperation displayed by all of its players. Well done all!! |
