Can our Spanish Rhapsody become a Waltz in the Park?

Progress report from 2009 Seniors World Championships

Robyn Castle, 1-May-2009

With our team seeded #1, defence of the Austria Cup (M55) is well on track, with World #1 Andrew Rae and relative newcomer, Gary Thoroughgood winning all their Singles rubbers with ease. Gary is well supported by Michael Collins in the Doubles rubbers. Australia faced Great Britain in the first playoff match, with Andrew Rae scraping through against Andrew Stanley in his Singles rubber 64 67 76. Gary had an emphatic win over Mike Dawe 62 63, but Andrew and Michael went down in the Doubles in three sets. Other seeds, France (2) and Germany (3) went through, but Spain (6) surprised the Americans (4), winning both the Singles in straight sets.

Our Fred Perry team (M50) with Glenn Busby , Mike Ford, and Bruce Osborne, while only seeded (6) eliminated France (3) winning 2 – 1 to place themselves in the top of the draw to face top seeds, Germany in the Final round. Mike fought hard going down 67 16, while Glenn disposed of Philippe Joliot 60 62, and then with Bruce Osborne held on to win the Doubles decider 46 63 61. Only one more team to beat!

Our Dubler Cup (M45) – met #3 seeds France on Tuesday, going down 3-0, and won against India 3-0, to place them in the 9th playoff position against Sweden. #1 Roger Grant led the charge with a 62 63 win, Bruce Ferguson followed, winning 60 64, and the Doubles was a 64 61 win to Simon Arms and Bruce. Top seeds, and defending Champions, Spain are well placed to take it again, facing the Germans (5) at the top of the draw.

Tough competition for our guys in the Tony Trabert (M40) means that we are relegated to the playoffs for 15th – 21st position, but a win in the next round will seal a 17th or 18th spot. Chris O’Mara and Michael Russell had a win in the Doubles on Thursday, and Rino Traforti only just went down in three sets 26 64 63. Chris had a Tie breaker and 57, going down with the slimmest of margins, so it could have been either way! Defending team Italy, looks set for a showdown with #2 seeds France to win the Cup.

Italia Cup (M35) sees Australia’s Martin Richards winning not one, but TWO Tie breakers in the match against Hong Kong, and Brett Patten took out the #1 player, formerly from Australia (Andrew Town) 62 63, and Paul Kleverlaan teamed up with Brett to take the Doubles 60 60. The team faces Great Britain in the next match. Argentina, who won it last year have dropped down to 7th or 8th position, and the teams from Spain and France are set for a showdown for the Cup.

Now to the GIRLS!

Our team in the Margaret Court (W45) went down fighting, to #2 seeds USA, with Kerrie Douglas losing to Gretchen Magers 46 26, Wanda Clothier played Frances Chandler 16 06, but the Doubles could have gone either way, with the score being 76 46 46. Twenty teams are competing in this Cup. Both girls had a win in their Singles against Sweden, Wanda 63 61 and Kerrie 61 64. Against Estonia, it was a 3-0 win with Singles and Doubles going to the Aussies, Kerri Summerhayes coming in to play with Kerrie, annihilating the opposition, 60 61. In the main draw, we unfortunately met the top seeds, Czech Republic, going down in the Singles rubbers, Wanda 06 75 46 and Kerrie, 16 46. The top four seeds all made it to the Semi-final playoffs.

Seeded #2 in the Maria Bueno Cup (W50) our team of Ros Balodis, Kaye Nealon and Helen Webb have been on track for a semi-final berth. Ros has been untroubled to win all her Singles matches, and Kaye has recovered from a narrow defeat against the Spanish #2. She and Ros won the Doubles 61 61. Top seeds and defending champs USA will meet France, and Australia will play Great Britain. The Americans will be the “team to beat”. Maybe France can do it. Di Fishburne, Susan Wright, Carolyn Nichols and Marianne Robertson have swept all before them so far, so the Aussies will need to have their best foot forward, if they make it to the Final! (That would be a replay of last year’s).

In the Maureen Connolly (W55), our girls were also seeded #2, and featured in Group 4 of the Round robin draw. An unfortunate loss to Spain in the last match relegated the team to the 5th – 8th playoffs. Wendy Gilchrist won at #2, 61 64, but Helen Worland could not get into the match against Carmen Perea, going down 16 06. It was three sets in the Doubles, Adrienne Avis and Helen however, could only manage to win one, so it was Spain 46 62 62. USA looks set to dominate once again, and will meet Great Britain in the Semi, with Netherlands and Spain in the other semi-final. Australia will meet Germany in the first playoff match. Go girls, you can do it!