Great Britain's Women's 65 team of Sue Hill (captain), Jenny Waggott, Jacky Boothman and June Fisher, competing in the ITF Super Seniors World Team Championships in Perth, Australia, won the gold medal in the Kitty Godfree Cup, beating the home team, Australia, in the final. Seeded second, the team won its preliminary group on a countback of sets won after beating Japan and South Africa but narrowly losing to Australia. Moving into the semi-final, the team beat France 2-1 before taking on Australia again in the final. This time it went GB's way and the title was secured when Sue Hill and Jenny Waggott both won their singles matches putting the team in an unbeatable position.
Although no other medals were won in this campaign. Two teams ended in fourth position. The Althea Gibson (Women 70) Cup team was unseeded but victories over Germany and Canada were enought to gain them second place in the first group and a place in the semi-final where Jean Porter (captain), Marcia Ackers, June Pearce and Helen Jary had to give best to Australia. The Alice Marble (Women 60) Cup team also lost to Australia but beat New Zealand and The Netherlands.at the group stage which sent Marjory Love (captain), Shirley Fox, Christine Lockhart and Penny Sheehan into the play-off of second-placed teams. Wins over Canada and Germany ensured them fourth place overall.
Five teams gained fifth position in their respective events. The Men's 60 team, Richard Tutt (captain), John Paish, Keith Bland and Mick Webb, competed in the large field of 16 teams divided into four groups. Unseeded, they beat Switzerland and Canada but were unlucky to be drawn with the holders, Spain, to whom they lost and headed for the fifth to eight competition. Wins over Mexico and Australia saw them safely into fifth place, a highly creditable position in this strong event.
Other teams ending in fifth position were in the Britannia Cup (Men 65), Crawford Cup (Men 70), Gardnar Mulloy (Men 80) and Queen's (Women 75).
In the Indvidual Championships, Betty Howard reached the 80 singles final losing out to Rita Price of the USA but gaining a silver medal! Keith Bland (M60) and Mark Cox (Men 65) and Marjory Love (Women 60) were all winners of bronze medals in their singles events by reaching the semi-finals.
In doubles, John Paish, with his American partner Brian Cheney, beat teammates Keith Bland and Richard Tutt in the final of the 60s while Clive Hutchings and Rod Petchey took silver in the Men's 70. A number of pairs reached the semi-finals of their events so claiming bronze medals:
Mark Cox and Henk Nijeboer in the Men's 65
Guy Foster and Darius Panah-Izadi in the Men's 80
June Fisher and Sue Hill in the Women's 60
Jacky Boothman and Ellie Krocke (NED) in the Women's 65
Jean Porter with June Simpson (AUS) in the Women's 70
Full results may be fond at www.itftennis.com/seniors.