Gloria Brookland wins mixed junior Southland tennis with Ted Mortimer in 1954....

Southland junior tennis was looking very promising in 1954 with the likes of Paul Lawrey, John Morgan, Jim Jamieson, Grattan Roughan, Ted Mortimer, Neville Hoskin, Robin Welsh, Margaret Smith, Gloria Brookland, Beth McDonald, Shirley Peters, Joan Woodhead and many more.

Although there were few entries from outside the province a particularly pleasing number of country players took part, and the presence of the Southland women's open and G grade champion, Miss Stephanie Field, of Dunedin showed great interest.
A feature of the tournament was the success of players from the St. Mary's Club who won five of the nine titles.  Paul Lawrey won the boys' singles and under 19, Grattan Roughan the boys singles and under 17 singles.  He also won the doubles with Julie Lawrey (a sister of Paul), while Roughan also won the doubles with Welsh.
In the girls's singles under 19 Gloria Brookland came close to beating Stephanie Field in the semi-final after taking the first set, but found her opponent's pace and consistent length a little too severe in the next two.  
She had her revenge though in the mixed doubles when, she and Mortimer beat Jamieson and Miss Field in the final, after three sets.
This match was the best standard of the tournament and was as good, if not better, than anything seen at the Southland senior championships.  
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