LAWN TENNIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 49, 28 January 1932, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

’• Although many of the .leading players .'were? absent, the district cham’pionships played at the Linton Street courts last week proved quite interesting. Two of the strongest players, Coombe and Campbell, were away, so that Brown was easily the best of the competitors. He was in his best form, but was lucky to win, for, as stated in the “Standard,” he had an attack of cramp in the second set and retired, for five minutes. By the Rules of Lawn Tennis play m a three set match • shall be continuous from the first service till tire match is concluded, and shall never be suspended for the purpose of allowing a player to recover Ins strength' or his wind. A player suffering from cramp must either continue to play or resign the match to his opponent. Brown was clearly the stronger player and it would, have been hard lines for him to lose under' such circumstances, .hut rules are rules and should be strictly enforced. '

The form. of some of the other players was very puzzling. For example, Blakeney, who is generally reckoned one of the best players in the Manawatu Association,'beat a good man in Heremia in the first round and was then beaten in the second round by F. Orgias, who in the third round was quite outplayed by S. W. Grant, who had only just managed to beat E. Norris. '• In’the fourth round Grant, playing nice tennis, had a very level game with D. I. Robertson, so that if the form was reliable Grant must be a much better. man than Blakeney, and Norris nearly as good as Grant. But in the handicap Radford receiving 17 beat Grant receiving 16 by 50- —40. Both these young players did well throughout the tournament, and another who showed promise, but at present is rather wild and inclined to lash out at everything, is L. Gibson, of Takaro.

The ladies’ championship was practically a walk-over for Miss 'N. Astle, none, of the other leading ladies having entered. The only other lady who deserves mention is Miss A. Heard, who got into both finals of the ladies’ events, beating Mrs Ward and Miss Worrall, both of whom were handicapped above her. She also, with Gardner, reached the semi-final of the mixed.

In the men’s doubles two pairs seemed to stand out. Of these Salmond and Boddy camo through to tho final without losing a set, but Robertson and- Blakeney after just beating Fox and Beckett were beaten by the Maori pair Wehipeihana and Heremia after winning the first set at 6 —4, and leading 5—2 in. the second. After that' they. could do nothing right and with Heremia playing a great game at the net and well backed up by Wehipeihana, who did well throughout the tournament, the score was taken to 5 all. Then Robertson and Blakeney were three times at match point, but the Maori pair just pulled through, 6—5, and in the final set had matters all 'their own way. It is •usual, and desirable for advantage sets to be played in all championship matches and there seems to be no good reason for departing from this custom. The final will probably be played at the end of the week and the Salmond•Boddy partnership will probably prove too strong for the Maori pair, though a win by the latter would he quite popular.

NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS,

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Jan. 27. The New Zealand lawn tennis championships were continued to-day in fine but windy weather. The big surprise in .to-day’s play .was the defeat in straight sets of Miss Marjorie Macfarlane by Mrs France. There were some verv interesting contests in the second round of. tho men’s singles, but all the leading players prevailed, and so there were no other surprises. The attendance was again highly satisfactory. Excellent progress was made in all sections with the result that to-morrow’s matches bring together some of the leading contenders for the various titles. Particular interest attaches to the - men’s singles matches in every instance, and it is hard to say who will be the four left in; The same remarks apply so far as the-women’s singles are concerned, and the games between Misses Nicholls and Hartigan, and-Mrs Dykes and Miss Hall, in particular, should attract large galleries. < .A. L. France had a protracted duel for two and a-half hours with R. A. Court, the North Island ‘champion. There was not much variety in the plajr. N. G. Sturt made a good start against C. Angas, leading 3—l then 4—2 in the first set. Once he settled down, however, Angas had the Aucklander on the run by superior placements and court craft. He displayed a great variety of shots, and sent bacK brilliant returns from many of Sturt’s hard drives.

N. R. O. Wilson dropped the first set match against S. J. Robinson, failing to score a single game. Thereafter, however, he sighted the ball better, and although Robinson stuck gamely to the task Wilson’s better all-round stroke production enabled him to win three sets in succession. ' 1

The Australian junior champion, Miss Hartigan, was. fully exteiided;;to'prevail over , Mrs Melody in the second round of the women’s singles. Miss Hartigan took the-first set to love and had the match point in the second set, 5—4. With characteristic tenacity, however, Mrs Melody stuck to the task, and, staging a great recovery, she won an advantage set. Mrs Melody’s driving broke down.,in the third set, under the persistent pressure of her younger rival. Contrary to expectations Mrs ‘ France was responsible for the elimination of Miss Marjorie Macfarlane. The Wellington player made no race of the first set, in which Miss Macfarlane was most erratic in nearly all her shots.. The sec-ond-set was long drawn out, play taking place solely from the baseline, and it was only a question of who com-mitted-the most errors. The seeded pairs all qualified in the second round of the men’s doubles. J. B. Macpherson (Auckland) nnd C. F. Sehadick (Westport) playing D. I. Robertson (Palmerston North) and A. K. Deaker (Dunedin) established a fresh record for court occupation during the tournament, one which will require beating. It took them three and threequarter hours to decide four sets. As indicated by the ’score it was a true marathon contest.' , Mrs Molesworth was the. only Australian to drop out of # the women’s doubles, she . and her 'partner, Mrs Thomson (Wellington) being defeated by two other visitors, Misses Lloyd and HartigaJi., 1 ’ ■'■-'j Fine tennis was seen in the doubles match between Stedman and Miss Hnrtigan and France and Mrs France. As the score indicated there was not a

great deal in it, both sets running to advantage. V i ! Results are as follow : MEN’S DOUBLES. Second. Round.

Angas and Barnett won from Hayr and Wright, by default. Griffiths and Harrison beat Tapper and Thomson, 6 —o, 6 —o, 6 —4. ’ Court and Lamp© beat A. C. Johns and Rowlands, 6 —3, 9 —7, ,1 —6, .6 4. France and France lieat Johns ana Johns j 6—4, 6—l, 6 —4.' Bartleet nnd Laurenson beat Partridge and Macarthur, 6—2, 6 —2, 6—3. Robertson and Deaker beat Macpherson and Sehadick, 12 —14, 9—7, &—4, 6—4. AVOMEN’S DOUBLES. Second Round. : Mrs Dykes and Miss Knight beat Mrs France and Miss Howe, 6 —4, 4—6, 6—3. Miss Lloyd and Hartigan beat Mesdames Molesworth and Thomson, 6 —4, 3-6, 6—3. Mrs Melody and Miss Nicholls beat Mrs Schroff and Miss Wliitelaw, 6—3, 6—3 ; Misses Valkenburg and Hall beat Misses Macfarlane 6 —l, 6 —4. COMBINED DOUBLES. First Round. Miss Eccles and Pickmere beat Miss Graham and Dickie, 6—2, 6- —3. v Mrs Thomson anti Wilson beat Mrs Russell and Robinson, 6—3, 10 —8. ! Miss Hall and- A. C. Johns beat Miss Taylor and Charters, 6 —2, B — 6. Miss Beverly and Lamp© beat Miss Knight and V. R. Johns, 3—6, 6 —4, 6 —4. - Mrs Franco and France beat Miss Whitelaw and Turner, 6 —2, 6—3. Second Round. Miss Marjorie Macfarlane and Sturt beat Miss Johnson and . Barnett, 6—2, 6—4; , Miss Valkenburg and Morrison beat Miss Robertson and Lamb, .6—l, 7 —5. Miss Howell and Court beat Miss Miller and Wright, 6 —3, 5—7, 6 —l. Mrs Molesworth and Griffiths 'beat Miss Howe and lioussell, 6 —4, 6—o. Miss Nicholls and A. L. France beat Miss Robson and Ohlson, 6—2, 6—2. Miss Hartigan and Stedman beat Mrs France and France, 7 —5, 10—8.