LAWN TENNIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 19, 19 December 1932, Page 2

LAWN TENNIS

PALMERSTON NORTH LADIES v. THE REST. The annual ladies’ match, Palmerston North Club against the Rest of the Clubs affiliated to the Manawatu Association was played at Feilding on Saturday in blazing hot weather and resulted, ns on former occasions, in a clear victory for the Rest by 9 rubbers to 6, though the disparity in games was only 17. Playing in top place Mrs McNair Thomson never looked like losing, though Miss N. Astle played very well and made a very good show. In the second place Mrs Beattie, who is in great form just now, created rather a surprise when she beat Miss Calver after losing the first set. In the next place Mrs Kearney, showing no trace of her strong game of two years ago, made a very, poor show against Miss M. Rutherford, who was at the top of her form. Mrs AVard in the two previous years won her first set and lost the next two, but this year, playing against Mrs Anderson, lost the first set and as nearly as possible 1 won the next two. She is easily the most improved of tire local players. She hits the ball very cleanly on both wings, places accurately, and is very useful at the net. She did well to make such a close match of it with Mrs Anderson, who has a good record in big matches. Another good match was that in which Mrs Heald beat Miss Louis B—6 in the third set, each player winning 17 games. The game between Miss G. McKenzie and Miss Foster was the longest of the afternoon both in the number of games, which ran to 38, and in point of time. Mrs Caldwell has been doing badly in club games this season, but rose to the occasion and won both her singles and doubles decisively. In the top doubles, Mrs McNair Thomson and Miss Calver beat Mesdames Beatty and Kearney 6—3, 6 —3, but they had to fight for every game. Mrs Thomson and Mrs Beattie were both in good form, Mrs Kearney at times showed signs of her former doubles form, but was very uncertain, while Miss Calver’s play was very disappointing. Compared with' the other players her strokes lacked speed and she was certainly the weakest of the four.

The rubber between the second pairs was easily the best game of the afternoon. On paper Miss Rutherford .and Mrs Anderson should- have beaten Miss Astle and Mrs AVard. All four played splendidly, and the Palmerston North pair just got home by superior steadiness. Taken all round, the play shows steady improvement among the leading players from year to year, and provided Manawatu can call upon all the players at present available the Christie Cup should remain in Palmerston North for another year. The details of play are as follow : Singles.—Mrs McNair Thomson beat Miss Astle, 6—4, 6 —4 ; Miss Calver lost to Mrs Beattie 6 —3, 4 —6, 4 —6 ; Miss M. Rutherford beat Mrs Kearney 6 —2, 6 —l; Mrs Anderson beat Mrs AVard, 6 —l, 5—6, 7 —5; Miss Hosking lost to Miss Carty, 3—6, o—6;0 —6; Miss Kirk lost to Miss Heard, o—-6,0 —-6, 46; Mrs Heald beat Miss Louis, 36, 6—5, B—6; Mrs Robinson beat Mrs Yates, 6 —3, 6 —l; Miss D. Foster lost to Miss G. McKenzie 6 —5, 56, 7 —9; Mrs Caldwell beat Mrs Holmes, 6 —2, 6—o. Doubles. —Mrs Thomson and Miss Calver beat Mesdames Kearney and Beattie, 6—3, 6—3; Miss Rutherford and Airs Anderson lost to Miss Astle and Airs AVard, 3 —6, 6 —4, 5 —7 ; Alisses Hosking and Ivirk lost to Alisses Heard and Louis, 6 —3, o—6,0 —6, 46; Alesdames Heald and Robinson beat Aliss Carty and Airs Gates, 6—3, 62; Aliss Foster and Airs Caldwell beat Aliss AlcKenzie and Airs Holmes, 4—6, 6—2, 6—l. VISIT FROAI WELLINGTON. A friendly match was played on the Linton Street tennis courts at the week-end'oetween a team from the Empire City and the Palmerston North Club. The visit had been arranged by Air Foden, of Wellington, and, with perfect conditions offering, a most enjoyable day resulted. The AVellington team was restricted to eight men, and in the singles the home team secured a substantial advantage by winning six rubbers to two. However, in the doubles, wherein the visitors piayed additional matches with local players who had not figured in the singles, the tables were turned, AVellington winning six rubbers to three. On the aggregate Palmerston North won nine rubbers and 22 games to AVellington’.s eight rubbers and 21 games. Air Foden was very favourably impressed with the standard of the local players, the visitor stating that the club was one of the strongest, if not the strongest, outside the Empire City. Following are the detailed results, the home players being mentioned first:

Singles.—Coombe beat Saudral, 6 —3, 6 —3; Brown beat Foden, 13 —11, I—6,1 —6, 6—3; Robertson beat Burns, 4—6, 6—3, 7—5; Wehipeihana beat McCarthy, 6 —3, 3 —6, 6—l; Beckett beat Whitcombe, 6 —o, I—6, B—6;8 —6; Johnstone lost to Davys, 5 —7, 7 —9; Grant lost to Tilbury, 3 —6, 4 —6 ; Graham beat Neighbours, 6 —3, 6 —l. Doubles. —Coombs and McDonald lost to Saudral and Burns, 3—6, 6 —3, 9 —11; Brown and Robertson lost to McCarthy and Tilbury, 4—6, 5—7 ; Beckett and Johnstone boat Whitcombe and Davys, 3—6, 6 —3. 7—5; Grant and Fox lost to Foden and Neighbours, 4 —6, 6—4, 3 —6 ; Brown and Robertson lost to Saudral and Burns, 4—6, I—6; Fox and McDonald lost to McCarthy and Tilbury, 3 —6, 6 —o, 3—6; Boddy and Wehipeihana beat Whitcombe and Davys, 4—6, 6 —o, 6—2; Gardner and Reid lost to Foden and Neighbours, 6—3, 3—6. 6—B; Coombe and McDonald beat McCarthy and Tilbury, 6 —3, B—6.8 —6.