LAWN TENNIS NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 206, 31 July 1937, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS NOTES

The final of the Davis Cup panned out exactly as expected, viz., Austin, Britain’s first string, beating Parker, U.S.A. second string, with the other four rubbers going to the Americans. As Austin could only score eight games to eighteen against Henkel in the final of the French championship, and only three games in two sets in tho final at Queen’s Club, only two days before Wimbledon, it seemed almost impossible for him to beat Budge. Nevertheless he made a very creditable show, as did Hare in his match against Budge. The trouble with Hare is that he is very slow on his feet, and one unkind critic says that when Hare jumps for an overhead shot it reminds him of nothing so much as the cow jumping over the moon. He is definitely unlikely to reach real Davis Cup form, but Eric Filly, who at Waybridge beat Surface (U.S.A. No. 11), Tuckey, the British Davis Clip player and Harris (U.S.A. No. 8) in consecutive rounds, the last-named in ihe final, seems to be a real hope. Ranking form is not always to he relied on, and there was a remarkable instance of this when at Queen’s Club Wayne Sabin, the young .American who won the Plate at Wimbledon and is ranked No. 17 in U-S.A., beat Parker, ranked No. 2, with a score of 3 —G, B—6, 6 —2. Stedman continues to do well and' is now definitely better than Malfroy. Last season they met in several finals, Stedman nearly always winning, while this season he has won several times beating players who had put Malfroy out. In the Northern Championship — which must not he confused with the more important North of England championship—two of Britain’s Davis Cup team were beaten in the semifinals, Stedman beating Wilde 7 —5, 6—l, and Butler beating Hare 6 —2, 6 — 3 - • - Stedman. and Butler met in the final for the fifth time, Stedman hjjvmg won on all the four previous occasions, but Butler got one back, winning 7—9. B—6, 6—4. He is very rapidly coming to the front and will, be among , the first half-dozen in this year’s British ranking list. Playing together they won the doubles from the Davis Cup players Hare and Wilde 6—4, 9—7, and in the mixed Stedman and Mme. Matliieu heat Butler and Mrs Strawson, 6 —3, &—3. Since the West of England tournament Stedman playing at Sheffield got one back on Butler in the final 13—11, B—6, the score now being 6 matches to 1 in Stedman’s favour. Butler had beaten Malfroy 7—5, 6 —2 in the semi-finals. Going on to the AVest of England championship Stedman won the singles from the Chinese player Klio Sin Kie, 6—l. I—6, 6—4 Together thev won the doubles, blit, in the final of the mixed Stedman and Madame Mathieu were beaten by Shaffi and Fru Sperling. Senorita Lizana won the ladies singles from Frii Sperling 6 —2, 9—7. a very meritorious performance, this being only the second time that Fru Sperling had been beaten since last year’s Wimbledon.