BRIGHT TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1926, Page 15

BRIGHT TENNIS.

1925 CHAMPION BEATEN

SMYTHE BEATS LAMPE EASILY.

ROBSOK OUTCLASSES GRIFFITHS.

A large gallery of onlookers remained till late in the afternoon yesterday, at the Stanley Street courts, when the semi-final sfajire of the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association* provincial championships wore reached. Smarting from ail parts <-" «ie court, volleying with tollinf accuracy, and driving with gro?t -pace and length, Robson and Bs>*"tl-ret -.yore not greatly extended by Johns brothers, in the 6emi-f;n(. of the duubles, which was watchr 1 . Ny a larie jrallery of players. It wa; not till the third "set that the John= pave any se\#>us opposition. Bright flashes of play at the net always saw B.'irtlret and Robson just a little too good for their opponents. Omq a;ain the Maefarlane sisters proved too strong for the Miller sisters, in the semi-final of the singles, defeating thorn in two straight sets! Bliss Marjorie varied her Btrokes nicely, and when she came up to the not, she was succesful in smashing down the centre line. The Misses Miller resorted too much to their lobbing game, without attaining anything, their opponents' combination being equal to their best efforts. On frequent occasions, Miss Marjorie Maefarlane chased balls out of the court, and got them back over her head in good style. Miss Marion Maefarlane was very sure on the fore-hand, and made some pretty corner placements to beat the younger Miss Miller. The experienced Maefarlane sisters won the match on their superior overhead work, and the Misses Miller ■would have done well to drive more often. Three hard fought sets were played ■before Miss Knight disposed of Miss McPheraon in the semi-flnal of the singles. The match provided bright tennis. For two sets both ladies fought for every point, but in the deciding set MJS3 Knight's superiority manifested itself, and she took it with the loss of only one game, to get into the final. Playing at the top of her form, and driving with deadly accuracy on either hand, Miss McPherson gave a sparkling display for two sets. Her opponent", who excelled in the overhead department, also played accurately, and spectators were treated to some exciting rallies in ell three sets. Miss McPherson appeared to deteriorate in the third set, and Miss Knight, seizing every opportunity, profited by her opponent's mistakes. Mrs. Marshall and Miss MacCormick ■went down to Misses Colebrook, and Knight, in the semi-final of the doubles. It was a two set game, dominated by Miss Knight's clever work at the net. Missee Colebrook and Knight combined well, and had the game inland all the ■way. Seventeen deuces were called on one occasion, in the match Johns and Miss Xicholls v. Smythe and Miss MacCormick, and the last set went to 11 —9 before Johns could win. The match was played at the end of the day, and the qtiartet were tired after their strenuoue match. Six times Johns aud Miss Nicholls were within a matchpoint of the win, and even then Smythe "outed" a forehand drive by inches only. Smythe Beats Lampe. The gallery was crowded when Smythe (Wellington) and Lampe, the veteran Wanganui player, took the court to playSi semi-final of the men's singles championship. Lampe managed only to take two games in three sets. At times he played sparkling tennis, but Smythe was always \ just a little too good. The match opened with Smythe serving and he took the first game without much difficult j'. He broke through Lampe'e service in the next aud won the third game to love off his own service. Love-40 was called on Lampe's service, but he pulled up with a couple of good smashes to the sidelines. Eight up to the fourth game there was little good tennis, but the players settled down, and there were some bright flashes. Smythe was driving a good-length ball -with, plenty of pace, but Lampe was steady, and there were some good rallies. It took only twenty minutes for Lampe to lose the first set. He could not take a game from the Otago 'Varsity champion. The second set opened tamely, but soon Smythe started a barrage of drives to Lampe's backhand, and eventually won the first game after deuce had been called a few times. Smythe showed that lie could smash any ball from any part of the court in the next game. His overhead work was brilliant. There was little good play in the next two games, both players contenting themselves with baseline play. Lampe forced the pace in the next game, which he took after a. couple of good placements and an "out ,, by Smythe. He also took the next, playing Smythe out of position several times. Smythe won his next service to love. Lampe missing many easy shots. Good driving from the baseline by both players was seen in the next game, and in this Smythe was the more successful. He won the set with the loss of only two games. The third set opened with some good tennis by both players. Smythe took the first" game, but "the Wansranui man kept his opponent moving all over the court. Lampe could not win his service, for Smythe was driving beautifullyplaced balls all over the court. Smythe galloped through the next game with the loss of only "one point. ' He drove Lampe's service all over the court in th e next game and led 5-love. Lampe made a great effort with his service, and coming up to the net. brilliantly vollpyed and smashed 'balls for clean placements. Smythe. with his severe driving, soon forced Lampe into errors and took the game, set and match 6—o, 6—2, 6—o. 1925 Champion Defeated. There was nothing spectacular in the opening stages of the semi-final, in which the 1925 champion (Griffiths) met Robson. In the first set Robson took five games m succession. Griffiths served numerous double faults and could not find the right length, Robson's chopped returns having a disconcerting effect. In the sixth fame Kobsqn lost the first three points by driving over the base line, and Griffiths, who was taking no chances, took the game to 15. However, he served three double faults in the seventh game, and was unequal to Robson's stinging net work. Making a big effort in the second set, Griffiths was level at the fourth game, but Robson took the next by dint of beautifullyangled drives to the base line, his backhand work being especially attractive. Inaccuracy lost Griffiths the next game, and he failed to capture Robson's service, though he passed him down the side line with a ui'cely-angled drive off the backhand. With a lead of Eobson took a few chances and volleyed to the base line, alternating with chop-

ped returns that did not pass the serving line. Griffiths lost every point in ] this game by inaccurate placing, i Producing a nice variety of strokes in J the first games of the third set, Griffiths | 1 established a 3—l lead, and he had Rob- j j Bon running from side to side on the | base line. By playing to Griffiths' back i hand in the corners, Robson equalled in i the next. The fifth game saw him putting j J tremendous pace on his forehand drives j ito the corners, but Griffiths let nothing J go, though he found his opponent's serj vice unplayable at times, the ball | I simply shooting off on to the next court, i Robson took this g- mc on his service, j Steadier now, Griiiithse used his head, j and showed himself Robson's superior in court-craft. He equalled after deuce by ] i compelling Robson to miss the line. Rob- j I son led again 4 —3, beating the champion ; j on his service. Short returns lost Griffiths j ; tlu eighth game, and Robson's smash j I service was again too powerful in the j j next. The champion went down to a more confident player, with a greater j variety of strokes and superior driving force on both fore r.nd back hand. Robson had the game in hand all the way.