LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 307, 28 December 1934, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS.

AUCKLAND TOURNEY.

Semi - finals To - day — Many Spectacular Matches. As the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association's championship tournament nears the final etfigcs, play at Stanley Street courts has reached a high standard, and with semi-finals in various events being played to-day many spectacular matches were provided for the gallery. Intermediate' and junior matches, which for the first few days were played at the Parnell Club's courts, were to-day played at Stanley Street. All events have been got off well up to schedule, so that there is no last-minute rush of matches. " Finals in the various A grade events will be played to-morrow afternoon, and play will be u'atchcd by his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Blcdisloe, aiul Lady Bledisloe, who have informed the president of the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association, Mr. Percy. Harrison, that they will arrive at 3 o'clock. Sturt Goes Under. Ton men on the ladders of their respective clubs, N. G. Sturt (Remucra and M. T. Wilson (Eden and Epsom) provided a match of many highlights 111 the semi-finals of the men's A grade singles. Sturt went down to a player who on the day showed more enterprise. 'There were times when both men did brilliant things, but the spasmodic brilliance of Wilson, combined with a gallant fighting spirit, eventually triumphed. . Quickly Sturt rail to a 4—l lead in the first set, but, playing steadily and with beautiful length, Wilson drew level a.t 4 all. Concentrating on deeply angled shots from either hand, Sturt won the next two games and the first set at G—4. Persevering with his beautiful cross-court shots, Sturt had Wilson running from side to side for the gi eater part of the second set, but Wilson recovered brilliantly and went into the net to win points with clever and untouchable volleys. Although Sturt had a 5 3 lead, Wilson set about the task of recovery and achieved it quickly. At 5 all a grim struggle set in. Sturt took the lead at 0 —. r > and looked like winning the set, but Wilson came again with rush tactics to the net, and he carried off the set at B—o. Little separated the pair throughout the third set, in which both men played beautiful tennis. At 4 all Wilson, making better use of an erratic wind than Sturt, went ahead to take the set at o—4. At no stage of the fourth and final set did Wilson look like being beaten, nad although Sturt won applause for an occasional brilliant shot, he was outplaced and outmanoeuvred. Wilson winning set and match, 4—6, B—6, 6—4, o—4. • Results were:— A GRADE. MEN'S DOUBLES. Second Round. R. Hayr and A. C. Johns beat G. S. Hutchinson and J. Long, 6—-4, o!—4, E \v. Griffiths and H. Brlnsden beat G. b. Griffiths and A. Spenco, 6—2, 6—o, 6—l. Third Round. <5. Lamb and S. .T. Robinson beat C O. Lltherlaiul and R. R. Lees, o—2. o—l. 6—J. Slovens and J. W. Gunn heat M. T. Wilson and J. S. Wilson, 6—3, i 9. 6 4, Havr find Johns boat Griffiths and Brlnsden, 7—oi, 4—6, 6—3, 7—9, 6 0. WOMEN'S DOUBLES. Second Round. Misses N. and M. Beverley heat Misses L. A. t.lovd and J. M. Garry, 6—l, B—3. Misses M. and M. Maefarlnne boat Misses G. R. Hooper and E. Potter. 6—2, G—-I. Mrs. Melody and Miss Knight beat Mrs. Thomas and Miss Eeclcs, 2—6, 6—l, 6 —l. MIXED DOUBLES. Second Round. R. R. Loos and Mrs. W. J. Melody beat A H. S. Lamb and Mrs. C. Wren, 6—3, C 2; M. T. Wilson and Miss B. Km slit beat A. C. Johns and Miss J. 15. Mueller, 7 —5; a. K. Turner and Miss V Whit claw beat L. T. Plckmere and Miss V. Ecclcs, 6—2, 2—6, 10—S; N. G. Sturt and Miss Marjorie Macfarlano beat W. S. Sponce and Miss G. Hooper, G—2b—l. McKeown and Miss Taylor beat 1. H. Wilson and Miss Ramsay, 3—6, 6 —-, o—4. Brlnsden and Miss Grlffiths_ boat J. W Gunn and Miss A. Burgos Watson, G 4, 6 —4, Third Round. Sturt and Miss Macfarlano boat Robinson and Miss Beverley, 7 —5. G—2. Turner and Miss Whitelaw' beat Hayr and Mrs. Thomas, 6 —4. G—3. R. Kocs and Mrs. Melody beat Brlnsden and Miss Griffiths, 3 —7, G—J, 6 —2. WOMEN'S SINGLES. Third Round. Miss Marjorie Macfarlano beat Miss Newton, o—2,0 —2, G—l. Miss Stewart beat Miss Ecclcs, G —4, 5—7, 10—8. Miss N. Beverley boat Miss Knight, 6—4, G—:i. Miss R. Taylor beat Mrs. Melody, o—3, o—3. MUX'S SINGLES. Third Round. E. Bartloet beat It. R. Lccs, G—4, 6—o, J. S. Wilson boat J. W. Gunn, 6—3, 6—4, 4—(i. I—o. 9—7. N. G. Sturt boat A. K. Turner, o—2.0 —2. B—o, (I—o. M. T. Wilson beat Hayr, G —l, 6—4, G—o. Semi-final. M. T. Wilson boat N. G. Sturt, 4—6, 5—6, 6—4, G—4. B GRADE. MEN'S SINGLES. Third Round. W. E. Butler beat T. 11. Wilson, 4—6, o—2. 6—2. Semi-finals. W. E. Butler beat M. Lees. o—4,0 —4, 5—7, 6—3, 6—l. A. ,T. Brown beat S. M. Clarke, 7—3, 3—6, 6—4, 6—4. JUNIOR BOYS' SINGLES. Third Round. Mathews beat Lang, 7—5, 4—6, 6—4. INTERMEDIATE. BOYS' SINGLES. Third Round. Livingstone beat Leng, 7—j, S—6-, Stevens beat Gunn, 13—7, 6—4, 6—3. Maysoil boat Brown, < —6, 6—3, 6—2. Allen beat Lees, 6—3, 2—6. 6—2. GIRLS' SINGLES. Third Round. Miss Griffiths beat Miss Bishop, 2—6, 5—G, 6—O: Miss Beverley beat Miss Burges Watson, 6—3, o—o. * GIRLS' DOUBLES. First Round. Misses St. George and Burges Wa'son beat Misses R. W. Sheffield and A. D. Bums, 6—2, 6—l. Semi-finals. Misses Cooke and Griffiths beagj s Misses Raines and Stewart, I—o, o—4,0 —4, 6 —4. BOYS' DOUBLES. Second Round. H. Cummins and Vickerman beat Ball and Stevenson. 15—13, 7—5; Brown and Mayson beat Lang and Mathews, 6—2, 6—l.