BRIGHT TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 20, 24 January 1936, Page 8

BRIGHT TENNIS.

ANNUAL CONTEST. PROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT. SENIORS IN ACTION TO-DAY. Proof of the popularity of tennis in the Auckland Province is afforded by the,, annual championships, the senior events in which were begun at the Stanley Street courts to-day. The semi-finals and finals of the junior and intermediate sections will be worked into the big programes on Monday and Wednesday, all play on Tuesday having been abandoned for. the day of national mourning. It is anticipated that the final of the ladies' singles, together with other semi-finals, will be reached on Wednesday and the remaining finals on > Thursday. | The general standard of play in this year's tournament, which has attracted a record of 200 entrants, so far has been exceedingly high and augurs well for the game in Auckland. Young competitors who. look certain to pain prominence are A. D. Brown, J. T. Mason and J. L. B. Stevens, all of Eden and Epsom, and J. W. Gunn, of Remuera. A promising boy from Palmerstori North is S. Hooper. Among the girls is Miss Margaret Beverley, of Matamata (sister of Miss Xessie Beverley, who went so close to capturing the* Xew Zealand title at Wellington), whom competent judges consider to be the most promising exponent for her age in the Dominion. Others to the fore are Miss B. L. Bishop, of Remuera, Miss Pam Cooke, of Eden and Epsom, and Miss Betty Dale, from the Bay of Plenty. Younger Ones Left In. Misses Beverley, Cooke and Bishop are left in the intermediates. In the junior event Miss Dale will meet »Miss Beverley, but the latter should be very hard to beat. The even nature of the field was indicated this morning by the fact-that two of the "seeded" men players were easily defeated in close matches. M. T. Wilson. of Eden and Epsom, went down to J. W. Xeal'e, of Parnell, in a hard-liit-ting battle that went to five sets. Livingstone, of Hamilton, accounted for A. W. Allen, of Royal Oak, in four sets, the rallies for ascendancy rising to a consistently high plane. J. .Roacli, of Hamilton, also a "seeded" player, was seriously pressed by D. Clow, a junior from Cambridge, the game goiflg to 7 —5 in the fifth set. Clow appears to have greatly benefited from his recent experience at the Xew Zealand championships. The "seeded" players, D. C. Coombe, of Wellington, and X. G. Sturt, of Auckland, won their respective matches with something to spare. Scores: — MEN'S SINGLES. First Round.—G. Martin beat B. W. Brownlee, 6—3, 4—6, G—l. - —6, G—3 ; J. Roach beat I). Clow, 5—7, 4—G, 6—2, 7—ii, 7—5; A. D. Brown beat ,T. E. Stedmnn ; J. W. Gunn beat M. 11. Andrews, 6—3, G—2, .- —2. ~ LADIES' SINGLES. First Round.—Miss M. Miicfnrlane beat Miss YVhitelaw, w.0.; Miss E. Stewart beat Miss B. Knight, 5—7. G—3, G—3; Miss M. Beverley beat Miss L. M. Hemus, 6—l, 6—3; Miss I. MeCready beat Miss L. E. Adams, G—3, 6—4 ; Miss N. Beverley beat Miss L. Jeffries, G—4, 6—o.