BEDFORD WINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 21, 26 January 1939, Page 12

BEDFORD WINS.

LEWIS GOES DOWN. TENNIS TESTS CONTINUED. POUHTHEV-OPNW BATTLE. Chief interest centred in the contest between W. T. Pountnev and J. W. Gunn in the quarter-finale of the men's open singles when senior play in connection with the Auckland provincial tennis championships started shortly before one o'clock this afternoon. Pountney is holder of the Dannevirke, i Wanganui and Manawatu singles titles, and has already eliminated J. Boa eh and Livingstone, Waikato's No. 1 and No. 2 ranking players. J. W. Gunn, partnered by Miss. M. Beverley, won the Auckland provincial doubles title last year. Other matches on the courts at the same time were between N. F. Bedford and R. H. Lewis and A. F. Copsey, whose opponent was J. D. Mitchell. There was much interest displayed- in play in the junior and intermediate sections. The fact that W. T. Pountney, who accounted during tht present tournament for Waikato's first and second ranking players, J. Roach and D. Livingstone, in the senior grade, drew an .interested crowd to tlie intermediate match. Pountney had no difficulty in winning to-day in straight sets against I. Thomson. A. S. Burns, junior title champion, also succeeded in straight sets in the same section, and the possibility of the two meeting in later rounds was a subject of speculation. O. Satchell also succeeded in the intermediate and drew a bye in the first round of the junior event. Gunn Starts Well. _ Out-driving his oponent and losing him at the net, J. W. Gunn started well in hi» match against W. T. Pountney. The first game went to Gunn off his serve, and Pountney, putting force into angled shots, squared at one all. Gunn took the next three games in a row before Pountney drew up to make the score 4—3 against him. Gunn, placing well, had no trouble in taking the next two games and set at 6—3. In the second set Pountney won some points with clever cut-offs at the net. His service, too, was particularly fiery, but Gunh was right at the top of V»i* form, and from trailing at 2—3 he pulled up to lead 4—3 before Pountney squared at four all. Pountney took the initiative at this stage. Gunn played some nice lobs, but Pountney, going into the net, brought himself into the lead at a—4, and then in the final game of the set carried the game and set with a beautiful shot down Gunn'e left-hand sideline. The third set went to Gunn 6—3, giving him two sets in hand against Pountney s one. Gunn was playing with great judgment. This was a hard battle, with Gunn drawing away after being square at three all. c Lewis in Form. R. H. Lewis' brilliant retrieving in the first set of his game with N. F. Bedford enabled him to rattle his oppo nent, who was obviously, disconcerted by his inability to reach Lewis' fierce cross-court swings. Lewis jumped to a 0~3 lead, Bedford took a game, and then Lewis' outstanding service took him ahead again, to a 6—i victory. Bedford rallied in the second and evened the score at 2 all, but Lewis' clevpr placement again troubled him and he forfeited the next two games. Lewis made it 5—2, but missed twice at set point. His service had lost its viciouaness and Bedford, playing sound tennis, overhauled him rapidly to wiii the set 7 5. Bedford's game improved tremendously with this success and he rushed ahead to take the third set sixlove. From then on his superiority was always evident and though Lewis again began swinging in his. heavy batterv services Bedford was his master,, and won the fourth set ewily O—l to take the match. Results were:— Senior Grade. B SECTION*. 6—i. D 6-?§. tCl,eU b€ * t F " Copsey. 6—4, INTERMEDIATE BOYS' SINGLES (Under 21.) «t SThjzi SSFHSL'i* g: tt; A.SSEU'TA S: ft £ ordou T. A. Rofch sUS' .i B S 0U . I L b * at J " w - Nelson, fU_s' « i ;. J V? mit £ I>eat w - R- Ingram, < *• Line beat R. Price. V-" r ; V —Smith beat A. Rocers V VSI "• M Nicholas beat cf' M. Kerr-Taylor by default. BOYS' JUNIOR SINGLES. (Under 18.) First Round.—Byes: O. Satchell. N Inder, R. W. Hall, P. Smith, F. Wyllie R. S. Gardner, R. Pollock, K. Lane, R E Burn!'- Sk MOnCkton ' L " p - Roach, A. s! 'J' Thomson beat J. Stanley, 6—2, g o' Wallace beat A. Trembatti, « i 2~t ; 2' Jacobsen beat N. Vercoe, ® *5 T. H. Knowles beat J. Beur>«« - 8 — 3 ' T - Whyte beat M. G. ft' V' B —2: W- R- Ingram beat C. M. Kerr-Taylor by default; W. J. Choate beat R. F. Grant, 6—Z, 5—7, 6—2 • H M Barrance beat B. Blake, 6—4, 6—S : g' H Stevens beat K. N. R. Wilson, 6—2 I—s ■ F.G. Haddock beat W. Barton, 6—4. 6—4 •' J. B. Smith beat B. H. Cadman, 6—2, 6 1 • A. Rogers beat M. ». Smith, 6—3, 6^4'• ?L fi C . ra *t or T d G. L. Wright. 6—2! «ZZo' . beat H. Grinter, r~, 0 ' ®~ 1 1 • w ; Huckstep beat L. C. Hll' rord, 6—l, 6—l; R. Brown beat M. HeaW " Smlth heat D. M. N J % E • Scott teat M. 5" 5 U j ton , ®—4, 6—2 ; c. Knlcht beat H. Bude, 6—l, 6—4; R. McMillan beat L. Rasmussen, 6—2, 6 0. MEN'S SINGLES. (Quarterfinals.) 7-5, L-STM. B " H "