TENNIS BATTLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1939, Page 10

TENNIS BATTLE.

| ■ • MEN'S SINGLES.', Sturt-Bedford Clash — Final Day of; Tourney. Occasional flashes of ; brilliance enlivened an . otherwise • dull first set in the final of the men's singles between N. G. Stm t and M. F. Bedford on the filial day of the Auckland provincial lawn tennis championships at Stanley Street. - ' 0 J. Bedford- settled down after a. shaky ] start to o—4. Plav sjiecded* up in-tiie' second set. Bedford-' repeatedly . outmanoeuvred his older in the early stages, but. -Sturt made a great, re-, covery," after -being- down 3—5, to .win 7—ri>. Sturt,' runiier-up foiv the title on five previous occasions.: was jilaying his hardest; t'nough he was ln»low Wilding Cup form.•• . "v Slurt forced Bediord into errors with a steady attack- in. the. third set and went to a 3—2 lead. A tightening up of Bedford's game resulted in. the game going to four all. Bedford tljeu .applied prcssura aiul had Sturt on the run. The veteran .went after every shot'"and tried gallantly to stein the tide. Bedford was not to be denied, however, aiul went ahead with some.'accurate placements to win the set fi—-f. ' y Minor Matches. - '. /•• • Other matches set down for to-day were the final of the intermediate boys' singles, the senior women's singles', the senior women's doubles,,the junior girls' singles, the junior boys! singles/and tlie final of the men's doubles.- • . I A nasty wind, biowiiig . partly 'down I and partly across court, made conditions difficult for players." There was an excellent attendance.' . - •