LAWN TENNIS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19812, 27 December 1929, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS.

PROVINCIAL TOURNEY. FIRST DAY'S PLAY. Few marked the fim 6a- > j>:»7 yesterday in 'he Canterbury Lawn Tennis .Association's championship and handicap tournament at Wilding lark, and excenent progress in tee majority of the championship events saw the seeded players we.': on the way to the semi-ficaN. An entry well uo to the standard has been received t'ms year, and akaough there 1 "-e tourney by no rnean= I-/ =es in'o' dl'piav-rs if ?o open that ;• terest men's bugles event is quite exceptional, tun•ertaiirv has bvi an ou'.steadme >»ay«r to top' the list in both men s and women s ca;g| a-d keen competition and rivalry no*a- siiO'.sn may be considered very Eighteen gras3 courts were m use from eariv in the morning until lar* in the evening, eveaU being run off in Tery gend 'by tht tournament secretary. \V""Li V. Weather per:* 1 and -.x was oniy in the early zuorsnig, he'ore 'the gun had got to work on the turf, .l at tfce i-t'urt * ?liov»- e( t the slowing effect of -he 7-cent heavv rain. A!i the courts are .n a condition that roust fully maintain for them the reputation they have gamed of presenting the surface in tne Dominion. Arrangements for the tourney are of the best, and the policy of most of the players to enter for oniy a few of the events lor which they are elieible has greatly assisted the officials in their efforts to make the progress ot thft tournament as smooth as -possible. r. Anaas ,hr.Mer of the title) and I. A. S'eaT, who are popular choice for final* -*s the men's both went throtijfh to the fourth round with little trouble. T. Jihodes-Williams, ?x-We)!ington representative, and T. W. Patterson (runner-up last year), who were the other seeded players, reached the fourth and third rounds respectively with little trouble. Others likely to g'M- trouble in this event are D. Purves, W. R. Robinson, and J. H. W. Sheppard, all players of experience who are capable of pressing the seeded men. C. Angas and E. G. Boddv (holders), T. Rhodes-Williams and H. Dymond, and W. S. Somerville and R. H. Tait appear to have best prospects in the doubles title event, but it is unlikely that either of the last-men-tioned pairs will defeat Angas and Boddy—both doubles players of considerable reputation, although not the best possible combination so far as team-work is concerned. Xone of the seeded doubles men had easy passages to the third round. The women's singles event appears to li« between Misses M. Wake and M. Andrew, although even the latter is unlikley to press the other in the final. The entry in this event is weakened by the absence of two of tha rop-flight players in Mrs B. Miles and Mrs Y. Pritchett. The winners in the women's double event, too, are not hard to pick, there being no other first-class pair to challenge Misses Wake and Andrew. Interest is lent to the women's' events, however, by the presence of a number of young players, graduates from the junior tourneys, who are likely at any time to»presa their more experienced opponents. Miss Andrew and Seay are not likely to meet with any difficulty in retaining their combined title until they meet Miss Wake and Rhodes-Williams, as they almost certainly will in the final. The junior events showed some splendid, play. Visitors proved rather too good for some of the local boys in their event, but" the girls' title will be between Chriatchurch schoolgirls. These events, to those with a- : rather more discerning eya than have moat of the casual spectators, are perhaps the most interesting of all, for it is in them that the province's future champions receive their early experience. They afford an excellent idea' of the younger talent that ia available among'the schools.

Reeults were as follows: CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS, Men's Singles. (Seat of three advantage sets. HoWer, C. Angas.) First Hound. T. W. Patterson beat R. H. Bait 6-4, 4-6, 6-#. N. <3-. Munns beat M, S, Bullivant 8-1, 6-0. W. S. Somerville beat J. H. Griffiths 6-8, 6-8. D. Purves beat la. P. Harker, 6-0, 6-4. J. H. W. Sheppard beat W. G. Morrison, 6-1, 6-0. E. S. Dixon beat B. Denshim 3-6, 8-6, 6-4. K. Browning beat H. B. Smith 6-4, 6-2. K. H. Orbeli beat J. R. Crawshaw 6-4, 3-6, 6-0. A. G. MaOntt beat H. T. Richards 6-0, 6-5. "Second Bound. TV. Goes, jun., beat H. G. Searle 6-0, 6-4. E. G. Boddy beat I». Armstrong, 6-3, 6-2. E. H. Orbeli beftt*E. S. Dixon 6-1,-6-8. G. Angas beat S. "W. Field 6-2, 6-0. T. Rhodes-Williams beat H. Dymond 6-1, 6-3. H. W. Ogier beat D. A. McCaskey 6-3, 6-1. N. Anderson beat W. S. Clayton 6-3, 7-5. W. R. Robinson beat L. B. Black 6-1, 6-2. I. A. Seay beat T. P. Laurenson, 6-0, 6-0. T. W. Patterson beat L. D. Cotteriil, 6-0, -•4. D. Purves beat X. G, Murine, 5-7, 6-0, 6-8. W. S. Somerville beat B. Browsing, 6-8, 6-4. A. G. Msllett beat H. S. P. Andrews, 8-6, 6-4. 6-4. J. H. W. Sheppard beat P. 8. Wilding, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4-J. B. Johneton beat B. B. Xaonghnao, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. A. R. C»»t brat E. L. PrefeUe 6*o, 5-7, ,6-3. ...Third Round. I. "A. Seayj'Wjiit H. W. Ogier, 6-0, frl. U. Angas b«t A. B. Oant, 6-0, 6-1. W. R„ Robinson beat E. G. Boddy, 13-11, 1-6, 7-5. T. Rhodee-Williame beat "W. S. Somerville 6-3, 6-3. Kan'a Doubles. (Best of three advantage sets. HoMen, €. Angae and E. G. Boddy.) First Round. W. S. Clayton and J. Webb beat A. G. Mallett and L. P. Harker, 6-3, 6-2. N. Anderson and H. G.. Searle beat h. D. Cotteriil and Colonel Dickinson 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. W. Gose and R. Browning beat A. Borrows and W-. Goss, jtin., 8-6, 6-4, 7-5. S. W. Field and H. S. P. Andrews beat 1. Watson and D. A. McCaskey 6-4, 6-3. 1\ W Patterson and J. R. Johnston beat H. T. Richards and M S. Bullivant 6-0, 6-0. Round. T. Rhodes-Williams and H. Dymond beet li. Armstrong and N. J. .Daly 6-4, 6-4. C. Angas and E. G. Boddy beat J, H. W. Sheppard and A. R. Cant 8-6. 6-3. J. R. Crawshaw and N. G. Munns beat K. S. Dixon and J. Morris 6-0, 6-3. W. G. Morrison and H. W. Ogier beat W. and R. Pearse w.o. \f. S. Somerville and R. H. Tait beat E. Orbe"Il and E. L. Prebble 6-4, 10-8. W. Goss and R. Browning beat W, S. Clayton and Webb 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. Women's Singles. (Best of three advantage sets. Holder. Miss M. Speirs.) First Round. Mrs H. G. Ia- Crawshaw beat Hits N. Smithson 6-0, 9-7. Miss D. Scott beat Miss E. Fleetwood 6-0, Miss H. G. Jones beat Miss D. Fleetwood 6-3. 6-8. 6-4. Miss R. Dallas beat Miss P. Hamilton 6-0, 6-1. Miss I. Fuiton beat Miss D. Allen 6-1, 6-2. Second Round. Miss M. Sherris beat Mrs E. G. L. Crawshaw 6-0. 7-5. Miss E. RudVin beat Miss H. G. Jones 6 2, 6-3. Miss D. Scott beat Miss I. Fulton 6-1, 6-3. Miss M. Andrew beat Miss S. Goss 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Miss M. Wake beat Miss D. Quill 6-1, 6-2. Miss G. Rankin beat Miss I. Morrison 6-2 6-2. Miss R. Dallas beat Miss B. Macdonald 8-2. 4-6. 8-6. Miss M. Sowden beat Miss M. Rank-in 6-1, 6-4.

Third Round. Mi&s Wake beat Miss Rudkin 6-1. 6-0

Women's Doubles. :Bwr of three advantage «ets. Holders, KiMei V. Fntch--tt and M. Speirs.) First Round. Mis&e.- if V.'ek" M.d M. Andrew beat Mrs M. A Stedman ar.d ilifs M Saunders 6-1. 6-3. M if. gnwden I- Morrison neat -Mis=es B. Macdorsald ar.d D. Quill 6-2. 6-1. Mioses E. and H. O. Jones beet Misfes K. and D. FTservooa 7-5. 6.4. Rr-und. Misses G. and M. P-askin b»; Mrs B. Cracroft W:-lson and Mus Alien ti-O, 6-2. Combined Doubles. (Best or three advsatare .»ets. Haiders, Miss M. Andrew and I. A. Sesv... First- Round. "Mrs Laurenson ar.d T. P. Laurenson beat Miss B. Cotteriil and Colonel Dickinson e-6, Miss°G. Raukin and W. Somerville beat M;>i> I. Morrison and W. G. Morrison 6 1, 3-6, 6-2. Second Il^jund. Mlss M. Andrf*" and I. A. Sear beat Miss M. Sherns and N". G. Munns 6-1. 6-2. Muss X. Smithson and \V. 8. Clayton Deat Miss N. Reed and R. Pearse w.o. "Viss M Wake and T. Rhodes-Williams beat Miss M. Rankin and J R. Johnston 6-4. 9-7. Boys' Singles. (Best o£ three sets, third advantage. Holder, H. A. Barnett.) first Round. A. H. Meikleham beat X. R. Mansfield 6-3- 6 -*- , „ A A Puliar beat E. Watson 2-6. 6-2. 6-0. B. H. Winchester beat E. I>. Broughton 6-4. 6-4. Seoond Round. A. A. Mac Gibbon beat A. A. Puliar 6-5, 6-6. S. J. Keane boat I>. 0. O'Flaherty 6-3, 6-ii. A. H. Meiklebam beat B. H. Winchester 1-6, "6-2, 6-2. T. W. Walls beat M. A. Rickard 6-1, 6-5. Semi-fina!. A. H. Mei&leham beat E. J. Keane 6-4, 6-5. Girls* Singles (Beet- at three sets, third advantage. Holder, Miss M. Sherrie.) First Round. Miss "S. Poole beat Misa D. Wauchop 6-3, 6-3. Jliss B. Tipping beat Al;>s i:. Cannon 6-2, 6 3. Semi-final. Miss T. Poo If beat Miss E. Spicer 0-0, 6-0. HANDICAP EVENTS. Men's Singles. First Round—li. L. Prebble (owe 15 2-6) beat J. H. Griffiths (owe 1-6 13), 9-8; G. Morris (Tec. 15V' beat S. W. Field (owe 15&), 9-8; It. Armstrong, w.0.; H. T. Richards (rec. i 15) beat L. J. Broughton (rec. h 15), 9-8; I. Watson fscr) beat F. W. Allan (rec. 151, 9-4; C. C. Newton. w.0.; W. G Morrison (scr) beat M. S. Bullivant (ecr), 9-4; J. A. Sband (reo. 'J-6 15; beat G. R. Cracroft "Wilson (rec. 4-6 15' i, 9-4: L. B. Black (rec. J - 15") beat B. Densham (rec. 15), 9-4; H. B. Smith (scr> beat H. G. Searle (owa 15), 9-8.

Second Round—B. B. Loughnan (owe 30|) beat W. S. Clayton (scr), 9-5; N. Anderson (owe 15) beat J. Neeve ■, v ■ 15), 9-3; I. "Watson beat O. C. Newton '!'<■<'- 4-6 15), 9-6; T. P. Laurenson (owe J'• 13) beat A. Borrows (owe 15), 9-8; H. W. Ogier (owe 4-tj 15) beat C. A. Rattray (rec. 1 35), 9-6; H. S. P. Andrews (owe. 4-6 15} beat H Tillman (owe J 15), 9-3; W. R. Robinson (owe 30) beat E. D. Broughton (ree. 4-6 15), 9-S: A. G. Mallett (owe 2-G 15) beat J. Mawson (rec. 15 1-6), 9-4; R. H. Ta.it (owe 15J) beat S. H. Barnett (rec. 15), 9-1: E. D. Preb'ole beat E. £>. Dixon (rec. 15J), 9-6; H. B. Smith beat H. T. Richards, 9-4; A. R. Cant (owe 15) beat L. B. Bla<'k (rec. J 15), 9-7; W. Goes, jun. (owe J 15) beat F. W. Penrefather (rec. 15 1-6), 9-2. Men's Doubles. First Round —F. W. Pennefather and J. W. Allan (rec 15) beat J. Mawson and J. Neeve (rec. 15), 9-6; H, Tillman and H. W. Ogier, w.0.; E. and I. Watson, w.0.; L. Armstrong and N. J. Daly (owe 1-6 15) beat J. H. Griffiths and D. A. McCaskey (sex), 9-3; A. Borrows and W. Gosb, jun. (owe 5-6 *ls) beat C. C. Newton and R. Leyton (rec. 3-6 15), 9-2; T. W. Patterson and JY R. Johnston (owe 15 4-6) beat C. A. Rattray and J. A. Shand (rec. J 15), 9-7; A. A. PulLar and T. W. Walis (rec. 15) beat W. S. Clayton and W. G. Morrison (scr), 9-7; E. S. Dixon and G. Morris (rec. 15) beat It. G. and H. W. Thompson (rec. i lo), 9-3; J. R. Crawshaw and If. G. Morris (owe 16 1-6) beat B. B. Jjoughnan and W. R. Robinson (owe 30), 9-5. Second Round—H. Tillman and H. W. Ogier (owe 2-6 15) beat E. and I. Watson (rec. 2-6 15), 9-0.

Women's Singles. First Round —Miss M. Pyne (rec. 4-6 15) beat Miss N. Smithson (owe 15£), 9-3; Mies S. Gosa (owe 4-6 15) beat Miss P. Hamilton (reo. 15), 9-4; Mre McEwan (owe 4 15) beat Miss H. Hookham (owe 4-6 15), 9-5; Miss I K. Dixon (scr) beat Mias I. Wright (rec. 4-6 [ 15), 9-2; Mrs Forgie, w.0,; Miss N. Reed I (owe 4-6 15) beat Mrs C. Holland (owe $ 15), 9-5; Miss V. Flood ;scr) beat Mias H. J. Jones (owe 15 1-6), 9-5; Mies D. Maginneaa, w.0.; Miss M. Saunders (owe 15) I boat Miss M. Armstrong (rec. \ 15), 9-1; Miss D. Scctt (owe 15) beat Miss X>. Allen j (scr), 9-3; . Mrs R. Cracroft Wilson (rec 15) beat Misa I. Fulton (owe 15 3-6), 9-6; Miss J. Maginness (scr) beat Miss B. Tipping (owe 2-6 15), 9-5; Miss I. Morrison (owe 15) beat Misa M. Munns (owe 1-6 15), 9-3; Miss I A. R. Dixon (scr) beat Miss E. Fleetwood (owe 1-6 15), 9-6; Mies D. Fleetwood (owe ! 1-6 16) beat Miss E. Rudkin (owe 15 2-6), i 9-8; Mies E. Edmonds (rec. i 15) beat Miss N. M. Taylor (scr), 9-1; Mrs R. Cracroft Wilson (ree 15) beat Miss I Fulton (owe ISJ), 9-6. Second Round—Miss Goss beat Misa Pyne, 9-4. Women's Doubles. First Round—Misses A. and X. Dixon (rec. 3-6 15) beat Missea B. Tipping and M. Munns (scr), 9-7. Second Round—Mrs L. J. Wake and Misa N. Reed (owe 4-6 IS) beat Mesdames Forgie and Mcßae (rec. 1-6 15), 9-1; Misses M. Sowden and I. Morrison (owe 15) beat Mrs i M. A. Stedman and Miss M. Saunders (owe 15), 9-8; Misses B. Macdonald and D. Quill (owe 15 1-6) beat Misses M. Hookham and H. Thomas (scr), 9-2; Mioses M. Armstrong and E. Edmonds (rec. 15) beat Mrs R. Cracroft Wilson and Miss D. Allen (rec. 4-6 15), 9-1. Combined Doubles. First Round—Mrs E. L. G. Crawshaw and J. R. Crawshaw, w.0.; Mrs M. F. Mcßae and F. W. Pennefather, w.0.; Miss H. Jones and N. Anderson (owe 15 2-6) beat Miss X. Reed and R. Pearce (scr), 9-6. Second Round—Mrs Crawshaw and Crawshaw (owe 15 4-6} beat Mrs Mcßae and Pennefather (rec. 15), 9-6. NOTES ON THE PLAY. J Men's Singles. ~l£ n « aß <•. hitting hard and accurately, made light of his first two rounds, accounting for two Linwood Club men in S.-W. Field and A. R. Cant. The latter had previously defeated another club-mate and ranking list plaver in E. Xj. Prebble, in a good attractive game. I. A. Seay made similar progress on the other side of the draw, his victims being T. P. Laurenson and H. W. Ogier. In these two matches Seay lost only one game. He was playing carefully, and with an absence of his usual spectacular shots. He is apparently trying to play himself into form, which lack of practice this year has prevented him from attaining. T. W. Patterson and R. H. Tait plaved a very pretty game in their early encounter. Tait obviously troubled his man with his remarkable variety of shots, and it was only Patterson's well-known steadiness and tenacity which carried him through in the third set. Patterson is not yet at his best, but once on his game he may trouble the best of the top players. Rhodes-Williams was too even and too sure in every department of the game for his doubles team-mate, E'ymond winning in straight sets 6-1. 6-3. Dymond was given no chance to get his hard driving game into operation, Rhodes-Williams keeping him continually on the move with side-line shots, which almost invariably worked the voung player out of position for Rhodes-Williams to make the kill. Dymond, who is steadily coming to the fore, was one of those players who were treated unkindly hv the luck of the draw. W. S. Somerville was Rhodes-Williams'g next victim, going down to the same tactics which h3d proved the undoing of r-vmond. It is doubtful, however, whether RhodesWilliams's shots, beautifully executed and directed as they are. carry the punch to be effective against players of a slightly higher class. However, Rhodes-Williams ' can be depended upon to provide a good match against Angas in the semi-final if thev meet. The contrast of styles will give an" added interest to the match. Angas is a more rugged type of player than Rhodes-Williams, who is a stylist pure and simple. J. R. Johnston showed surprising "form to defeat a first-class man in B. B. Loughcsn. Johnston was very sure in all his strokes, and in rallies from the back line he more than held his own. When Leighnan attempted to make the pace he either made or was forced into errors. This game, which Johnston won at 6-4, 4-6 6-2, was one of the surprises of the day.' 3nd pro- ! vided some very bright 3nd attractive j tennis. itong rallies, in which the majority of the shots were too short to be effective, were a feature of the game hetween J. H. W. Sheppard and the veteran F. S. Wiiding. Wilding pressed his man to the limit, and took the first set before Sheppard found hts game. The match ended in favour of Sheppard, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. W. R. Robinson's defeat of E. G. Boddv, the Otago champion, was a surprise. However, it is recognised that it is oniv lack of practice that prevents the ex-University champion from reaching the top class. It it not the first time that he has surprised in championship tournaments. In his defeat of Boddy he employed a destructive lorehana drive into his opponent's hack- '

hand corner, and liis ground ■ strokes on both J hands* were more accurate and decisive than ! "his opponent'p. The game was a minor J marathon which took the greater part of two hours. The score was 13-11, 1-6, 7-5 in Robinson's favour. Stolidity prevailed over brilliance when X>. Purves defeated N. G. Munns in their second round match. An ability to retrieve seemingly impossible halls and a remarkable steadiness make Purves one of the hardest players in Canterbury to defeat. His style is unorthodox and by no means pretty, but his record in match play this year speaks for its effectiveness. Munns drove brilliantly in the first set, which he won 7-5, but Purves wore him down in the second and third sessions, which he won with the loss of only two games. Men's Doubles. C. Anjas and E. 3. Boddy did not have things all their own W3y in their first match of the doubles event, for which they hold the title. J. H. W. Sheppard and A. R. Cant disconcerted them in the first set by their tactics, which consisted in alternately tossing up high stuff and driving hard to their opponents' feet as they came to # the net. Boddy missed a good many shots in the air but was effective in his low volleys. Sheppard and Cant had a lead of 5-3 in the first get and dropped match point before Angas and Boddy ran out at 8-6. More mistakes in the second session saw Sheppard and Cant go down 6-3. The game was quite a fair exhibition of doubles play, marked by flashes of brilliance on both sides of the net. Another jrood double was that, between an old pair in W. S. Somerville and R. H. Tait and E. H. Orbell and E. L. Prebble. It was marred, however, by too frequent errors. The losers fought.tenaciously and made the most of their opportunities. The score was 6-4, 10-8 in Somerville's favour, but as a seeded pair, he and his partner were not very impressive.

Women's Singles. Driving with characteristir consistency, Miss M. Wake made light of her first rounds against Miss D. Qui}£_ and Miss E. Rudkin. She is playing at the top of her forth, "ait#" appears to be varying her play more than she used to, with very beneficial results to her game. Miss M. Andrew, in the other half, had by no means so easy a task. Miss S. Goss, who i 6 playing a very hard game, took the'middle set and went down only at 6-4 in the third. Miss Andrew has been playing well this year, but she will have to produce better form than she displayed yesterday to reach the final. A meritorious win was that of Miss M. Sherris, last year's winner of the junior girls' title, over Mrs C'rawshaw. Miss Sherris has all the shots of a champion,_ her game being founded on the soundest lines. Mrs Crawshaw had previously beaten Miss N. Smithson, another of the young and hardhitting generation. Combined Doubles. Miss Andrew and Reay won practically as they liked-against Miss Sherris and Munns. They played very attractively to win with the loss of three games in the sequence sets. They appear to be the only pair who have a sound combination in the combined event. Miss Wake and Rhodes-Williams, pairing for the first time, were not very happy against Miss G. Rankin and J. R. Johnston, and could win only at 6-4, 9-7. Play will be continued at 8 o'clock this morning, and an effort will be made to advance the events sufficiently to enable the finals to be played to-morrow afternoon.