LAWN TENNIS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19852, 13 February 1930, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS.

CHAMPIONS IN ACTION.

INTER-PROVINCIAL MATCH. Four New Zealand tennis champions will be seen in action at Wilding Park on Saturday, when the annual match between Canterbury and South Canterbury will be played. While the game is usually very much in favour of the Christehurch team, it should hold plenty of interest for the public this jear, following upon the fine showing of the province in the national championships at Wellington. The match will commence at 10.30 in the morning, and will be continued in the afternoon, the contest, of course, being on grass courts. C. Angas, champion of the Dominion, will be first man for Canterbury, while Misses Wake and Andrew, national doubles champions, will be included in the local team. The junior champion of New Zealand, W. G. Robertson, will probably be first man for the visitors, and his game with Angas should be an attractive one. Last year Angas could win only at 6-6 in the third set, after Robertson had pressed him by brilliant play. Most of the other leading players of the province and the top men from Timaru will also be playing. The Canterbury team was selected yesterday, and is as follows: — Men —C. Angas, D. F. Glanville, T. RhodesWilliams, B. B. Loughnan, T. W. Patterson, and N. G. Munns. Women —Miss M. Wake, Mrs B. A. Miles, Mi ss M. Andrew, Mrs M. Beale, Miss G. Rankin, and Miss M. Sowden. I. A. Seay and J. H. W. Shcppard were not available.

WOMEN'S COMPETITION.

FENDALTON DEFEAT UNITED IN FINAL.

The Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's senior women's inter-club competition was concluded yesterday afternoon at Wilding Park, when the two unbeaten teams in the respective sections, Fendalton and United, played off the final in beautiful weather. Fendalton were successful, in a very interesting contest, by 4 matches to 2. The match was a particularly interesting one by reason of the fact that some of the province's leading women, as well as some of the younger hopes, were taking part. Of chief interest was the match between Miss Wako and Mrs Beale, first and fourth respectively on the Canterbury ranking list. Miss Wake's overwhelming victory of nine games to love was due in equal measure to her own fine play and the poor form of her opponent. Her driving was hard and accurate throughout, and she exploited Mrs Beale's rather weak backhand to the fullest advantage. Mrs Beale consistently missed the openings when they presented themselves. Miss Smithson played a very enterprising game against her more experienced opponent, Mrs Crawshaw, and fully held her until 5- a! 1. Miss Smithson made some very profitable excursions to the net up to that stage, but eventually Mrs Crawshaw's steadiness won the day. Some very fast driving was seen in the game between Mrs Bullock and M:ss Sherris, and the result was in doubt until tho vory end. Mrs Bullock played a more varied game, however, than tho young Fendalton girl, her essays at the net generally being profitable. There were several deuces at 8-alI, but Mrs Bullock was steadier at this critical stage. Miss Null was not at her best in the ;»mc against Miss Rudkin. and her generally severe forehand drive was too often netted or hit feebly into the centre court. Miss Rudkin was steady and accurate throughout. Bustling their opponents with hard drives and interceptions in the short court, Miss Wake and Mrs Crawshaw had no trouble in defeating Mesdames Beale and Bullock. Mrs Bullock did not reproduce the form she showed in the singles, and she and her partner could not cope with the attack of the opposing pair. United'b second win was gainod by Misses Smithson and Nutt on tho odd game in the third sot against Misses Sherris and ltudkin. Until the second set the winners were inclined to hang back. Afterwards, however, both were effective at the net. The final game was a long one, in which each side bad match point more than once. Resultß are as follows (Fendalton names mentioned first) : Singles—Miss M. Wako beat Mrs If. Beale, 9-0; Mrs K. L. G, Crawshaw beat Miss N. Smithson, 9-5: Miss M. Sherris lost to Mrs F. Bullock, 8-9; Miss E. Rudkin beat Miss 10, E. Nutt, 9-5. Doubles—Miss Wako and Mrs Crawshaw beat Mesdames Beale and Bullock, 6-0, Misses Sherriß and Rudkin lost to Misses Smithson and Nutt, 6-3, 4-6, 5-G.

TECHNICAL COLLEGE TENNIS. This year lawn tennis is being recogniß"d for the first time as a school game at (lie Christchurch Technical College. Its popularity at the college iR evident from the numbers who have signified their intention of taking up the sport in preference to cricket. Over 100 players of all ages will havo tli* use of fifteen hard courts at Wilding I'nrk each Wednesday, and Messrs R. Cartner, V. Mcßryde, and J. M. Keys, of the school staff, have volunteered to act as coaches. Yesterday was the initial day of the new scheme, which will be very gratifying to tennis enthusiasts in tlio City. Hitherto Technical has produced one or two quite good playi'rs, who have, however, suffered under nbilit.v of having to obtain their tennis in such time as was not filled by cricket, formerly a compulsory game.

RANKING MATCHES. A ranking match having a possible bearing iti the Canterbury Wilding Shield team was played last evening between T. W. Patterson (challenger) and B. B. Loughnan for fourth place on the provincial ladder. Patterson was the winner, 6-4, 7-5, and so becomes first emergency for the team to meet Wellington. Patterson was a little too steady for his opponent, who was playing a good hard-hitting game. Loughnan had a lead of 5-1 in the second set, and had three set points at 5-2 and 40-lovc, but Patterson wore his opponent down with steady driving. For first place on the ranking list, C. Angas, playing very destructive tennis, stalled off a challenge from D. P. Glanville, 6-2, 6-1. Angas was in great form, and handled the best of his opponent's attacks with ease. He was solid from the baseline and decisive at the net.