TENNIS NOTES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21356, 26 December 1934, Page 13

TENNIS NOTES

CHAMPIONSHIPS START TO-DAY FOUR DAYS FOR ANNUAL- . TOURNEY [Bj CROSS-COURT.] The Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's annual championsh'ip tournament has invariably produced* good tennis in recent years even when competition „for the titles has been confined to Canterbury players. Frequently, too, it has produced some surprising results. With several players, both men and women, showing, form that must make them strong contenders for championship honours, the tournament commencing at Wilding Park to-day should certainly again provide good tennis,. and there may also be upsets. Four days have been allotted to the tournament this year instead of the usual three, and it should make it a more enjoyable event for the players. In the past the concluding stages of the tourney have proved too strenuous for players who have earned the right to contest two or three finals. Because of the limited time given to tournaments in New Zealand championships are probably-more strenuous here than in any other country, and the practice of leading players entering for only one or tw6 events instead of for singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, has become fairly general in the Dominion. New Zealand's generally weak standard in doubles and particularly in mixed doubles may, in- some measure,be attributed to this tendency.

Rhodes-Williams or Dymond? The form 0& players entered for this year's Canterbury championships was reviewed last week, but the publication of the draw makes it possible to indicate what matches the public will witness on the concluding days of the tourney. C. Angas, who has met and defeated practically all his Canterbury rivals this season, is the selection committee's first choice in the seeding. T. Rhodes-Williams, present' holder of the title, is in the opposite half, but to reach the final will have to beat H. Dymond, whose tennis, next to that of Angas, has been the most impressive so far this season. A. R. Cant is the fourth seeding, and should meet Angas in the semi-final. Th£re will be several hard matches before the semi-finals, however, for I. A. Seay, W. S. Somerville, I. J. Corich, B. D. Duffield, K. J. Walker, N. G. NorbertMunns, and others are all capable of extending some of the leading men. Miss E. Rudkin, holder of the women's singles championship, is in the same half as Miss M. Wake,, winner of.the championship on many former occasions, and in the semi-final . ..no doubt; they will have another hardfought match. In the other half Miss T. Poole, now in first place on the Canterbury ranking list, should reach the final, and will probably meet in the penultimate round, Miss I: Poole. Miss M. Sherris, Mrs- D. I. Macdonald, Misses. E. Fleetwood, N. Bishop, B. Gould, and Mrs E. M. Peppier, will provide the strongest opposition for the seeded players.

Doubles Events The doubles events seem fairly clear-cut. .Angas and Dymond, champions for several years, are seeded first in the men's event, while the other half will probably be fought out between Seay and Rhodes-Wil-liams and J. H. W. Sheppard and Cant. Corich and C. F. Penfold, junior champions of Canterbury; have been given fourth position, and are in Angas's and Dym'ond's. half. Misses I. and T. POole, who constitute the only women's' doubles pair in' Canterbury, with a clear understanding of the doubles game, and of each other's play, should retain' their title, but have in their' half two good pairs in Mrs Peppier and Miss Biahop and Misses Gould and Fleetwood. In . the lower half the right to enter the final will probably be disputed by Misses Wake and. Sherris and Miss Rudkin and Mrs Macclonald. In the mixed doubles event, Miss Wake and Rhodes-Williams, defending their title, appear the strongest pair, and Miss I. Poole and Cant have been seeded next .in order. The former pair will have their strongest opposition in. Miss Gould arid Glanville and Miss Fleetwood and Somerville, and the latter in Miss Sherris and Sheppard and Miss T. Poole and J. Mercer.

The' junior championships and the handicaps will also provide some interesting play, and late entries are still being received.

Play will commence at approximately 8.45 a.m. each day.

NEW ZEALANDERS BEATEN FRENCH COVERED COURTS CHAMPIONSHIPS (OWITBD PRESS ASSOCIATION—BT lI.BCTaiO TiLiaßAPir—corraiGHT.) (Received December 25, 7.20 p.m.) PARIS, December 24. In the covered courts championships Merlin beat C. E. Malfroy (New Zealand), 6-2, 6-1. Borotra beat A. C. Stedman (New Zealand), 9-7, 0-6, 7-5. Glasser beat Hare, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. MALVERN ASSOCIATION HORORATA -v.- DARFIELD ■ (Ilororata names first) Women's Doubles—Mrs Dalmer and Miss McKenzie 4/ Miss- Robinson and Mrs Polo 6;. Hisses I). Oliver and K. Thorno (i, Misses K. Edbrooko and Register 2; Miss Fuller and-Mrs Fleming 3; Misses J. Edbr'ooke and D. Painter 6.. • - Men's Doubles —Bell and Gibson :i, R. Reid and J. R. Reid 9; Dalmer and Kella•way 6, Register and Robinson 9; Barrett and Wright 7, D. Adams and >T. Reid 9. Combined Doubles—Mrs Dalmer and W. Bell 6, ,R. Reid and Miss Robinson 4; Miss McKenzie and S. Gibson 4, Mrs Pole and L. Register 6: Miss Oliver and E. 13. Dalmer 6,' Miss K. EdbTooke and D. Adams 0; Miss E. Tliorne and K. Kellaway 4, Miss Register and J. R. Reid 6; Miss Fuller and R. Bar-rott 0, -Miss ,7. Edbrooke and R. G. Robinson. 6;. Mrs Fleming and F. N. Wright 6, Miss D. Painter and J. Reid 2. Women's Singles—Mrs Dalmer 6, Robinson 1; Miss McKenzie t>, Mrs Pole 3; Miss D. Olivier J. Miss K.' Edbrooke 6; Miss E. Thorns 6, Miss Register 3; Miss M. Fuller. 2, Miss J. Edbrooko 6; Mrs Fleming (j, Miss D. Painter 4.

Men's Singles—\V. Bell 5. R. Keid fi; S Gibson 6. negisler 4;' E. B. Dalmer' 5, J). Aikjiis 6; K. Kelimvay (5, J. R, JJeirl t; Jl. Barrett 2, J'{. U. fiubinson 0; F. N, Wright fi. J. Reiil It. Horornta 112 gninos, Darficld 114 games

NORTH CANTERBURY. SUBASSOCIATION The A grade championship round of the North Canterbury Sub-Association's competition was finished on Saturday and has .resulted in a win for the Kangiora Club by a margin of one and a half points from the Loburn Club. Rangiorft United and Amberley were next with six points each. The positions of the teams have been released by the secretary of the sub-association (Mr T. H. Blain) as follows:—.

N.Z. UNIVERSITY MEN BEATEN MATCH AGAINST N.S.W. TEAM (DWITBD'PRESS ASSOCIATIOJT—BY KLBOTEIB 'TELBGBAPH:—COPYRIGHT.) (Received December 25, 8.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 25. The New Zealand universities' team snet a New South Wales Tennis Association team at the White City courts. Results: — Crystal beat H. A. Barnett, 6-2, 6-3. Rodgers beat B. A. Barrer, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Turvey beat J. J. McCarthy, 6-4, 7-5. Lewis beat R. A. Young, 6-4, 8-6. DOUBLES Rodgers and Crystal beat Barnett and Barrer, 6-1, 6-4. Barnett was much below his best against Crystal,, serving a number of double-faults. and breaking'' down badly on his ■ forehand:-Barrer's was a good performance against Rodgers. 1 AUSTRALIA'S VICTORY BRITAIN AND FRANCE. BEATEN (Received December 25,. 8.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 25. Maintaining their unbeaten record in the international tennis contest, Crawford and McGrath gave Australia an overwhelming victory over Great Britain and France. . The final totals were:— Rubbers. Sets. Games. Australia ... 10 - 22 156. Great Britain 3 10 126 France .. 2 7 . " 108 Results to-day were; , McGrath beat Brugnbn (France), 6-2, 6-4. Boussus beat Perry (Great Britain), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Crawford beat Hughes, 9-7, 6-3. The matches were played under very adverse conditions. The courts, were saturated and the balls sodden and discoloured. McGrath was too steady for Brugnon, scoring with his famous • twohanded backhand. Perry began well against Boussus, making an effective net attack, but after the first set fell away badly, netting and outing tediously. Crawford and Hughes had a great struggle, but the Australian's superior control won him the day. Choose the ball used by the Champions. Ayres' "CHAMPIONSHIP" Stitchless Tennis Balls have been adopted for exclusive-use by the Canterbury Provincial Lawn Tennis Association for their Annual Tournament, Xmas, 1934-35. _3 A GREAT GIFT. Give your friend a good tennis racquet this Christmas! You can afford something worthwhile, too, be-: cause, a first-clasS racquet costs 30s at The Tennis Shop's Sale of 1935 Models, Call at 127 Armagh street and see how much you'll save! » 1-

Ch. P, AY, Tj; • IV Pts. Rangiora 10 8 1 1 si Loburn 10 r 7 2 2 7 Rangiora United 10' ' 5 n 2 6 Amberloy ,, 10 f> 4 —: 6 Balcaim 10 5 4 l 55 Oxford . ;• 10 5 5 — -.5 Ashley . ... 10' 1 5 1 Kaiapoi .. 10 *4 5 1.. SoiitKbrook •. TO ' 3 ' ' ' 7 _' 3 Ohoka 10 3 6 1 2a West Eyreton' 10 1 ; -8 *ia