LAWN TENNIS

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24530, 2 April 1945, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

EASTER TOURNAMENT OPENS WELL LEADING PLAYERS IN ■ GOOD MATCHES ‘Although the entry in the women’s events Is below the standard set In re.cent tournamjents, the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s Easter open and handicap tournament made a good start on Saturday. Most of the province’s leading players are competing, and the visitors include R. S. McKenzie, of Wellington, who won the men’s singles at last year’s tournament. ~ His opponent in the final last year, H. A. Barnett, who is Canterbury’s top player, is not playing, and although other Canterbury ' players - have, been" showinggood form they will have a hard task to .do more than, extend the polished Wellington player. McKenzie romped through two rounds on Saturday, arid his second opponent was a capable campaigner in H. Dymond. But for the war, McKenzie would now undoubtedly have, been one of New Zealand’s Davis Cup players. He has a beautiful equipment of aggressive yet ■ well-controlled strokes, and there Is no more deadly smasher in New Zealand. Dymond had a good match in the first round against E. D.-White, who was Canterbury’s top junior this year. White was within two points of winning the second set, but appeared to lose concentration at this critical stage, whereas Dymond_ increased the pressure to take the last three games In his best form. , „ , McKenzie has reached the semi-final, and will -play the winner of W. J. Smith, Canterbury’s third ranked player, and H. Lenk. Smith, also a fluent stroke-maker, barely survived his second-round game with M. J; Souter. The latter, who puts all the strength ef a burly frame into every shot, hit Smith off the court for a set and a half. He won the first. 6-2, and led 3-0 In the second. Smith, having slowed down the game, found more and more opportunities to come to the net. and his volleying was too good for Souter. Smith won six games in succession for the second set, and was comfortably on top In the third. In the other half of the draw. A. R. Cant meets the winner of A, M. Johns and B. B. Souter. Cant lost only two games to G. C. Reid, who In the same tournament last year ran him to 9-7 in the third set. Reid, who had been extended In the first round by P. J. Bennett, appeared to be feeling the effects of a hard game and was below his best form. In the small field for the women’s singled, Miss T. Poole and Mrs K. Hart, who fought out- the long and dramatic final of the Christmas tournament, should meet again. Mrs Hart reached the. final in one match—against a plucky but muen less experienced player in Miss H. Ensor. Miss Poole, who showed good form in beating Miss W. Dryden, has yet to meet Mrs D. Donnithorne (formerly Miss Doris Elsom). Mrs Donnithorne had an excellent match with Miss M. Snelllng, a Wellington visitor. There were many good driving exchanges, but the Canterbury player was the more accurate.

RESULTS OPEN EVENTS Men’s Singles First Round.—W. J. Smith beat P. D. McGregor, 6-0, 6-1; W. Strang beat J. S. Drew. 6-2, 6-0; T. W. Callander beat S. E: Ogg, 6-4, 6-1; A. M. Johns beat M. C. Sexton, 6-0, 6-4; B. E. Souter beat D. Martin, 6-2. 6-2; G. E. Atkinson beat K, F. Moody, 6-0, 6-4. ..... Second Round.—R. S. McKenzie beat N. S. H. McCann, 6-0, 6-1; H. Dymond beat E. D. White, 6-2, 8-6; Smith beat M. J. Souter, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3; H. Lenk beat Strang, 6-1, 6-2; Johns beat Callander, 6-3, 6-3; B. E. Souter beat Atkinson, 6-4, 6-1; G. C. Reid beat P. J. Bennett, 7-5, 7-5; A. R. Cant beat K. B. Allln, 6-2, 6-4. Quarter-finals.—McKenzie beat Dympnd, 6-1, 6-2; Cant beat Reid, 6-1, 6-1. Women’s Singles First Round.—Miss T. Poole beat Miss W. Dryden, 6-3. 6-0; Mrs D. Donnithcrne beat Miss M. Snelling, 6-2, 8-6; Mrs K. Hart beat Miss H. Ensor, 6-0, 6-1. Semi-final.—Mrs Hart beat Mrs J. Adams, 6-1, 6-4. Men’s, Doubles First Round.—W. J. Smith and A. M. Johns beat M. Wall and J. J. Borough, 6-2, 6-1; G. G. Reid arid H. Lenk beat S. E. O. and N. S. H. McCann, 6-3, 6-3; B. E. and M. J. Souter beat G. E. Atkinson and F. J. Benenett, 6-2, 6-0; N. W. Wolfe and G. Wallace beat K. F. Moody and M. C. Sexton, 6-4, 6-2; P. D. McGregor and T. W. Callander beat N. W, Tillman and C. C. Smith, 6-1, 6-3; H. Dyiriond and W. Strang beat D. Martin and J. Flynn, 6-3, 6-3; P. Hadley and J. S. Drew beat E. S. Dixon and P. W. Young, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4; R. S. McKenzie and A. R. Cant beat B. R. Penfold and E. D. White, 6-0, Second Round.—McKenzie and Cant beat Hadley and Drew, 0-0, 6-3. Women's Doubles Semi-final.—Mrs I. Hatherley and. Miss T. Poole beat Mrs D. Donnithorne and Miss S. Elsom. 6-3, 6-4. Mixed Doubles First Round.—A. R. Cant and Mrs D. Donnithorne beat E. D. White and Miss J Mac Gibbon, 6-3, 6-1; A. M. Johns and Mrs K. Hart beat W. J. Smith and Miss A. Mercer. 8-1, 9-7; N. S. H. McCann arid mrisi w. Dryden beat T. W. Callander and Miss J. Mercer, 7-5, 1-6, 9-7. • . JUNIOR EVENTS Boys’ Singles First-Round.—M. Wall beat B. R. Crawford, 6-0, 8-0; A. Bailey beat R. H. Henderson, 6-4. 6-2; . R. H. Mills beat D. E. Flynn, 6-2, 6-4; T, Howe beat K. Cumberpatch, 6-3, 6-4; M., Chappie beat D. M.. Brown, 6-1, 6-4; A. J. Delore beat W. K. Browne, 6-1. 6-1; J. J. Borough beat R.; J. Familton, 6-0. 6-1; B. R, Penfold beat G; Archibald. 6-3, 6-0, Quarter-finals.—Walls beat Bailey, 6-2, 6-0; JWIUb: beat Hawa^d-^e^l^fi-UHChawile,