NEW SOUTH WALES WINS, 9-3

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25740, 28 February 1949, Page 8

NEW SOUTH WALES WINS, 9-3

LAWN TENNIS

NEW ZEALAND TEAM BEATEN IMPROVED FORM ON SECOND DAY Although the touring New South Wales lawn tennis team beat New Zealand in the unofficial test match at Wilding Park by 9 rubbers to 3, the home players did much better on the second day—very nearly as well as in the first match at Wellington a fortnight ago, when the visitors won only on a count of sets, the six rubbers being shared. The Australians again had only a slight margin of superiority on Saturday. New Zealand won two of the six matches scheduled for the day, as well as the uncompleted doubles in which O. M. Bold and J. A. Barry had built up a commanding lead against O. W. Sidwell and R. McCarthy on Friday, when rain interrupted play. The same New Zealand pair got to within a point of beating D. Rocavert and J. Matthews, only to lose a grandly-fought match; and the result of the second singles match might easily have been in favour of New Zealand instead of Australia had R. S. McKenzie clinched the first set. in which he held three set points. Apart from the “might-have-beens,” New Zealand had reason for satisfaction in the win of the Davis Cup pair, McKenzie and J. E. Robson, over Sidwell and McCarthy, and Bold’s victory—the sole New Zealand success in the singles—over Rocavert. The whole contest provided some splendid play; and it is to be regretted that it was poorly supported by tennis enthusiasts and the general public. Young players can learn much from New Zealand’s best, who are seen all too seldom in Christchurch, and very much more from visitors as competent as these.

Sidwell Meant Business Sidwell, the Australian Davis Cup star, who was extended by McKenzie on the first day, came out for his match with Robson, the New Zealand champion, with a “no-nonsense” look about his game. He opened the match with a service ace, and continued to attack relentlessly with his fast service, stabbing drives, and dazzling net play. Robson obviously felt that defensive tactics were of no use against such an opponent in such form, and he attempted to force the pace himself. Although he scored with some good drives and neat volleying coups, he made too many mistakes, especially in trying for speed on his backhand.

The match between the second players of the respective teams. McCarthy and McKenzie, was as even as it could be. McKenzie held three set points in the first set, but lost them all through wild volleying; and it seemed that at all the crucial points he lacked the concentration of the Australian. It was. however, a first-class match, with McCarthy impressing more than on the previous day, although McKenzie' lacked a little of the fire and determination he showed against Sidwell. McCarthy’s backhand stood, up well to McKenzie’s attack, and he hit many beautiful passing shots both down the line and across-court. He also proved a deft volleyer, very agile in covering the full length of the net and shrewd in anticipating the direction of McKenzie s probing passing shots. The New Zealander was forced to try for a just a little more speed and angle than he could command with accuracy, and the errors more than balanced the brilliant winners. Bold’s Good Win Playing his usual active, tireless retrieving game, Bold scored New Zealand’s only singles victory against Rocavert. In the third set he completely wore down an opponent who earlier had dominated the play with his well-controlled driving and his perfect angle-volleying and stopvolleying. For much of the game Rocavert seemed to keep Bold constantly in trouble without hitting anything, except his service and an occasional smash, very hard. Bold, in fact, was outmanoeuvred in the kind of chessboard tame at which he excels. Until late in the second set Bold had seldom looked like establishing a lead, because while he had to fight hard to hold his own service he had great difficulty in handling the Australian’s. Unexpectedly he broke through Rocavert’s service to love in the eighteenth game, and the result was-seldom in doubt in the final set. Rocavert no longer dominated the rallies as they lengthened, he seemed to lose confidence and accuracy in handling Bold s heavily-topped forehand, and he oegan to make volleying mistakes w’hich had not marred his play earlier. In the third set, too. Bold met with more success in his own volleying attacks. He well deserved his win. After playing disappointingly for most of the 4i rs t set, Barry came to life and made a grand fight of the second set against the tall left-hander, Matthews. Barry for a long time could not get any length on his drives, particularly from the backhand, and Matthews pasted the half-court balls unmercifully with his powerful forehand drive, hit perfectly flat with a long, full swing. His 'forehand into the backhand corner was particularly destructive, backed up as it was with his powerful smashing and volleying. At his best Barry was very good, hitting his two-handed forehand with great speed and following in to the net for many a kill. Exciting Doubles As on the first day, Sidwell was a little disappointing in the doubles. His smashing and volleying need to be complemented by more constructive play than McCarthy appeared capable of; Sidwell always seemed too anxious to end a rally before the New Zealand pair had time to dominate McCarthy, as they often did. Robson and McKenzie engineered their openings with skill and accuracy and finished them off with volleying and smashing more of Australian than the customary New Zealand standard. Bold and Barry led all through the first and third sets against Rocavert and Matthews, only to lose both after some brilliant and exciting play. The New Zealanders’ retrieving of the visitors’ forceful smashes and volleys was a highlight of the game. Barry nas developed rapidly as a doubles player; and he and Bold are now an excellen» volleying combination. They may go far if they pair together for championships, as seems likely. Results: — Singles O. W. Sidwell (N.S.W.) beat J. E. Robson (N.Z.), 6-1, 6-2. R. McCarthy (N.S.W.) beat R. S. McKenzie (N.Z.), 8-6, 6-4. O. M. Bold (N.Z.) beat D. Rocavert (N.S.W.), 4-6. 10-8. 6-2. J. Matthews (N.S.W.) beat J. A. Barry (N.Z.), 6-3, 9-7. Doubles Robson and McKenzie iNZ) beat Sidwell and McCarthy (N.S.W ), 6-2, 6-4. Rocavert and Matthews (N S.W.) beat Bold and Barry (N.Z.), 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. Bold and Barry (N.Z.) beat Sidwell and McCarthy (N.S.W.), 6-3. 3-6. 6-1.

PUBLIC SERVICE TOURNEY

In a Public Service tournament played at Wilding Park in the week-end results were as follows: A section, semi-final: E. P. Sanders (Post Office) and Miss M. Flannigan (Mental Hospitals) beat P. G. Wederell (Post Office) and Miss T. McGowan (Mental Hospitals), 21-13. B section: J. P. Devine (Price Tribunal) and Miss M. Waddell (Mental Hospitals) beat J. Sewell (State Fire) and Miss E. Headley (Air Force), 21-12. Final: J. P. Devine and Miss M. Waddell beat E. P. Sanders and Miss M. Flannigan, 21-15.