LAWN TENNIS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25998, 29 December 1949, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS

Robson Beaten By Bold

OUTSTANDING MATCH In an outstanding thrilling tennis match which lasted almost three hours, the New Zealand singles champion, J. E. Robson (Otago) was beaten by the fourth seeded player O. M. Bold, Hutt Valley, in five sets, when the Canterbury lawn tennis championships were continued yesterday. ..The game was one of the best seen at Wilding Park for many years, and was played at tremendous pace from start to finish. The scores, 6-3, 7-9, 6-4, 4-6, 8-6 59 games—give a small idea of the epic struggle. Long, hard-fought rallies, splendid smashes, severe hitting, great retrieving. and determination and concentration, were the ingredients of a match which will not be easily forgotten Analysing the defeat of Robson is not easy. There were times when he made mistakes; there were times when he was unconquerable, but the same may be said of Bold. The winning factors were probably the skill with which Bold varied his returns with his “topped’’ forehand and sliced backhand, and a fine’ display of passing shots at the net. Time and again Robson lost points by hitting his returns into the net. This was caused probably by the spin on Bold’s strokes. Robson went to the net often on good strokes, and many times it looked as though his opponent was trapped; but Bold passed him consistently, and at times monotonously, with backhand and forehand drives along the lines. He mixed these shots with a few well-timed lobs. Robson’s overhead was much more severe and better placed than Bold's, and his service - was slightly harder. Bold's serve on the whole was better placed. Bold has often given the top tennis players hard games, and although he was not picked for the New Zealand Davis Cup team, he went to England, where he won many county championships. To-day he will play R. S. McKenzie, who beat R. G. Pattinson in the other semi-final, and it also should be a hard match.

McKenzie and Pattinson McKenzie had a fairly easy win over Pattinson, and the score, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1, was a true indication of the match. It was a match between two players of totally different styles—McKenzie with all the strokes for an attacking player, and Pattinson with the old-fashioned virtues of accuracy and steadiness, and a style' likely to beat many players of lesser calibre than McKenzie's. The emphasis of the modern game is speed and attack—Pattinson had the first and to a certain extent the second; but in neither did he have the quality and quantity of his opponent.

Both players took a few games to settle down. Pattinson took the first and second games in the first set, but once McKenzie found his footing he played spectacularly. His net attack was nearly perfect. He used a strong forehand on a short ball, or, after rallying from the baseline, placed a shot to the corner, and came up to the net to play some devastating smashes and, once or twice, his cross-court smash—a stroke rarely returned. While Pattinson was beaten in most departments, he was not disgraced. There were times when he had McKenzie guessing, especially with well-disguised drop shots, and in general he played many fine shots. The men's doubles semi-finals, one of which is unfinished, provided some of the best contests of the tournament. Play has reached great heights in the match between Robson and McKenzie and Bold and Otway. The former pair are leading by two sets to one. ana the score in the fourth set is 9-all. The players yesterday did the impossible every few seconds, and the gallery was thrilled with the long net rallies. It is unfortunate that rain interfered, because if it continues the court in all probability will be slippery and the pace of vesterday may be missing to-day. Bold and Otway combined better than their opponents, but they have not the same severity overhead. The other doubles match between Pattinson and Howe and Burns and Barry went to five sets, and it also was full of exciting moments. There was little between the players, but Burns and Barrv showed superior understanding. The'crowd often cheered Howe for some really spectacular recoveries. When in form he is a hard man to stop. All the other players played well, and it would appear that {he introduction of five sets for the semi-finals of the men's singles and doubles is a success. The matches that went to five sets yesterday produced the best play of the tournament so far, and were the best to watch. Miss Mac Gibbon’s Win Miss J. Mac Gibbon (Canterbury), second seeded player, had a good win over Miss B. Potter (Auckland), fourth seeded player, in a semi-final of the women’s singles. The match was not of a good standard, being a mixture of brilliant and poor play. In the second set, when the score was 3-all, Miss MacGibbon piled up points with her net nlay and she took the set to win 7-5, 6-3. Both players were out of touch with many of their strokes. Miss Potter outthought her opponent some of the time, but her inaccuracy and poor positional play cost her many points. Miss M. Beverley (Waikato) had too many strokes and too much experience for Miss M. Robertson (Otago), but the g:<->.e was more even than the score, 6-1. 4-6. 6-3, suggests. Miss Robertson was a little hasty in the execution of her strokes in the first set. and she was not watching the ball intently, and with Miss Beverley playing at her best, the set was soon lost. In the second set she played the kind of game which enabled her to beat two seeded players on Tuesday. She could not cope with Miss Beverley’s disguised forehand, but she scored points at the net with a strong forehand drive, and a sliced backhand. Miss Beverlev was too good in the last set. She will ‘play Miss Mac Gibbon to-day in the final. The women’s doubles provided some particularly good play. The top seeded nair. Misses M. Kerr and Potter, were beaten very easily by the fourth seeded nair. Misses Beverley and Robertson. 6-4 6-0. Mrs I. Hatherley and Miss T. Poole I Canterbury) second seeded players, combined well to beat the third seeded pair. Mrs E. Anderson (Wellington) and Miss Mac Gibbon. 9-7. 6-4. Miss Poole gave a grand exhibition of net plav in this match.

A high standard has been maintained during the championships, and it is a pity that some of the matches were not played on a Saturday to give the public a chance to see them. It is a pitv also that the tournament has been spoilt by a gusty wind on the first three days while yesterday rain fell late in the afternoon. The rain interfered with the rounds of the mixed doubles in which only one quarter-final has neen played. Results were:— SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Men’s Singles Semi-finals.—O. M. Bold (Hutt Valley) beat J. E. Robson (Otago), 6-3, 7-9, 6-4, 4-6, 8-6; R. S. McKenzie (Wellington) beat G. Pattinson (Canterbury), 6-4, 6-1,

Women's Singles Semi-final.—Miss M. Beverley (Waikato) beat Miss M. Robertson (Otago). 6-1, 4-6. 6-3; Miss J. Mac Gibbon (Canterbury) beat Miss B. Potter (Auckland), 7-5, 6-3. Men's Doubles Quarter-final.—O. M. Bold (Otago) and M. Otway (Auckland) beat I. I. Easton and L. Roach (Waikato), 6-1, 6-4. Semi-finals —J. A. Barry and A. S. Burns (Auckland) beat R A. H. Howe and R. G. Pattinson (Canterbury), 6-3. 5-7, 5-7, 6- 6-3; J. E. Robson (Otago) and R. S. McKenzie (Wellington) v. M. Otway (Auckland) and O. M. Bold (Hutt Valley), 7- 8-6, 4-6, 9-9 (unfinished). Women’s Doubles Semi-finals.—Misses M. Beverley (Waikato) an<f M. Robertson (Otago) beat Misses M. Kerr (Otago) and B. Potter (Auckland), 6-4, 6-0; Mrs I. Hatherlev and Miss T. Poole (Canterbury) beat Mrs E. Anderson (Wellington) and Miss J. MacGibbon (Canterbury), 9-7, 6-4. Mixed Doubles Second Round.—A. L. Blackwell and Miss M. Robertson beat A. J. Hewitt and Miss H. Henderson, 0-6, 6-0, 6-2. Quarter-final.—R. G. Pattinson and Mrs K. Hart (Canterbury) beat A. S. Burns and Miss V. Johnson (Auckland), 5-7, 6-4, HANDICAP EVENTS Men’s Singles Semi-finals.—R. M. Roberts (owe 3-6) I beat M. McEwan (rec. 3-6), 9-7; R B Perkins (owe 5-6) beat W. Mac Kay (owe 3-6). 9-5 Final.—Perkins beat Roberts, 9-4. Women’s Singles Final.—Miss B. Hatherley (owe 15) beat Mrs Robinson (owe 15 4-6), 9-8. Men’s Doubles Semi-finals.—M. McEwan and D. Taylor (rec. 5-6) beat R. Henderson and W. L. Hewitt (owe 15 3-6), 9-4; D. Anderson and E. White (owe 30 3-6) beat R. M. and R T. Miller (owe 15). 9-7. Women’s Doubles Final.—Misses J. Burt and B. Hatherlev (owe 15 3-6) beat Misses B. M. Jenkins and A. Walker (owe 30 3-6), 9-1. Mixed Doubles Final.—W. Dickson and Miss J. Buchan (owe 15) beat W. Hewitt and Miss M. Henderson (owe 5-6), 9-2. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Boys’ Singles (Under 18) Semi-final.—W. Logan beat G. Lane, 6-3, 6-o. Final.—P. Vesty beat Logan, 6-3, 6-0. Girls’ Singles (Under 18) Semi-finals.—Miss M. Falck beat Miss F Ower, 6-5, 4-6, 7-5; Miss P. Allen beat Miss A. McDonald, 6-2, 5-6, 6-2. Final.—Miss Falck beat Miss Allen, 6-2

Boys’ Doubles (Under 18) Semi-final:—G. Lane and R. T. Bailey beat D. James and A. Moody, 6-2, 6-4. Girls’ Doubles (Under 18) Semi-final.—Misses M. Shields and F. Ower beat Misses D. Allison and M Lewis. 6-5. 6-0.