LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 101, 15 January 1923, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS

N.S.W. LADIES V. NEW ZEALAND

VISITORS AGAIN SUPERIOR LOCAL PLAYERS’ IMPROVED SHOWING Employing a stylo of game similar in all respects to that of the previous day the Now South Wales ladies again clearly demonstrated on Saturday their undoubted superiority over the members of tho selected New Zealand team by defeating them in the same decisive manner, not with the same ease, as on Friday, and whereas on the first day New South Wales did not lose a set, New Zealand compelled tho visitors to concede two gets, one in tho singles to Miss Macfarlane, and one in the doubles to Mrs. Scott Watson and Miss Howe. Owing to the sudden indisposition of * Mrs. Lascelles, necessitating her retirement and' consequent default after winning the first set in her match w'th Mrs. Scott Watson, New Zealand secured its only win of tho tournament. Had Mrs. Lascelles been well enough to continue it is safe to say that the match would have gone, to New South Wales. ''Fortunately Mrs. Lascelles was able to take her pl aco with Miss Lane in the doubles ■ later m the afternoon. Tho -weather was fine, but a strong cross court .wind proved ver> disconcerting to tho players. SINGLES MISS LLOYD V. MISS HOWE. Miss Lloyd, who throughout the match, played a more varied game than her younger and less experienced opponent/lost tho first game on bar service, but drew level by capturing tho next game to 30 by means of wellplaced, heavily-sliced backhand drives to Miss Howe’s backhand and her (Miss Howe’s) errors. Tho style of play adopted at the outset by each was to drive deep to tho baseline on the opponent’s backhand. In this Miss Lloyd was more fortunate than Miss Howe, many of qffiose shots just went over the side lines. It was not until the fourth game, when Miss Howe drew level on her service after being down love-40, and then three deuces, that both players settled into their usual form. Miss Howe preferred to remain at the back of the court from where, by means of beautiful drives, well placed, and seemingly made without effort, ehb had Miss Llovd • running hard for shots. Miss Lloyd’s endeavour was to get in to the. net and volley, but the danger was made apparent as time and again drives ripped past her at sharp angles for clear winners. Whenever she did get her racket to an overhead smash it ended tho ral.y. Miss Lloyd was indulging in her favourite backhand stroke, a cross-court one with plenty of slice. Although all tho ensuing games' of the set were closely contested, some of them going to deuce, and Miss Howe had Miss Lloyd constantly swinging from side line to side line, she was unable to annex another game, the set going to New South Wales, at 6—2. Miss Howe made determined efforts to win the second set. Losing the first, game on Miss Lloyd’s service to 10, she threw away her chances of setting sail again on equal terms by serving, two double faults, the game going to Miss Lloyd, who was volleying with deadly accuracy. In this game and in the next, which she won. Miss Howe effected some good ■pltwements. Miss Howe’s star had set. Not because she was finding the strain of being opposed to a player who knew more than she did, but because from now on Miss Llovd became more aggressive, going to tho net and killing short lobs from her onnonent with great consistency Miss Howe was able to get to 30. and on occasions to deuce, six of them .ip the last game of the set. but no further, and the match went to Miss Lloyd, 6 —2, 6 —l. MISS LANCE AND MISS MACFABr LANE.

MISS LANCE AN_r>_MISS MACFABr

This was the best match of the day. and at one stage of the proceedings it looked as though New Zealand would at least have the satisfaction of winning one match as tho result of consistently high-class play. All reckoned, however, without the. tenacitydodged perseverance, and splendid nerve control and match play genius of Miss Lance. The first set had gone to Miss Macfarlane at 6 —-2. Both had been playing, and were still playing, hard tennis. Miss Macfarlane was driving, backhand and forehand, deep to the back line, constahtly compellinn- Miss Lance to chase the width o the court. Miss Lance was mixing her game, driving deep and then dropping a ball short, with cuts and chops as circumstances dictated. Miss Macfarlane, secure in a one-sot lead • and leading 5—2 in the second set-, and 40—30 in the game, was playing her very hardest. Miss Lance with a drive down the side line took the game to deuce. Five times the scorer called vantage to server. As many times, by placements or volleys, Miss Lance brought tho score back deuce, until a m)t by Miss Macfarlano gave her the vantage, and- with a hard, chop the visitor ended a long, keenly-contested game in her favour. Tho strain had been great, too great for Miss Macfarlane, and the ninth game went to Miss Lance on her own service—ft love* gftme. Winning tho tenth game, she brought the score to 5 all With her own service she gave her the lead (6—5), for the first (time in tho set, with a love game. Miss Macfarlane had been able to score but one point in tlijeo pumps since the all-important one. The twelfth and last game of tho set was taken to 30 lovo by Miss Macfarlane on her service. Hopes ran high that she might yet have a chance of drawing level, hut Miss Lance, plaving with consummate skill, and placing to all tho court, had the .satisfaction of hearing 30 all called, and later game and set to N.S.W. after one deuce. With one set all, and the two principals refreshed by the short respite allowed them,, the spectators settled down to enjoy a. set which promised to he full of excitements. Thov were doomrtl to disappointimont, for alt though some of the games wore close, the decision was never in doubt. After losing the first game on her own service, Miss Lance demonstrated that Miss Macfarlane had still quite a lot to learn in court tactics and that brilliant strokes in retrieving sprmin.glv impossible balls were unavailing against first-class court strategy. Miss Macfarlane was every inch a. fighter, and at no moment through the long and strenpous duel did she give the appearance of letting up. .She went for everything, compelling Miss Lance tn absolutely earn her every stroke." The shots made by both were clean and crisp, the result of perfect timing and concentration. Miss Lance’s severe, accurately placed ent strokes, now gave Miss Macfarlane tronb’e, and she was driving out in her endeavour to Repp her opponent on the back lines. The match ended in favour of Miss Lanco, 2-6, 7—5, 6—l. MISS GRAY v. MRS. HODGES. This match doos not reouiro much description. Tho plovers were considerably handicapped by the strong, wind blowing across the court, making accurate ,

placing almost impossible. Both ladies were making some useful cross-court shots to tho opponent’s backhand. Tho games developed into a distinctly backline one, with occasional sorties to tho net. By reason of harder playing the better stamina of Miss Gray was the moro prominent m court work. In tho first set Aliss Gray’ obtained a lead of four games to one,'when by grim determination and refusal to admit herself beaten, Mrs. Hodges won the next two games, bring riie score to 4—3 in Miss Gray’s favour. The effort, however, cost Airs. Hodges too much, and she lost tho next two games, the set going to Miss Gray 6 —3. Tho second set, although ending m favour of Miss Gray for the same score as the first set, was a far more evenly contested one, and a fairer demonstration of Mrs. Hodges’s ability as a tennis player when right up against it. Miss Gray gave every indication of securing a runaway' victory by securing the first three games through superior court work. Mrs. Hodges was successful in . stemming the tide by winning the fourth. The next was Miss Gray’s and Mrs. Hodge brought her score in games to three by winning the next two. Miss Gray, not to be denied, won the 9th, and with it the set and the match, with a placement at the end of a stubborn rally.

MRS. LASCELLES AND MRS. SCOTT-WATSON.

The match between Mrs. Lascelles and Airs. Scott-Watson resulted / in the only win for New Zealand, through the unfortunate indisposition of Mrs. Lascelles, compelling her retirement after she had won the first set G —4. At one stage the games were four all. Tho match was like to have proved a close one, although it is extremely doubtful whether Mrs. Scott-M atson would have been able io win against ono of the safest and most determined players of the N.S.W. team. The mainstay of Mrs. Lascelles’s game was a particularly’ safe back-hand shot across tho court, which continually passed Airs. Scott-Watson as die came to the net to volley. Mrs. -Icott-Wat-son plays perhaps the greatest variety stroke game of any of the ladies .n tho New Zealand team, but she was opposed by an opponent who also was not in the habit of conforming to a stereotyped plan of campaign.

DOUBLES

MISS LANCE AND AIRS. LAS-

CELLES WIN.

Bothjjames of doubles, and particularly the above, wore won largely on j tho superior team work of the visitors. This match «vas very keenly contested, many oT 'the rallies being long ones. The New Zealanders, adopting a back-line game, devoted tho most of their attention to Airs. Lascelles. With tho ‘back Tine all to herself, her partner jdaying a net game, Airs. Lascelles returnee! some marvellous shots, the majority by means of her favourite backhand, slicing stroke. Miss Lance did some very effective work at the not. By far tho greatest number of winning shots, that W’ere clear winners, as they were turned acutely to the side lines and close to the net, were made by her. Both Airs. Hodges and Aliss Afacfarlane showed a marked improvement on their previous day’s performances. The first five games of the first set wore won on tho services, and the sequence was only broken wheiuNqw South Wales captured Aliss Alacfariane’s service, and the game after one deuce, giving the visitors a commanding lead pf 4 —2 on Mrs. Lascelles’s next service. Airs. Hodges’s serving took New Zealand’s score in games to 3, after ' ono deuce The winning of the set for New South Wales, 6 —4, followed upon Miss Lance winning her service to love., tho loss of Miss Alacfariane’s third service game. Tho onlv game which New Zealand won in tho second set was the fourth on Aliss Alacfariane’s service. Tho winning shot of tho sot, and the match, was made by Aliss Lance, a beautiful drive from n short lob from Miss Alacfarlane. New South Wales won the match 6 —4, 6—l.

MISSES LLOYD AND GRAY V. MRS. SCOTT-WATSON AND MISS HOWE. In this match New Zealand secured its only set in. doubles, when Mrs. Stott-Watson and Miss Howe won the first set B—6. One of the chief defects of New Zealand was faulty team work. Mrs. Scott-Watson was essaying journeys to the net, when to ‘do so .against plavers of the calibre of the New South M ales ladies was risky. As it was she was exceptionally fortunate in having such a steady partner as Miss Howe to guard the back line. Not that Miss Howe’s play was free from errors. But considering’ the bombardment she was subjected to by both Miss Lloyd and Miss Gray she did very well to play the game she did. Occasionally Airs. Soott-Wilson ’’made some brilliant volleys, placing the ball in positions from whicsh it was impossible to return it. Nor were Miss Lloyd or Miss Gray behindhand in securing points by means of judicious volleying to unexpected quarters of the court. The first set was one long duel of evenly matched teams, New Zealand eventually winning, B—6.8 —6. The second set opened welF’for New Zealand, the first two games falling to her representatives. Miss Howe lost her service to love, and Miss Gray winning the fourth game, the' score stood at 2 all. New South Wales then won the next three games, lost tho eighth and won the ninth thereby winning the set, 6—3, making one set all. . . Both teams started well in tho third, set, each lady winning _ her service game to 2 all. The visitors, playing superior tennis to tho New Zealanders, annexed the next three games, making the score 5 —2. Miss Hove stemmed the tide on her service game with steady, well-placed drives, but tho end came in the ninth game, when Miss Lloyd, serving a ball very dimcult to take, won the game, set, and match on her opponent’s errors, G —B, 6—3, 6—3.

DETAILED RESULTS Results at a glance are as follow. New South Wales being mentioned first: — SINGLES. Miss Lloyd beat Miss Howe, 6 —2, Miss Gray bent Mrs. Hodges, 6—3, Miss Lanco beat Miss Macfarlane, 2—6, 7—5, 6—l. Mrs. Lascelles beat Airs. Scott-Wat-sOn, 6 —4 in the first set. and then retired through indisposition. The match thus went to Airs. Scott-M at son by default. DOUBLES. Miss Lance and Mrs. Lascelles beat Miss Macfarlane and Mrs. Hodges, 6—4. 6—l. Misses Lloyd and Gray beat Mrs Scott-Watson and Miss Howe, 6 8, 6—3. 6—3.