LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 92, 12 January 1929, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS

MANAWATU TOURNEY CONCLUDED MIXED DOUBLES WON BY M. L. LAMPE & MISS MYERS Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, January 11. The Manawatu Lawn Tennis Association’s championships and Palmerston Lawn Tennis Club’s championship and handicap tournament was concluded to-day, when the m * xed championship doubles, and all the handicap events were decided. The finals in the Manawatu district championships, however, have yet to be decided. The weather in the morning was suitable for good tennis, though the wind at times made fine judgment impossible. Rain fell during the progress of the Manawatu ladies’ singles, and necessitated a postponement. M. L. Lampe and Miss M. Myers retained their combined doubles tMe against a strong challenge from C.. KMalfroy and Miss M. Preedy, who had accounted for Griffiths and Miss • Nicholls In the semi-final. The handicap finals also produced good tennis, and, as in the championship events, only one player was successful, in more than one event, Miss M. Myers being successful in the ladies’ doubles championship and the combined doubles championship, and Miss McCrae winning the ladies’ handicap singles and combined handicap doubles. D. Robertson surprised many by accounting for R. V. Hooper in the third round of the Manawatu men’s singles championship. Robertson’s forte was his driving, and in the third s?t he had Hooper well in hand, the latter showing signs of distress. Robertson, however, was the player to show fatigue in the afternoon when he met Proctor, who played a steady game, and is to meet McDonald, who has won two matches by default, in the final, which will not be played until to-morrow week. , - A start was made with the final or the ladies’ singles, Miss Carty and Miss Astle being the successful semi-finalists. Rain, however, fell during the second set, when Miss Carty, who had won the first set 6—l, led 3—2. This match will be concluded to-morrow. Though Griffiths and Miss Nicholls led 5 —2 in their first set against Malfroy and Miss M. Preedy in the semifinal of the mixed doubles championship, they were unable to withstand Malfroy’s attacking methods, which brightened play considerably and eventually won him the set B—6. Malfroy and his partner failed to get into form until they were down 2—5, but thereafter were in fine fettle. They led 5 3 in the second set when Griffiths and Miss Nicholls took charge of affairs and by concentrating on Miss Preedy, avlio was quite unable to reproduce the form shown in the earlier rofmds, they won four games in succession and the set, 7—5. Griffiths and Miss Nicholls played steadily rather than brilliantly in this set, taking few risks. Malfroy played indifferently early in the final set but improved after the score stood at 2 all and went on to lead 4 —2,.4 —3, taking the set 6 —3. Lampe was at his best in the final of the mixed championship doubles against Malfroy and Miss M. Preedy,his smashing and volleying earning stroke after stroke and failed but rarely. Malfroy and Miss Preedy seemed unable to play to Miss Myers as much as they should have done and as a consequence Lampe did fully three-quarters of the work, and that most effectively. Malfroy, too, was good overhead, but time and again saw his opponents make some excellent recoveries. Lampe took the initial service, winning the game to love. Malfroy followed suit immediately after but conceded the third set to Lampe off Miss Myers’s service, deadly net work by Lampe being the deciding factor in this game. Miss Preedy also lost her service, but Malfroy exerted himself and was assisted in capturing Lampe’s service through errors. A love game followed to Malfroy off his own service and after Malfroy and Miss Preedy had thrown away the seventh game Lampe rushed in to the net on every possible occasion, and interspersing his overhead work with excellently judged cross-court drives he went on to take the set 6—3. Malfroy’s service troubled his opponents in the first game of the second set, and he Avent on to break through Lampe’s service to lead 2—o. Both the ladies’ services, however, went to Lampe and Miss Myers, who followed by annexing Malfroy’s service, but Lampe’s volleying let him down in the next game, and 3 all was called. Lampe’s indifference was short-lived and he soon regained his accuracy, taking Miss Preedy’s service to lead 4—3. Malfroy came into the picture much more at this stage and by good work at the net he made up the deficiency and won his own and Lampe’s service for the se t 6 —l. Malfroy and Miss Preedy opened well in the final set, but Lampe and Miss Myers caught up at 2 all and 3 all, and after being ahead 5—3 they won the set 6—l, and the final 6—3, 4 —6, 6—4.

The final of the men’s handicap doubles was keenly contested, McDonald and Hooper, the first doubles string for Manawatu, found Lezard and Forbes (both of Wellington) just a bit too strong for them. The latter at one stage led221,0 —-1, and though McDonald and Hooper crept up they were unable to make up the leeway, and lost to the Wellington pair, 55—GO. Results:-— CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS. Mixed Doubles. Semi-finals: Malfroy and Miss M. rr g cd y beat Griffiths and Miss D. Nicholls, 8 6, 5—7. 6—3; Lampe and Miss Myers beat A. C. Stedman and Mrs. Arniel, 6—3, °Vinal: Lampe and Miss M. Myers beat Malfroy and Miss M. Preedy, 6—3, 4—o, ° Manawatu Men’s Singles. Third round:' D. Robertson beat R. V. Ilooner 7 —■!), 6 —2, 6 —l; Proctor beat Boday, 7—5, 2—6, 6—4; McDonald beat Sim by Semi-finals: McDonald beat Daniel by default; Proctor beat D. Robertson, 7—a, Ladies’ Singles. Second round: Miss Walker beat Miss Rutherford, 8-6, 7-9, 6-3; Miss Hollier beat Miss Mildred Sim, B—6, 3—6, 6—3. Third round: Miss Walker beat Miss Hollier, 6—3, B—6. Semi-finals: Miss N. Astle beat Miss Walker, 6—4, 6—3. HANDICAP EVENTS. Men's Singles. Fourth round: Forbes (5) beat Charters (owe 10), 70-56. „ , Semi-finals: Forbes (5) beat Gosnell by default. Final: Entwhistle (owe 5) beat Forbes (5), 65—55. Men’s Doubles. Final: Lezard and Forbes (5) beat McDonald and Hooper (scr.), 65—55. Ladies’ Singles. Semi-finals: Miss D. Haggitt (12) beat Miss McMillian (10); 50—12. Final: Miss McCrae (15) beat Miss D. Haggitt (12). 50 -29.

Dadies* Doubles. Third round: Misses D. Howe and D. Nicholls (owe 10) beat Misses Mackay and Sim by default. ar. Semi-finals: Misses D - Howe and D. Nicholls (owe 10) beat Misses McMullan and Morrison. (15), 50—40. Ni-nnils Final - Misses D. Howe and D. Nicholls (owe 10) beat Misses AVhyte and M. Nicholls (scr.), 50—46. Mixed Doubles. Semi-finals: D. Robertson and Miss V. Nicholls (15) beat Orr and Miss Louis (16), GO—ss; J. E. Stedman and Miss McCrae (8) beat Forbes and Miss O. Haggitt (1~)» J. E. Stedman and Miss McCrae (8) beat D. Robertson and Miss V. Nicholls (15), 60—54.