LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 86, 5 January 1940, Page 14

LAWN TENNIS

South Island Centennial Championships BRILLIANT FINALS PLAY (By Telegraph—Press Association.) TIM.ARU, January 4. Talent of New Zealand class, excellent weather, good courts and record attendances. combined to make the South Island centennial tennis championships, which concluded today, the most successful in the history of the game in the province. The standard was uniformly Jugb throughout, the finals and the championship events providing brilliant exhibilions. The men’s singles title was A D Brown, who represented New Zealand in the Davis Cup contest last year. T-lo boat C Angas. New Zealand champion in 1928 and 1931, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. The match was solidly contested throughout, both being brilliant at periods. Brown kept a better length and hit harder, and was also more decisive in smashing and volleying. His pace and net-storming tactics forced Angaa into the role of defender and though Angus returned well at times, they were not equal to Brown s best shots. ~ The final of the women’s doubles was rmht up to championship standard, and the title-holders, Miss Thelma Poolo and her sister, Mrs. E. Hatherley, had to fi.flit harder than in any previous final to stave off Miss Miller, the singles champion, and Miss Kerr, who is a prominent New Zealand badminton representative. The latter pair both possess a solid forehand drive, and’relied mainly on the long »ime The other pair varied the play much more. Miss Poole being deadly at the net The first set was a real marathon, going to 28 games before Miss Poole and Mrs. Hatherley won la-13. The set occupied 77 minutes. The holders then forced the pace, and won the next set in eleven minutes, losing only one game. An outstanding performance was given in the mixed doubles by Smith and Miss Kerr, the first strings of Otago, who eliminated a seeded pair in Pattinson and Miss Armstrong (Canterbury) in the third round, and went on to win the semifinal against McDougall and Miss Dora Miller, 6-0, 8-6. The Dunedin pair played flawless tennis throughout the morning.

Results: — Men’s singles: Brown (Canterbury) beat Angaa (Cantenbnry), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. Women’s doubles: Miss Poole and Mrs. Hatherlev (Canterbury) beat Miss Miller (North Otago) and Miss Kerr (Dunedin), 15-13, 6-1. Mixed doubles: Angas and Miss Poole (Canterbury) beat Smith and Miss .Kerr (Otago), 6-2, 6-3. *