PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1924, Page 10

PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

FINALS AT MASTERTON

PLAY UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

' (II TELIGIUPH.—aPICUL TO THE POST.) MASTERTON, 24th January. "Come and have a bathe, partner," remarked Frank Peach to his partner when the Provincial Tennis Championships were resumed at Masterton this morning. The players appeared in all sorts of footwear, nets over their shoes, spikes .in running shoes, and socks over bare feet. One player created a diversion by appearing in football togs and socks. Though there had been two nights and a day of rain, the courts were still hard, but they were very slippery, and the balls were quickly covered with mud. The matches had to bb continued, owing to the Australians having to leave in the afternoon on their return to Australia. Andrews and Miss M'Laren -opened play against Peach and Miss Wellwood in a semi-final of the combined doubles. -.Andrews and Miss M'Laren started very well, and, combining nicely,' gat a 4love lead. Peach and his partner took the next two games, and Andrews then led 5-2. Andrews took his service from 40-15, and the first set 6-2. After several deuces, Miss Wellwood won her service in the first game of the second set, Peach playing some nice shots at the net. Miss M'Laren then won her tervice, and Peach his, but Andrews dropped his, failing to make any at net play, and being beaten all overUhe court by Peach. Both the ladies were driving well, but Andrews was not playing to form. Peach lost the first two points in. his service, the second being won in a particularly' right volleying rally, in which all players took part. Peach drew to deuce, and won the next two points and the set, 6-1. In the third, set Andrews won his service, and Peach dropped his, serving a double on the.last point. Under the conditions the tennis was well varied, and decidedly good in all departments. Andrews played some nice winning smashes. Miss Wellwood took her service, Andrews and Miss M'Laren leading 4-1 when Andrews had served. Peach's servica proved too effective, and he won the next, but let Miss M'Laren in on her service, letting one good ball go and netting another weakly. Miss Wellwood dropped her service, and Andrews and Miss M'Laren took the game and the set. 1 • The singles semi-final between Pike and - Walker did not produce the game that might have been- expected. Pike could not stand on the courts, and ] Walker kept his feet and covered the court well. Good placing and service Mrs. M'Master and Miss Howe against Misses Masfarlane and Payton was a match that presented little out of the way. The games were evenly contested, but all the players got out of position at the net, standing too far back to volley with the wet, heavy balls. The ' pairs were four all in the first set when the Aucklanders won their next two games, and the first set. Mrs. M'Master and Miss Howe led 5-3 in the second set, but were unable to win the set, which also went to. the Aucklanders. Miss Macfarlane and Miss Howe played some particularly fine ground shots. Goodman (New South Wales) and Barkman met Walker and Cowper in the final of the men's doubles. The first pair games were evenly contested, with little that was outstanding, but mistakes by Walker and Cowper and nice sideline shots and smashes by Goodman and Barkman gave the latter the next two. Goodman won his service, to make the first set 5-3, after several deuces, the eighth game, producing good ground shots and smarting. Goodman and Barkman took the next game, and the first set, 6-3. ■ In the second set Walker and Cowper displayed more of their usual form, placing well and making fine low driving and short ctoss-court shots. They 'led 4-1. Cowper served most erratically in the next game, but recovered from bve-40 to vantage in to take the game on the fourth- deuce.. Goodman won his service, and the next game produced one brilliant volleying rally, Walker taking the game to love and the second set, 6-3. The third set produced some splendid tennis; in fact, under the conditions, one the slippery courts, and in a light rain, the display was' bright. Walker and Cowper continued U> control the game from the service line, and had the third set, 5-1, in their favour. Goodman led 40-love on his service, but dropped one shot at the net, had two brilliant returns, served a double fault/ giving advantage out. Cowper put the winning! crosscourt shot into Barkman, and Walker and Cowper were the doubles champions.

Miss Wellwood got right on to the game against Miss Howe, and easily defeated her, and went on to meet Miss Macifarlaiie in the final of the ladies' singles. Miss Wellwood led 3-1, though mistakes and waiting nearly lost her,the fourth game. Miss Macfarlane took the next game on Miss Wellwood's mistakes/ In the next few game's both, played excellent shots, driving well on backhand and forehand, but. Miss Wellwood lost many points by failing to reach short balls. Miss Wellwood led 5-4, and then took her service and the first set, her superior placing and length more than making up for any other deficiency. Miss Macfarlane had more difficulty in keeping her feet on the courts, and she certainly had more runnning on the very slippery back line. In the first few games of the second set Miss Macfarlaue's placing 'mproved, and her ground shots were excellent. She scored point after point with splendid cross-court placements, occasionally taking net t play with advantage, to take the second set to bye. The third set was more of a win, Miss Macfarlane leading at 5-2, then 5-3, and 40-15. The game went to deuce, but Miss Macfarlane took the first deuce point, the game, the match, and the championship.

Though Misses Payton and Macfarlane could not take the double championship from the New Zealand champions, Mrs. Melody and Miss M'Laren, they managed to take a.set from them, which is more than any other pair had managed to do at either Christchurch, Taranaki, Manawatu, or Masterton. The Auckland .pair led 3-love in the first set, mainly as the result of the brilliant net work and backhand cross-court work of Miss Payton. The champions evened, to see their opponents run away with the next three games and the first set. In the second set, the champions led al! the way, though they were given a hard fight {or the eighth game. In the third set the Southerners jumped off with a lead of 2-love. Auckland evened. The fifth game was very brilliantly contested, Miss M'iaren finally taking her service after having several advantages called against her. The tennis was firstrats in all departments. The Aucklaad-

ers continued to struggle gamely, but could not stop the champions. _ Walker' just managed to produce sufficiently good opposition to make his final with Andrews in the men's singles interesting. Andrews made continual use of lobs to counteract Walker's net play, and drove and placed well. The first set was 4-all, when Andrews'took the final two games, but he had no difficulty in winning the final set, to settle-the championship. DETAILED RESULTS. ,1 Men's Singles Championship.—Final: E. D. Andrews (Palmerston North) beat Walker, 6-2, 6-1. ■Men's Doubles Championship.—Final: Walker and Cowper (Dannevirke), holders, beat Goodman (N.S.W.) and Barkman (Wellington), 3-6^ 6-2, 6-2. ' ' Singles Championship.—Final: Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) beat Miss Wellwood, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. • • Ladies' Doubles Championship.— Final: Mrs. Melody (Wellington) and Miss M'Laren (Dunedin) beat Misses I Macfarlane and Payton, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Combined Doubles Championship.— bemi-final': Andrew and Miss M'Laren won by default from M'Donald and Miss Hodder. Walker and Miss Macfarlane' beat Cowper and Mrs. Maddison. 6-2 6-4. Men's Handicap Singles, A Grade.— Semi-fiinal: F. W. Martin won by default from Smith. Men's Handicap Doubles, A Grade— JMnal: Lampe and Powdrell (Wanganui) beat Dickie and v Wallace (Waverley), 6-5 2-6, 8-6. B Grade, Final: Tatham and Caselberg won by default from Kuch and Fisher. Ladies' Handicap' Singles.—Final: Martin^, £g • "* X" La jlesl.. Handi(^P Doubles—Fourth 1 h^f M- Se!x Ma°farlane and P3^oll beat Misses Haggitt and Ha ? gitt 50- ---#> Mr* M'Marter and Miss beat Mrs. Maddison and Miss Wellwood, 50Combined Handicap Doubles, A Grade T'# ln A? drews acd Miss M'Laren beat Gaw!th and Mrs. Melody, 60-38. B Grade, semi-final: Halliwell and Miss iSriCKie b,y. defaUlt fWm iW