LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 13, 16 January 1925, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ANDREWS AND MISS LLOYD WINNERS OF. SINGLES HONOURS. (BI ODB SPECIAL REPORTER.) PALMERSTON N., 15th Jan. Two championship tennis titles were decided at Palmerston North to-day, Andrews winning the Provincial singles, which he also won at Masterton last year, and Miss Lloyd, of New South Wales, taking the provincial ladies' singles. The runners-up were L. France and Miss M. Tracy respectively, both, being of Wellington. The weather was again perfect. The tournament will continue to-morrow, though everything has been in favour of its being got through in the specified time of three days. ' Lateness in starting the day's play, and the acceptance of entries from players who could only arrive a day late, are the main reasons for the extra day, while there are an increasing number of players taking part in all events. Many of them consider the* tournaments good practice, and good coaching, as they meet different styles. As the standard is becoming better tournaments will become bigger, and it will not be possible, apparently, until there are many more courts available, to get through the annual tournament in three days. It is never managed. ANDREWS'S SUCCESS. By winning the singles Andrews has fully justified his position at the head,ofthe provincial ranking. He did not give his best display against France. Few players do, owing to the stuff they have to play. Andrews gave his best showing against Parker, when he dealt with ease with the hard stuff, and played bril.liantly. He gets little practice in-Pal-merston North ,and this year has. been "swotting" hard, so that the New Zealand championships were more like practice matches than anything. He got some form back there. France played brilliantly in the first- set, but in the third was hopeless. Miss Lloyd went right through the lady competitors, and her steadiness and physical form enabled her to catch Miss Tracy in both sets in the final. To-morrow Lovrry and Andrews meet Smythe and Fotheringham in the ..doubles final. In the combined Smythe and Miss M'Farlane meet the | winners of Parker and Miss East and Andrews and Miss Lloyd, on the top half. Young and Miss Howett are through .to the final on the bottom half. In the ladies' doubles Miss Clegg and Miss East have played splendid games, and are in ■ the final. The top half is •well back, but the winners there should be Misses Lloyd and Miss M'Farlane.

A SURPRISE WIN. . _ The first match to attract attention in the morning was a ladies' championship double, in which Miss Howett and Mrs. Barkman met the two young Wellington players, Misses Clegg and East. On appearances it did not look as if the younger players could secure a win, but they presented a surprise and won two straight sets. The first two games went against them, but they recovered, andthe score'went to 3-all. Four-three against .the., ; \yinners . was then called, then-they won the nest three games and the first set. In the second set they led away 4-2, and . >yon "the set 6-3. The Clegg-East combination was excellent, and b6th played very steadily. Miss Clegg displayed a fine idea of court-craft, and placed extremely well. With an opportunity for practice with better players she would develop into a first-class player. After going through a quiet quarter of the draw, Mrs. CampbeH (Wellington) got into the semi-finals against Miss Lloyd (N.S.W.). " Miss Lloyd was right on her game, and went into the final after a match in which she only missed about three shots. "GENTLE SURENESS." Andrews and Fotheringham met in the men's singles to decide who was to fill the remaining position in the semi-finals. The match did not open very- brilliantly. Nearly all th^points were lost on mistakes, Fotheringham's shot developing a penchant for the net, while Andrews's length was faulty. Fotheriiigham got going uj the.sixth game, and took an easy game after some brilliant half-volleying, which'left Andrews ing. Andrews ' struck his drive in the next game, and won it with perfect placements, leading 4-3. Fotheringham was--,playing .his shots with what someone remarked was "gentle sureness." The games went to 4-all, and Andrews then dropped his service, and Fotheringham took his, and the first set, on'Andrewsfs mistakes.- The rest'of the. match was little better. There were some good rallies, butj generally, the match was not up to championship standard, the game went to three sets, Andrews's hard play eventually winning through. . AN EXCELLENT MATCH. The gallery' moved to see; Miss Tracy (Wellington) meet Miss Howett (England). Miss Tracy had already been severely beaten in the handicap event against the visitor, but the tale was" a different, one in the championship. Miss Tracy was obviously nervy, but she did not allow this to interfere with her usual game to the extent of playing back and being careful. She 'went up to the net whenever she got a chance, and though she lost points there for a start, she got fairly well on her game there and won point after point with well- | judged placements.- She could not rattle Miss Howett. nor, for that matter, could she make Miss Howett run, for the reason that if a run was required she just let the ball go. Miss Howett forsook the base line occasionally, and did some good work from the service line, her cross-court shots with Miss Tracy coming .to the net, frequently proving winners. Miss Tracy took the first set. after good tennis and a hard fight. She then led away 3-love, then 4-1 in the second set. ..The real fight then began. Both were playing beautifully, Miss Tracy maintaining her net attack with varying fortunes, and Miss Howett plac-" ing, with- 'great precision, and "pasting the side lines. The games went to 6-all, ■ V

THE MEN'S DOUBLES. Both men's doubles semi-finals were played at the same time. France and Wiisori (Wellington) met* Andrews and Lowry. Wilson had just been thoroughly beaten by France, but in the double he was right on his game again, and there -were some brilliant rallies. France played back, Wilson at the net, and the other two up to the service court.

The short play resulting was exciting and at times brilliant. France and Wilson became erratic as the match continued, and were beaten quite decisively in.two straight seta. There was a great fight between Totheringham and Smyth, New Zealand champions, and another well-known combination, Wheeler and Lampe. The champions won the first set after some good tennis, but they got a severe setback in the second, which' they lost after losing five games in a row. In the third set Lampe-Wheeler led away 4-2. but dropped the next two. They theß led 5-4. but dropped the next, and the scores went on to 6-all. Wheeler had had a poor patch for a few games, but recovered by this stage. Lampe led 7-6. and had the service, but lost a love gamej The play was splendid, lobbing, volleying, half-volleying, and driving all working in, and the fortunes' everchanging. ■ Fotheringham and Smyth were gaining inyeombination what they were losing in 'the actual play. Smyth made some very bad mistakes in the next, when he was serving, and the game went to several deuces. Smyth dropped his service, and the games were 8-7 against him. Wheeler then dropped his service game, 15, and the score was 8-aIL.-tb.en 9-aU, after -which. Smyth won his service, and Wheeler lost his. and a fine match was over. * JUNIOR CHAMPIONS. The boys' championship was won by Ramson after a three-set match with Lucas. The last set went to 24 games. Ramsou possesses a good style, serving well, and playing a good drive and overhead stroke. His only fault is laziness on the courts, due to the fact that he has to play almost solely with players not up to his own standard, -who do not give much need for him running. •' - .... ;■ The new girls' champion,' Miss Major, is another very promising player, with a particularly good forehand;drive, and a solid > backhand stroke. Playing in the combined doubles later in the day with Hooper against Young and Miss Howett, she gave a. splendid exhibition, and was frequently applauded. She dealt effectively with Young's service, and even got a service ace past him. MISS LLOYD'S VICTORY. % The final in the ladiee' championship between Miss Lloyd, N.S.W., and Miss Tracy, Wellington, _ opened brightly. Miss Tracy took every opportunity ol going up close, and placing her returns in. clear court. Miss Lloyd stayed on the base line, playing everything with a cut, .and relying on 'steadiness and placing. She was, however, doing most of the work. Miss Tracy led to 3-1, varying her length, and playing very nicely, her only failing being with the higher shots taken at the service line. The majority of these she played very weakly. Miss Lloyd picked up to 4-all, and won the next two, venturing up close a few times, and chopping short with effect. The play in the second set was quite up to the best standards, and there were som« very pretty rallies with, plenty of variety. It was far from being the back line, driving game that many ladies' matches resolve into. iMiss Tracy led away 4-1, in the second set, but lest every other game, Miss Lloyd securing the championship by taking both sets 6-4. V . Parker never looked like making a match against Andrews in the men's semi-final. -Andrews was at the top of his form. He put a couple of drives out at the beginning, but after that he - pasted all angles of the court, and Parker never got near some of his shots. FINAL MEN^S SINGLES. -1 The whole gallery assembled to watch the men's final between L. France, Wellington, and "Buster". Andrews, Palmerston North. France opened with a double fault, and lost a love game. Ari-y drews then took his service to love, and France then got first blood, both scoring on brilliant placements, Andrews with his drive, and France from the net. Andrews, again took his service to love, and- France took the next to love, Andrews leading 3-2, theiT losing his service on his own mistakes. 3-all. France won tKe next game, hie chopped shots appearing to break up Andrews's drive, while he was playing with perfect length and placing with precision.' France again beat-Andrews for his service, finishing it with a chop over the net that left Andrews standing. Andrews's best scoring shot was a drive across France's back-hand. There was some beautiful rallying in the last game of the set, but France was playing at the top of his form, and had Andrews on the run. France took the set 6-3. Andrews won his service easily enough to start the second game,'but his drive had lost its. pace, and caTeful play just let France in. When he did hit.one hard he scored with it. Andrews led 2-1. France's service saw ten calls of deuce before the game finally went to Andrews, who led 3-1. Andrews then dropped hie service on a first call of deuce, and France won a love game to. make the score 3all. France gave no opportunities. If andrews came to the net he invariably was' met with a lob that gave France time to get back to position. ' France played some wonderful half volleys from the base line., Andrews led to 5-3 with excellent placing, served. a double when leading 40-15, but took the next point, and the second se J«, Set-all. Andrews opened the third set by taking France's service to love, then winning his own with the lose of one point, and following this by taking the third game ■with brilliant placements. His movements had quickeoed up considerably France played foolish short shots in the next game, and Andrews continued to paste . him all over, the court. * ranee never even going after some of : them; it would have been useless if he had ' done so. J" ranee played terribly weak stuff, and Jn a veiy- few minutes Andrews had a slove lead. > France then got a game, f£ fi f *t WS W°? the next after l°sil>g the first three points, and the champio^