LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 39, 15 February 1930, Page 22

LAWN TENNIS

BY "Huka"

MISS NICHOLLS WINS

WILSON SPECTACULAR

MISSES WAKE AND ANDREW

BRILLIANT

The National events have proved conclusively that 0. Angas is Kcw Zealand's best tennis player, and it really does not mutter about "might-have-beens" or exuuses. The fact remains that the Canterbury Champion won by superiority over all others, combined with the fact that he -went on the court well trained to meet the strain of big tennis. , The samo may be said to apply to Miss Nieholls, 3\lis3es Wake and Andrew, and Mrs. Thompson and Wilson in their Championship victories. Ladies' Singles. Tho New Zealand ladies' championship singles was an interesting series of contests. In the first round Miss Marion Macfarlane and Mrs. C. Smith almost flayed each other to a standstill, 40 games being played, but it should not have gone that length had either player been able to play the all-court game. Misses Wake and Andrew were unexpectedly beaten by Miss Whyte and Miss Brady. Neither ci the Canterbury players displayed any desire to play the net game, and paid the penalty to good base-lino opponents. Miss Whyte also accounted for Mrs. Smith in the second round by aecui-ate and aggressive attack. A young Otago player, Miss Nancy Fleming, made a bold showing against Mrs. Melody, but the latter was too experienced for the 1927 junior champion. Miss Fleming is now located in the Wairarapa Association 's district.. For. two sets' Miss Nicholls and Mrs. Scott had ah even fight, but the latter faded away in the third set, being unable to pace it against the stinging attack put up by her opponent. With all but one of the seeded players in the third rouriij, .the matches became more exciting. Miss Marjorie Macfarlacde drove well on both hands against Mrs. Thomson, who could not attack from the net. with any chance of, success. A win for the Aueklander was nover in. doubt.: Mrs. Melody also looked quite safe against Miss Whyte, but the latter, by capturing a sot, shows she is getting accustomed to Mrs. Melody's' game. Miss Nicholls outdrove Miss Knight, and her shots carried sufficient pace and direction to keep her opponent well back and mostly on the defensive. Miss Myers's excellent condition troubled Mrs. Adams after the latter had won the first set. The Wanganui champion is a great tryer, but she was safely held by Miss Nicholls in the fourth round. Miss Maefarlane, when opposed to Mrs. Melody, appeared to have her match won. when she took the first set 6-2, and led 4-1 in the second sot. At that stage her shots began to have less pace, and her fleetness of foot also had departed. Mrs. Melody was quick to notice the change, and she redoubled her efforts, which resulted in her winning what looked like a lost match, by taking the second set 7-5 and-the third 6-4. ■''.-.

In the final Mrs. Melody put every ounce of her attack into the first set, bu,t Miss Nicholls appeared calm and waited her time. The champion was right on her game in the second set, playing the correct game .to win against Mrs. Melody. The latter-player tried hard all tho time to break up the Petone girl's attack, but Miss Nicholls never- looked back, and with good grouud shots and excellent overhead work she worthily became New-Zea-land's lady champion. The winner is quite yotmg, and can still further improve her game. The New Zealand selectors were so impressed with Miss Nicholls's play in the junior New Zealand'championship singles in 1923 and 1924 that she was picked to play against the Australian ladies who visited New Zealand in 1925 on their way back from abroad. Her play, however, did not improve as rapidly as was expected, although the writer, in 1925, was of opinion that she was a coming champion. In the New Zealand tournament of 192S she did better, and since she came back to Wellington her tennis has been steadily improving. The Doubles. In the men's doubles Angas and Sturt did not combine at all well, the fault being mostly due to Angas failing to take the net with the Aucklander. Don France and Malfroy had only practice gallops until they met Wilson and Stedman in the final. Without doubt that final was _a great one, and had the spectators on their toes all tho four sets, after which the losers were only three games, to the bad with 47 games played. The Wilson-Stedman combination was a new one, and they covered themselves with glory in the splendid effort they made against Prance and Malfroy, who have often been paired before. Wilson stood head'and shoulders above the others as a forceful doubles player, and he was ever ready to move closer to the net as the attack progressed. That in itself is the the first principle in good doubles play. Stedman did his part well, and ably tried to do as his partner was doing, and with a little more experience in big doubles will win his spurs. His backhand, when close in, must be improved, as at present his volleys from that quarter are not sure enough or sharp enough. Wilson was "dynamite", at close quarters, and some of hi 3 kills were brilliant. His shepherding of his partner when in close kept the centre of the court free from attack, but he should have kept his opponents guessing more by jumping across to his own side. Where he fell down was on short easy ones placed there by Malfroy. The losers led 5-2 in the fourth set, and perhaps but for over-eagerness might have won, but it is doubtful if they could have held the champions in a fifth set, as Stedman wae showing signs ,of the constant attention given him by both Malfroy and France. The latter both played a sterling game, steady, and accurate with plenty of confidence in their close-in work, but one would not have been surprised if either of them had faltered uuder Wilson's hurricane attacks. It was a great match, and will long bo remembered by those fortunate enough to witness it. Mesdames Adams and Thomson had an easy run to the final, but some of tho vigour was taken out of Mrs. Sturnian and Miss Lloyd by their efforts to win against Mrs. Smith and Miss Myers in the first round and Misses Gibson and Whyto in the second round. Miss Knight and her youthful partner, Miss Fleming, Tint up a great fight against Misses Nioholls and Howe, but tho latter pair were outgoneralled by Mesdamo- Melody and Scott in a great three-set match, in which combination of long standing won. Misses Wake and Andrew, from their first match in the doubles, were out to play the attacking game, and they fairly carried the Misses Macfarlane off their feet with their all-round pace of shots. They did likewise against Mesdames Melody and Scott. Everything they did was done with an aggressiveness that made the pace tell, and although Mesdames Adams and Thomson held them in the first set of tho final, winning it 6-4, there was only one pair in the two other sots. Constant vigorous attack from all parts of the court and fleetness of foot by both Canterbury ladies well earned tliem the championship, '