WELLINGTON WINS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 39, 16 February 1931, Page 4

WELLINGTON WINS

SATURDAY'S KEEN PLAY

In a series of hard, keen tennis matches at Miramar grounds on Saturday, Welling-ton-retailed the Anthony Wilding Memorial Shield against Canterbury's challenge, winning >even matches to five.

The second ihy's play was by no means the easy thing that the first day's had proved. Wellington started the second series with a lead of four matches to two, and was unable to increase it, for Canterbury halved the six matches played and was withing two points ot turning the tables. They could scarcely have had a better chance, for T. W. Patterson', who lost to A. L. France after a great struggle, led 5-0 in the third set, and was frequently two strokes from match. Had this happened, however, Wellington must still have won, but on the 'narrow margin of a set count. FINE TENNIS. N. "R. C; Wilson find C. Angas provided a fine contest, studded, with baderrors on both players' part, but remarkable considering the conditions. The courts were still on. the slow side, though firm enough, and Angas was a much better player than he had shown himself on the previous day. Wilson was handicapped by the slow bounce, but Angas still found the foothold not altogether to his .satisfaction, so that one disadvantage offset the other. It proved a game of hard driving, brilliant recoveries on the part of Angas, moments of intense concentration and deadly attack by Wilson, and other moments of apparently careless stroking and bad tactics. In the first set, Wilson, who was all out played magnificently. His service was strong and deadly, his, driving carried great sting, and when he came down upon the net it was behind such powerful shots that his kills, made determinedly and .with placement as well as pace, were spectacular. But after, losing the first set 3-6, Angas. faced a new Wilson, a man who had definitely let the initiative slip from him. and was not to regain it until'almost the end of the match. The Canterbury man was ahead 2-0 here and 4-2, and Wilson' was righting to regain lost ground. In the seventh and eighth games he played up to his old form, but again lie let' his hold on the match weaken. Angas wag growing more and more *aggressive. He sent down more solid ground strokes. He gained a beautiful touch in Mb, lobs, and exploited brilliant passing (jhots, especially down tie forehand line. Hk became more dangerous for Wilson to take the net, and he eased up his drives, sacrificing pace to gain length. Angas was now in the ascendancy. He answered Wilson's attacking bursts with a great defensive wall. His speed round the court was great. So the second set went to Sim. STILL ANGAS. The third set was the same. Again 'Angas led 4-2, and again Wilson pulled up and was 54 and 6-5. But it was a different tale now. Angas was holding service easily, Wilson was fighting hard to hold his. He was playing fine tennis at moments, but needing too many chances to clinch the games he won. Angas was at his best, and'when he took the lead a 7-6 he made no mistake. The match, went easily his way. In sharp contrast was the encounter between D. G. France and I. A. Seay. The Wellington man's win could not Bave been more overwhelming, for he took the match 6-0, 6-0. Yet Seay was often playing 'good tennis. The simple fact was that France was on top from the beginning, and that whenever Seay sent over a winner it came back. France's terrific, low' drives tore great gaps in Seay's court, saps into which France shot stinging volleys. The total of aces and almost unraachable shots which France sent down, must have been great. Seay, as on Fri<lajvwas not finding the courts to his liking; -.and was simply overwhelmed in cames together.. The whole match was over in a very few minutes.' DRAMATIC PLAY. The most exciting contest of the daywas provided by A. L. France and the Canterbury captain, T. W. Patterson. 'France began the match as he had begun against Barnett, that is by doing very much' as he liked. He lost only one game in the first set, and had Patterson racing all over the court in the endeavour to pick up drives, volleys, and chops. His spun forehand when trained on Patterson s backhand corner, proved a prolific point gatherer. But after that first set, in which there was only one man on the court, things changed. France ran ahead 2-0 in the second set, it is true, but only after hard fighting. A new Patterson began to appear, a man of great driving powers, an active and accurate volleyer, and he took every chance that presented itself. The third game went to Patterson at an easy score, so did the fourth and fifth. For the first time m the match he was ahead. Amid general approval he went on collecting games until lie. had taken six in succession and evened the set score, Throughout these games he had been playing tennis which was unrecognisable as that of the man who had scratched about hopelessly against France's attack in the opening set. He had- obviously been above himself. A fight was expected in the third set, but it did not come. Patterson went on collecting games, to such purpose that he Jed's-0, and Wellington's Shield chances cfid not look very promising. FRANCE'S TURN. Patterston had now taken eleven games «n end against a player on the national ranking list, and in the process he had 'fione everything brilliant that can be done in tennis. Yet with defeat facing him Trance came to life. Patterson had had his chance. -France now began playing in such fashion that the next five games went to Wellington for the loss of eight points. Patterson seemed hopelessly outclassed and France was pouncing on every weak shot and jnaking the most of it. Again Patterson came to light. He led 6-5 and again at 7-6; but another effort by France told,, and Wellington took the next three games and the match Whioh had seemed lost. It was a great example of fighting spirit and keen play. Prance's coolness in tight corners, too, was remarkable. AN EASY WIN. On the next court, H. A. Barnett was nble to beat A. E. Sandral rather easily, Sandral, after being down: in the first Bet, moved up to 4-all and looked like making a fight of it, when an unlucky decision cost him the set. With a set in hand, Barnett played more aggressively, and though Sandral made much trouble by shrewd volleying and fast, low drives the Canterbury man was able to wm six of the next eight games. Again Sandral did not seem able to get set at the net or to make his way there with any comfort. Barnett's activity and his shrewdness in dislodging his opponent from the net were too great. The doubles provided two good matches, though, with the shield no longer at stake, ■ something of a picnic spirit reigned on the number two court, where Wilson and Sandral defeated Patterson and Barnett, 8-(5, 0-7. This game did not show Wilson at his best. Both he and Sandra! ■were making frequent errors, aand in the first! set they were trailing badly, but made a good recovery and took advantage of the inferior team work of their opponents. ' The match was a series of hit or miss shots, aces, and errors, with some very. bright patches, and some where all four were playing beneath themselves. The Wellington men won because they had a better grip on the net and held it, despite some fine tosses and tricky passing shots by Patterson, who sent down some remarkable shots.

On the other court, the Canterbury pair, Angas and Seay, defeated the France brothers after a long Btruggle. Angas was more active in play than on the previous day and carried a great deal of the work, though Seay was the more deadly. The Canterbury players, who hold the New Zealand doubles championship, were attacking A. L. France, and he stood up to the strain very well. In the opening Bet, though the Wellington men were not as useful at the net as their opponents, they presented such a solid defence that they led most of the way, and took the sel on a piece of bad luck for Canterbury—Anpcas being thrown ofE his second service through a ball flying pant liim, and double-faulting at set point to ATenington. The remaining sets proclnc-

Ed a keen struggle with the pairs very evenly matched, but Canterbury slightly the more dangerous, and making fewer mistakes. The winners did everything they could to rob Don France of chances, and their tactics proved successful. RESULTS. ; The results were:— Singles. N. R. C. Wilson (Wellington) lost to C. Angas (Canterbury), 6-3, 4-6, 6-8. D G. France (Wellington) beat I. A. Seay (Canterbury). 0-0, C-0. . A. L. France (Wellington) beat 1. W. Patterson (Canterbury), 0-1, 2-0, 9-7. A. E. Sandral (Wellington) lost to Jl. A. Barnett (Canterbury), 4-0, 2-6. Doubles. D. G. France and A. L. Fiance (Wellington) lost to C. Angas and I. A. Sseay (Canterbury), 7-5, 4-6, 3-6. N. R. C. Wilson and A. E. Sandral (Wellington) beat T. W. Patterson and H. A. Barnett (Canterbury), 8-6, 9-7.