LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 92, 20 April 1931, Page 13

LAWN TENNIS

EASTBB, TOURNAMENT

MRS. ADAMS'S TREBLE

Mrs. R. 3?. Adams completed a "treble" at Miramar Grounds on Saturday, wiuning the postponed mixed doubles championship in the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association's Easter Tournament with A. E. Sandrul from H. D. Reid aud Miss S. Todd. Mrs. Adams had already won the ladies' singles and doubles, aud had little difficulty in adding the third title to her "bag." The match was very uninteresting, being played late iv the afternoon and in failing light. The losers had no chance in most of the games, thougtt they scored on Reid's service and Miss Todd fought well. On top of stroke superiority, Sandral and Mrs. Adams had much better tactics, and Sandra , though ho had played 72 games before the match started, was fully equal to everything that came his way. In the semi-final Sandral and Mrs. Adams beat W. Lees and Miss M. Lee in an easy third set. The match was unfinished, since the tournament had been adjourned with the .core 6-1, 1-5 in favour of the ultimate winners. Although Lees and Miss Lee took the second set, they were not in good enough form to be dangerous m tne third. THE DOUBLES. Bandral, himself, • had a good chance of equalling' Mrs. Adams's performance. In the final of the men's doubles, in which he partnered H. N. Burns against R. ML. Fei'kins and E.A. Roussell, Sandral led 5-2 in the fifth set of a long and uninteresting match. Sandral and Burns took the first set at 9-7 after a severe struggle. They would have had the sot at 6-1 had not Burns taken a ball winch was out when he hit it and volleyed it iuto the net. He made amends by a fine get which gave them the set, but played very indifferently and was not equal to holding his own with either ot his opponents. Sandral, despite lack ot practice, was much the most finished ot all four, and Perkins and Roussell were suffering from the spell from tennis due to the bad weather. In tlieir farst sis service games they managed to tot up nine doubles between them. They had showu a hint of form when they toou four successive games in the first set after Sandral and Burns had led 5-2, anrl just edged out in the second set, in whicll they were ahead most of the way. _ lne third set was the losers' very decidedly, for they took it 6-3, breaking through Perkins's service early and holding the lead throughout. Perkins's and Burns s services were the uncertain games, the others serving well. The fourth set saw Sandral and Burns going well, and they held a 3-0 lead. A FINAL SAVE. It was at this stage that Perkins and Roussell buckled down to work and played their best tennis. A second time they took four successive games and_ ultimately the set against a demoralised pair. Burns, who had gained some confidence, lost it again under unmerciful pummelling, and Sandral was left to freeze while the attack was concentrated on his partner. The set went to Perkins and Roussell, 7-0. The fifth set was dramatic, for with Sandral going well the score went to 5-2 iv his favour. A third time his young opponents took four games ii. a row and struggled bard for the set. Koussell, who had served three doubles in one game to let his opponents get what looked like a fatal lead, was now playing better. The winners led 6-5 and 40-0, but missed all three match points and won only after they had held two more match-points and douce had been called five times. Once Sandral had an easy kill at the net to even the game-score, but Burns got in his way and the chance was miased. It was a spectacular recovery, in which hard hitting broke down a lobbing game and gained the match. Results were:— CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS. Men's Doubles. Final.—E. ML. Ferkina and G. A. Roussell beat A. E. Sandral aud H. N. Burns, 7-9, 8-6, 3 : 6, 7-5, 7-5. Mixed Doubles. Semi-final^-A. E. Sandral and Mrs. R. P. Adams beat W. Lees and Miss M. Lee, 6-1, 2-6, 6-1. Final.—A. E. Sandral and Mrs. R. P. Adams beat H. D. Reid and Miss S. Todd. HANDICAPS. Men's Doubles. Semi-final.—Reeves and Mace won from Hollings and Lezard by default. Piual.—Coombe and Dyer (5) beat Reeves and Mace (10), 60-54.