PEOVINCIAL FINALS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1932, Page 5

PEOVINCIAL FINALS

WILSON SCORES TWICE

Winning the mixed doubles final with Miss S. Todd and the men's championship doubles with A. E. Sandral,. N. R. C. Wilson -completed the treble in the Wellington .provincial championships at Miramar Grounds on Saturday. The two finals were carried over from the tournament held during the holidays at the end of last year, when Wilson won the singles.

Wilson was in very convincing form. He showed his okl, forceful, brilliant style, with his service working ' very powerfully and his smashing and volleying always decisive am] usually well directed. In both events he was the outstanding player, though he had able aseistance from his partner. The men's doubles was a most dramatic match in its reversal of early form, and because of a long, tense fourth set bitterly fought by Wilson and Sandral to avoid outright defeat. The score in the match was 3-0, 5-7, 6-1, 14-12, 9-7, a total of 70 games, ■which took about two hours and a half to play, and "it was not until the fourth set that it appeared that Sandral and Wilson held ability enough to win through. Their fumbling opening in the match, allowing the France brother's, who were their opponents, to run ahead 3-0 in about five minutes, was succeeded by spirited play which raised the score to 3-all, but followed by two slumps in the opening sets. In the second set the winners' attack languished, and poor returns by Wilson lost a chance of a 3 : 1 lead, with his own service to follow, after Sandral had' raised game-point three times. The chance was the only one they had, for the Frances, who throughout showed the better team work, rushed through the Bet. FRANCES LAPSE. In the third set ,the Frances missed repeated chances of a 2-0 lead and then they lapsed, all ( life going from their play, •while Sandral and Wilson took six sue cessive games. It looked like a momentary lapse when the fourth set began, foi in this the winners were fighting defen sively practically all the way. For the most part it was a server's battle,- but a 1 4-all Wilson and.Sandral, by brilliant nei work, broke through Don France's ser vice, only for Sandral to lose his own That looked as if it would be their las: chance o£ averting defeat, and they trailet all the way to 8-9, having to win thei; own service games to save the match At 8-9 Sandral faced match-point on hi delivery; the first of ten match-point which the Frances held, but Wilson intet cepted a return and buried it. At 9-1 Wilson wais down 15-40, and at 11-12 h iagain faced match-point twice, once whei D. G. France played a fine dragged back hand passing shot across court, and one ■when Sandral impeded his partner aa was struck'by a volley which should hay crossed the net, but both times the wit Hers promptly captured the next point The strain appeared to be telling, fo Wilson, despite his fine delivery, wa fighting long games to hold service. A last the winners broke through Do France's service, only for Sandral to fa on. his delivery and to lose the followin game on bad service returns, making th score 11-12. The end came here, for wit it final burst of speed Wilson and Sandri evened the set score at 14-12, taking A. 1 France's service game on heavy sniashir and finishing %ith a good win on Sai dral's delivery. THE FINAL SET. The fifth set was another close ci counter. The winners bad a chance of 3-1 lead if Sandral had held service, bi he did not. However, they made a goc recovery when Wilson took his own se ■vice game after being 0-40 and made tl score 3-all instead of 2-4. Don France we his service easily, and at 5-4, with Wilsc serving, "the brothers had another inat< point, their sixth. A mistake by Sa dral and passing shots by both tl Frances, who beat Wilson, brought i three more match points in this gam tut smashing disposed of each of thei

Len France, who earlier had been lobbing with effect, now seemed unable to get one past the men at the net at crucial moments. The Frances still led at 6-5 and 7-6, when their last chance of winuing the match came to them on Wilson's service, but A. L. France lost his delivery after battling up from 15-40, Wilson notching the game with a neat lob as the Frances came in. Sandral moved over to take his service, and for the fivst time the Frances faced trouble. Sandral's strong attack raised 40-15. The score was evened, and there followed " two match points. Though D. G. France saved the first with a gi-eat half-volley in the midst of some flashing exchanges, one of Sandral's tricky volleys was tucked out of reach on the next poiiit, and the match was over. THE MIXED FINAL. In the final of the mixed doubles Wilson and Miss Todd bent the New Zealand mixed doubles champions, A. L. France and Miss D. Nicholls, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. It was an even match. Both Wilson and France played strongly. Miss Nicholls did riot seem able to sight the heavy returns which she was called upon to play. Miss Todd did effective work at the net. Miss Todd stood in when her partner received 'service, and Wilson covered back-court and rushed the net all the time. His interceptions and brilliant overhead play turned the tide. The losers bombarded Miss Todd, but. she refused to crack and often scored with neat volleys short over the net. Wilson and Miss Todd ran ahead 5-1 in the final set, and there was never much doubt about the issue, for they were forcing the pace all the time. They dropped two games here, but Wilson held his service, playing a very determined game.