LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 10, 13 January 1933, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS

BIG- CONTESTS OPEN

FIRST DAY'S PLAY

Play began to-day in the first round of the Anthony Wilding Memorial Shield and the Kathleen Nunneley Casket matches, Wellington being drawn against Auckland in each match. The weather was brilliant, and there was a fair wind at Miramar grounds when the players took the courts this afternoon. WILDING SHIELD. The teams were:— Wellington: C. B. Malfroy, D. G. France, N. B. C. Wilson, E. MeL. Perkins. . ' : . ' Auckland: A. C. Stedman, N. G. Sturt, M. M. Morrison, H. C. Eowlands. Perkins opened very consistently against Morrison, and ran into a 4-0 lead, taking Morrison's two opening services with ease. Tho Aueklander was hitting wildly, and Ferkins was quick to take advantage of errors. Besides pressing on. the forehand, Morrison was underplaying his backhand' shot and netting weakly. He began to find himself in the fourth game, however, and won Perkins's service in the sixth, game after a long struggle'to be 2-4. Ferkins, however, held his next service easily to be 5-3, and took the first set, 6-3, with a love game. Ferkins was ahead 3-0 in the second set, and though Morrison took the next two games the Wellington man held the vital sixth game to lead 4-2. Ferkins held service in the following game after being 15-40 and, after five deuces, he took the set 6-2 and the match 6-3 6-2. ' Wilson was playing with great accuracy against Rowlands, a player with a powerful forehand and magnificent speed on the court, but was down. 1-5. The Aueklander, like his team-mate, sometimes f ailejl to sum .up the strength of the wind, and Wilson, stroking very accurately and with ' considerable power, brought the score to 4-5. Bowlands was finding the side-lines with great consistency, and had Wilson down 0-40 on service, but saw. all three set-points vanish. He raised set-point again next moment' and took the set, 6-4, when Wilson netted. Wilson, who was now. all out, continued his goba form to take the second set with ease, 6-2; In the third set, however,' he failed to win service in the fourth game, and was down, 1-3. Eowlands held service after a great tussle to lead 4-1 and 5-1. NTJNNELEY CASKET. The teams were:— Wellington: Mrs. H. M. Dykes, Miss D. Howe, -Mrs. D. G. France, Miss M. Whyte. ' ■ ■•.'■.' Auckland: Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, Miss B. Knight, Miss J. Bamsay, Mrs. B. Napier. Mrs. France . started more steadily than Mrs. Napier, and was within a point of a 3-0 lead. The game was a contest of steadiness and. .devoid of brilliant placing, though both players were showing form, and Mrs. Prance led 3rl. After the fourth game Mrs. Napier was completely beaten, Mrs. France winning the first set 6-1, and the, second 6-0. Tho Auckland girl scored only a handful of points in the final set. Miss Eamsay's spun shot gave her a lead of 4-1 over Miss Whyte, but the Wellington girl, who was hitting very freely, and at first taking the net at every opportunity, won the next five games in a row, concentrating on Miss Eamsay's back-hand. Miss Eamsay led 3-1 in the second set, but Miss Whyte Yon the next three games, breaking through her oppon.ent's' service twice and having a good chance of being 5-3 if she could have held her own. She failed, however, and was down. 4-5. She won the next game to make ttie score 5-all.