EXHIBITION TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 105, 31 October 1933, Page 14

EXHIBITION TENNIS

THE SECOND DAY

WINS FOR ENGLISHMEN

The second day's play in the exhibitioi tennis matches between the visiting Eng lish players and- the Wellington team wa not as successful, from the local pom of view, as1 the first. The better condi tions, however, served to give a defiiiiti idea of the ability of the Englishmen am left no doubt at all as to their quality Two singles and one double were playec and the results were: — F. H. D. Wilde (England) beat R. McL Perkins (Wellington), 6-3,-6-0. F. J. Perry (England) beat C. E. Mai froy (Wellington), 6-1, ,6-1. F. J. Perry and F. H. D. Wilde (Eng land) beat C. E. Malfroy and li. McL Perkins (Wellington), ,0-4, 6-2. Perkins, who -replaced D. G-. France ir the Wellington, side, France having left for Hastings to play against the Australians, had very little chance against Wilde, and when the second set began and the youthful Englishman started .hitting out in his best manner the Wellington man was unable to*gain the initiative at all save at a few odd moments, Wilde revealed himself to be a player oi gresrter possibilities than one would have suspected from his play, on the first-day, His driving. on both wings was very forceful, deep, and well controlled, and as soon as he had a chance he hit for the point without ceremony. It was at no time possible to hold him to the position of sparring for an opening. He opened out all the time, and when Ferkins tried to rush the net on deep balls to his opponent's backhand he found that Wilde's backhand drive was as aggressive as his forehand. BEAT HIMSELF. It was only when Wilde defeated himself that Ferkins was able to pick up games, and there wasnever any question of him taking a set. Wilde made his usual unsteady opening, but after that he was always hitting freely, volleying well, and closing in to the net to fisish off the point as soon as he had his adversary on the run. "Ferkins played some fine passing shots, but there were not enough of them. He was unable, to scor.e with lobs, and was forced into errors by the strength and variety of, the game of a dangerous player. ' The history .of Malfroy's .. match, was much, the same. Perry soon revealed that lie meant to show no mercy to his opponent, and though Malfroy struggled to game on two occasions in the two sets it was as much as he could do. At the other moments, when Malfroy held a winning lead, Perry would apply unremitting pressure which always ended the same way. Thus, though Malfroy was a number of times 30-0 and 40-15, lie was never within sight of winning thene games and was usually fighting for points, without hopte of games. The blinding speed and spin of Perry's forehand was the greatest feature of this match; Jhat and his angled crosscourt'volleys, hit inches off the ground, some of them, and lifted over the net for winners." Malfroy; of course, was not playing well,'but Perry also had his lapses, notably at the beginning o£ the second set, when he began netting and when Malfroy. for a x while was attacking the Englishman's forehand with good results. But those two games were a mere interlude in a long procession of games won by superb control of the situation, the sort of control which gives the opponent no chance, dictates where he shall be and what he shall do, and finally! forces him to attempt the almost: impossible or give, away the point. ONE-SIDED. Malfroy could not pass Perry save., at moments, he was unable to hold the net himself, nnd he was not nearly accurate enough to-"play the Englishman oft the ground. ;sThus; "though there were some spirited duels, it was a very one-sided match, with Perry, a real, champion, doing very much what he liked. ■ In the doubles match, Malfroy-Ferkins versus Perry-Wilde, the contest was a struggle between very different . teams. Wilde's service, dowin tne wind, and Ferkins's, delivered against the wmd, should have been the doubtful games of the match, but in .practice Perry proved as erratic on service as his partner/plentifully sprinkling his games with doublefaults and making; repeated errors when facing the blast. Ferkins was playing up well and making' some good winners at times, but Malfroy's form slumped further still and his return of service was very weak, while Perry, in spite of his erratic moments, was still deadly, and Wildes passing shots, especially off Ferkins s ■ service, turned-the tide at critical moments.. The Englishmen were lucky not to lose the first set, for Ferkins just smashed out, when leading 2-0 and 40-15 and Wilde had. to hit a series'of brilliant winners to save the game, while Perry followed' by two double-faults and was doyn, 30-40 on servide, though he managed to win the game. After 4-all, however, Malfroy netted a series of volleys and .Wilde brought off some brilliant kills, taking the^ game, and winning the set on service, ending it with a shot past Ferkins as he stood at the net. ■* . The visitors had things much their own •way in the second set, leading 2-0 and 2-1 and taking the next three games in a row. After 5-1 the Wellington men made a brief stand, but could not evade the end. They staved oft two match points, but Wilde finished oft the next one, ending a match in which he was probably the steadiest player of all.