CHAMPIONS FALL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 20, 25 January 1937, Page 16

CHAMPIONS FALL

PROVINCIAL TOURNEY . THE FINAL GAMES The Wellington provincial lawn tennis championships concluded at Miramar on Saturday afternoon with the mixed doubles championship, in the early stages of which it appeared that the upset of New Zealand champions would be complete, Coombe and Miss Nicholls losing their first set to Roussell and Miss Douthett. Roussell was very much off form in the two final sets, however, and Coombe and Miss Nicholls remained the only New Zealand title-holders to survive the Wellington championships. Coombe, New Zealand singles champion, was defeated on Friday in the singles by the young Auckland player. Brown. S. Painter, New Zealand boys' champion, went down to J. Hamilton in the boys' singles. Ferkins and Roussell, New Zealand title-holders of the doubles, were beaten in the semi-finals of the men's doubles by Sturt and Edwards. In the women's singles Miss D. Nicholls went down fighting, in a magnificent driving battle, to Miss M. Howe. The outstanding play of the young Wellington player, Miss J. Douthett, was a feature of the mixed doubles final. She drove with pace and accuracy, and showed very considerable promise in her volleying. Coombe and Miss Nicholls concentrated their attack upon Miss Douthett, but they would have been better advised to have concentrated on Roussell, who was exceedingly erratic in his returns, making some good strokes in the first set, but netting a considerable number of easy shots in the second two sets. Miss Nicholls, although better towards the conclusion of the match, did not display her Timaru form from the baseline. Coombe was reliable in service, ground strokes, and net play. His duels with Miss Douthett, frequently won by the latter when Coombe endeavoured to force the pace, were a feature of the game. Following are the results:— A GRADE EVENTS. Men's Simla*. 6l 3 Bedford beat D - Bronn. Women's Singles. „ final.— -Miss M. Howe beat Miss D. Nlcholta. 6-4, 4-6, 9-7. Men's Doubles. Semi-finals.—N. Sturt and N. Edwards beat E. A. Roussell and R. Ferkins, 6-2, 6-4, 1-6 6-3 ; D. Coombe and J. Charters beat N. Bedford and N. Morrison, 7-5, 6-4, 6-0. Final.—Charters and Coombe beat Sturt and Edwards, 7-5, 6-2, 6-0. Women's Doubles. Final.—Misses D. Nicholls and J. Douthett 62' ft*™ A ' D ' Latham and - Mlss M - Howe, Mixed Doubles. Final.—D. Coombe and Miss D. Nicholls -E-gA. Roussell and Miss J. Doutliott, 4-6, _ B CRADE EVENTS. Men's Singles. Semi-finals.—S. Hooper beat J. Blyth, 5-6 8-5. 6-3; O'Connor beat T. W. Collie, 6-1, 6-3. Final.—S. Hooper beat O'Connor, 6-5, 2-6, Women's Singles. Final.—Miss J. Bedford beat Miss J. Forrester, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. . Women's Doubles. Final.—Misses J. Forrester and Carrell beat Misses J. Bedford and N. Marshall, G-3, 5-6, Mixed Doubles. Semi-final: S. Hooper and Miss M. Everton beat S. Oakley and Miss E. Mac Lean, 6-3, 6-3. Final.—S. Hooper and Miss M. Kverton beat E. Tonks and Miss J. Forrester, 6-1, 6-4. C GRADE EVENTS. Men's Singles. Seml-flnals.—E. Longraore beat E. Marshall, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4; B. Kelly beat J. Ilamllton, 6-5, 6-5. Final.—Kelly beat Longmore, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4. Women's Singles. Seml-flnal.—Miss Carrell beat Miss Motilt, 8-2, 6-3. . Final.—Miss Huse beat Miss Carrell, 6-1, 6-5. ; Boys' Singles. Final.—J. Hamilton beat J. E. Walker, 9-7. Girls' Singles. Final.—Miss J. Forrester boat Miss J. Carrell, 9-1. ] HANDICAP EVENTS. 1 Men's Singles. Semi-finals.—B. Kelly (scr) beat B. Smith , (3-0), 9-4; B. O'Connor (owo 15) beat Dr. Hooper (15); -9-6. ! Final. —B. Kelly beat B. O'Connor, 9-4. ■ Men's Doubles. Semi-flnal.—Kelly and Doherty (owe 15) ] beat J. E. Walker and P. Jacobsen (owe 4-6), I 9-e. Final.—Kelly and Doherty (owe 15) beat < U. P. Caldnal and W. McLean (owe 15), 9-5. 1 Women's Singles. ' Final.—Miss N. Huse (scr) beat Miss 1 MucLean (ow« 3-6), 9-4. ] Women's Doubles. 1 Final.—Misses J. Forrester and Z. Castle j (owe 30) beat Misses J. and YV. Marshall ' (4-6). Mixed Doubles. Seml-flnals.—S. Morrison and Miss B. Dalo 1 (owe 30) beat H. S. McLaren and Miss Z. Castle (owe 30), 9-1; R. M. Sinclair and Miss ( J. G. Moult (15 3-G) beat S. Hooper and Miss 1 M. Everton (owe 15), 9-7. 1 Final.—Morrison and Miss Dale beat Sinclair and Miss Moult, 9-5. ' ( 1