TENNIS TOURNEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 36, 12 February 1940, Page 9

TENNIS TOURNEY

MISS COYNE IN FINAL

SEMI-FINAL STAGES

Delayed by rain on Saturday, the National Centennial Tennis Championships reached their penultimate stage today on courts slightly heavy after the rain. The conditions were fine except for a strong northerly wind.

When R, A, Howe (Wellington) forced J. Bromwich to 8-6 in the flrst set tlie prospects for a long tough match were good, but Bromwich improved, and with Howe not in his best form, the second and third sets went to Bromwich in short time. The Australian hit his two-fisted shot with great power and immaculate direction, and he forced a large number of errors on Howe's backhand. Moreover, Bromwich demonstrated one reason for his acknowledged greatness, covering the court at great speed. Miss Thelma Coyne reached the final of the women's singles by defeating Miss May Hardcastle in the third set, which hod been held over from Saturday. Both hit freely and with beautiful direction and length. Miss Hardcastle had one great opportunity when she broke through service for a 4-2 lead, but Miss Coyne quickly closed the gap with a little more pace in her drives and a volley or two. The eleventh game was notable for Miss Hardcastle's gnagnificent tennis, which, if maintained, would have given her a win. Miss Coyne, however, resisted determinedly. She broke through in the fifteenth game, and held her advantage, dropping only one point in the last game, wining 3-6, 6-4, 9-7.

In the semi-final of the Women's Plate, Miss M. Howe (Wellington) beat Miss J. Nicholls (Wellington), 6-3, 6-2.

It took almost two sets for C. Angas to recover from the effects of a tre-mendously-prolonged rally in his semifinal match with J, Crawford Crawford displayed some great tennis and in the second set especially he was completely the master. In the third set, however, Angas was in good trim and made frequent sallies to'the net. He won the set 6-4, chiefly because/ of his accurate volleys.

MEN'S SINGLES. Semi-final. J. E. Bromwich (Australia) beat R. A. Howe (Wellington), 8-6, 6-2, 6-1.