LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 20995, 8 January 1932, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS

AUSTRALIAN LADIES M DOMINION TOUR OPENED MRS DYKES BEATS MISS VALKENBURG [Per United Press Association.]

CHRISTCHURCH, January 7. Tho defeat of Mrs M. Molesworth and Miss U. Valkenburg, first and second players in the Australian women’s team, was the outstanding feature of the first day’s play in tho Canterbury Lawn Tennis Asociation’s invitation tournament which began at Wilding Park today. Mrs Molesworth was beaten by her team mate, Miss N. Hall, while Miss Valkenburg went down to Mrs H. M. Dykes, tho New Zealand champion. In Ho semi-finals, which will be played tomorrow, Miss Hall will meet Miss D. Nicholls, New Zealand champion in 1929, while Mrs Dykes will be opposed to Miss J. Hartigan, the youngest member of the visiting team, who showed splendid form to-day. Excellent weather favoured the players and spectators, and the grass courts at Wilding Park played fast and very true. The large “ gallery ” was entertained with some of the best women’s lawn tennis seen in Christchurch for many years. The New South Wales players proved extremely interesting, exploiting a variety of shots that few New Zealanders include in their repertoire. Miss Hall’s win over Mrs Molesworth, the third player in Australia, confirmed the opinion held in her own country th. t she is a fast improving and very promising player. It was fairly evident, however, that New Zealand must U-ait a little while before Mrs Molesworth is seen at her best. The consistency with which she missed her heavily-chopped drop shots showed that her favourite and most effective stroke was not functioning as it does when she is at her best. Apart from this, Mrs Molesworth impressed with her ex-cellently-controlled service, sound forehand, and brilliant backhand drive. Miss Hall’s game disclosed no weakness. Both her forehand and backhand are hit cleanly and accurately, and she showed exceptional ability in covering the court.

Miss Hartigan’s forehand has been described as the best shot possessed by a woman player in Australia, and she showed in her match against Miss Wake that the description cannot be far astray. Hitting with the full strength of her arm and taking the ball on the rise, she obtained exceptional pace from the stroke. Her service was very nearly as powerful a weapon of attack, and her backhand was safe and accurate.

The Australians appeared to be superior to the New Zealanders taking part in the tournament with one exception. That exception was Mrs H. M. Dykes (nee Miss May Speirs), who produced the most brilliant tennis that she has ever played at Wilding Park. In beating Miss Valkenburg Mrs Dykes gave a display that thrilled the gallery. Actually her strokes seemed like those

of a mau, so severe were the drives on both forehand and backhand that she rained into her opponent’s corners. Like a man, too, she came to the net not only to finish a rally, but to make play from that position. For a great part of the game Mrs Dykes actually followed in her service to the net, a procedure which no other player in Now Zealand would dare to adopt, particularly against a player of the calibre of Miss Valkenburg. Once there it required a very good shot to pierce her defence, and her smashing and volleying were remarkable for their accuracy and decisiveness.

Miss Dulcie Nicholls did not produce anything like the form of which she is capable, and, like Mrs W. A. Scott, she may be expected to produce better tennis to-morrow.

Only one of tho Australian pairs was seen in action in the doubles, of which event tho first round could not be completed. Mrs Molesworth and Miss Hall had an easy task against the Canterbury pair, Misses 0. Goss and E. Rudkin, but showed that their grasp of the doubles game will make them a formidable combination. The manner in which they worked for openings and thr . killed with unerring certainty at the net stamped them as doubles players of a high class. Mrs Dykes and Miss Nicholls will offer the Australians the hardest game in this event. Mrs Molesworth and C. Angus, who are favoured as the ultimate winners of the mixed event, had a fairly easy task in the first round and combined moderately well. Miss Hall and Sheppard were the only pair to play two matches in this event, and they were fully pressed in the second round by Miss E. Johnston and R. H. .Tait. _ This game was the outstanding one in the event, and lasted- for nearly two hours. Miss Hall was cool and accurate, returning the hardest shots, and seldom missing an opening for a winning volley or drive. Miss Valkenburg and T. W. Patterson and Miss Hartigan and Glanville each had an easy win. Results:— SINGLES. Mrs M. Molesworth (Aust.) beat Miss M. Sherris (0.), 6-0, 6-2. Miss N. Hall (Aust.) beat Miss M. Gibson (S.C.), 6-3, 6-1. Mrs W. A. Scott (S.C.) beat Miss N. Lloyd (Aust.), 1-6, 6-1, 6-2. Miss D. Nicholls (W.) beat Miss T. Poole (C.), 6-0, 6-1. Miss J. Hartigan (Aust) beat Miss E. Johnston (C.), 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Miss M. Wake (C.) beat Miss I. Morrison (C.), 6-0, 6-1. Miss U. Valkenburg (Australia) beat Miss M. Andrew (C.), 6-2, 6-4. Mrs H. M. Dvkes (W.) beat Miss E. Rudkin (C.), 6-4, 6-4. SECOND ROUND. Miss Hall beat Mrs Molesworth, S-6, 6-1, 6-4. Miss Nicholls beat Mrs Scott, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. Miss Hartigan beat Miss Wake, 7-5, 6-4. Mrs Dykes beat Miss Valkenburg, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1. DOUBLES. Mrs M. Molesworth and Miss N. Hall (Australia.) beat Misses S. Goss and E. Rudkin (C.), 6-1 6-1. Misses B. Gould (C.) and M. Gibson (S.C.) beat Mrs M. A. Stedman and Miss M. Saunders (C.), 7-5, 6-3.

Misses E. Johnston and M. Sherris (G.) beat Mrs H. S. Fox and N. Bishop (C.), 6-4, 6-4. Misses M. Wake and M. Andrew (C.) beat Mrs E. L. Crawshaw and Miss J. Rankin (0.), 6-2, 8-6. Mrs H. M. Dykes and Miss D. Nicholls (W.) beat Mrs V. C. Browne and Miss L. Berghan (C.), 6-0, 6-1. Misses T. Poole and N. Dick (C.) beat Mrs B. A. Miles and Miss V. Bloor (C.), 6-3, 6-4. MIXED DOUBLES. Miss M. Andrew and P. G. Greenwood beat Miss Morrison and N. S. Anderson, 6-0, 5-7, 6-2. Miss Johnstort and R. H. Tait beat Mrs Miles and N. G. Munns, 6-4, 6-3. Miss Hall and J. H. W. Sheppard beat Miss Rudkin and J. G. A’Court, 6-2, 6-3. Miss Nicholls and T. Rhodes-Williams beat Mrs Crawshaw and E. H. Orbell, 6-3, 7-6. Mrs Dykes and H. M. Dykes beat Miss Sherris and W. S. Somerville, 6-3, 6-1. Miss Hartigan and Glanvillo beat Miss Gibson and J. H. Holford, 6-4, 6-3. SECOND ROUND. Mrs Molesworth and C. Angas beat Miss Rankin and H. Dymond, 6-2, 6-3. Mrs Scott and B. B. Loughnan beat Miss Gold and J. R. Johnston, 6-0, 6-3. Miss Wake and H. A. Barnett beat Mrs Stedman and W. R. Robinson, 6-3, 6-0. Miss Valkenburg and T. W. Patterson beat Miss T. Poole and J. Mercer, 6-3, 6-1. Miss Hall and Sheppard beat Miss Johnston and Tait, 7-9, 6-3, 6-3.