LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 21931, 18 January 1935, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

[By Recorder.] FIXTURES. January 18, 19. - Wilding Shield match, Canterbury v. Wellington, at Wellington. „ M January 23. 24, 25, 26, 28, and 29.New Zealand championships, at Auck- | J February 1 and 2.— Nunnerley Casket match, Wellington v. Canterbury, at Wellington.

Interclub Matches. The interclub matches recommenced last Saturday afternoon. . In the intermediate grade North-east Valley suffered its second defeat for the season when if went down to Taien, the ladies of the latter team proving much too strong for their opponents. Balmacowen, the leading team in this competition, gained its sixth victorj when it easily defeated Roslyn. In this latter match Roslyn gained only two victories, these being Miss Cohen s defeat of Nisbet and Miss Rackley s defeat of Miss M‘Donald, . St. ■ Andrew’s gained a good victory when it defeated Cosy Dell for the loss of only four matches. The surprise qt this match was Smith and Hunter s win from Grimsdale and Wilkie in the first men’s double. In this match and also in his singles. Smith showed good form, his driving and volleying being strong. Several of the matches in the B 1 ■grade were very closely contested, the exception being Tainui, the leading team’s easy victory over Cosy Dell. Tainui is now well in the lead m this grade, and if it maintains, its present form should be the winners of the B I. ah.ield. . , , , , A very closely contested match was, seen between Balmacewen and St. Andrew’s, the former club only winning by five games, matches being even. An unusual feature of this match was that not one player of either team won all Kaituna just managed to defeat St. Clair by the odd match. For St. Clair Miss Verngreen and L. Green won all their matches, while Miss Jolly was the only Kaituna player to win all her In the C 11. grade Roslyn gained its second victory for the season when it defeated St. Patrick’s, one of the leading teams. - ■ , , . , The A grade (men’s and ladies) and the B 11. and C I. competition will be continued to-morrow. The A grade men’s matches between St, Kilda and Roslyn and Anderson’s Bay and Moana have been postponed by arrangement, and will be played at a later date. This arrangement has been necessary because of players from both Anderson s Bay and St. Kilda teams being absent at the New Zealand championships. It is right that this concession should be given to these teams, as their players who have gone to Auckland are more or less representing their province, and every encouragement should be given to E layers to take part in the New Zeamd championships. Notes. G. A. Pearce and H. J. Pollock left Dunedin to-day by car fo take part in New Zealand championships, which commence at Auckland next Wednesday. Both these players for the past two or three weeks have been putting in some hard practice on a grass court at Outram, and consequently have improved considerably. Pearce has been playing exceptionally well of late, and if he maintains; the form he has been showing on grass be should give a good = account of himself. He has improved his service, always one of his strongest points, and both these players have the best wishes of all Otago players in their 'forthcoming matches. The only other Otago player faking part in New Zealand championships « E. A. Pearce, who is already in the North Island, and as he has had about a month’s play on grass he may also give a good account of himself. , . ' The presence of Kay and Ewin and Miss S. Whittaker, of Victoria, and the New South Wales junior, Huxley, in addition to F. J. Perry, will add considerable interest to this year’s championships. Nothing is yet known regarding the possibility of the Australian players touring New Bealand, but if such should eventuate the Otago Association will make-every effort to have a visit of these players to Dunedin. Keen interest has been aroused during the past week in the Australian championships, and it was with considerable pleasure that the news of Crawford’s defeat of Perry was received. This was Crawford’s second defeat of the world’s number one player since his visit to Australia, and clearly emphasised .the fact that the difference between these two is very slight, and that as far as the leading amateur plyers of the world are concerned both Perry and Crawford must be placed in s class by themselves. A feature of .the singles was the excellent showing of the Australian players. Turnbull was in good form when he defeated Bossus, the French Davis Cup player, and in the next round ran M'Grath to fire sets. Another excellent victory by an Australian was CJuist’s defeat of Menzel, Czechoslovakia, after a closely contested five-set singles. ■ Turnbull and Quist also gained a noted victory when _ they defeated Bossus and Brugnon in the doubles, the finish of the doubles was won by Crawford and M f Grath who defeated the English* champions Perry and Hughes in a thrilling match M Grath is said never to have played better and the Australians won on their merits. Perry and Hughes being beaten all the the new system for control of the Wilding Shield and Nunnerley Casket matches Canterbury has challenged Wellington, the holders, for both these trophies. The Canterbury team —Angas, Barnett, Rhodes, Williams, and Dymond—appears to have more than an even chance of lifting the Wilding Shield. Wellington is without the services of the present New Zealand champion, C. E. Malfroy, and this has considerably weakened, its team, which is D. G. France, N. Smith, R. Ferkins, and N. Bedford. The draw for the New Zealand championships has been published, and it is a matter for regret to see that C. , Angus and N. Wilson, two of the dominion’s .leading players, are not taking part in this year’s tournament. G. -Pearce has been drawn against D. Livingstone, and if he survives the first two rounds he will probably meet E. Bartlett, the present Auckland champion, in the third round. F. J. Perry is in Pearce’s quarter of the draw.