TENNIS TITLES

Evening Star, Issue 22229, 6 January 1936, Page 4

TENNIS TITLES

NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS M'GRATH TOO GOOD FOR ANDREWS MISS D. NiCHOLLS WINS WOMEN'S SINGLES [Pee United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January o. A very large crowd turned out for the final day of the New Zealand lawn tennis championships, the events being concluded in brilliant sunshine, .with a cool southerly breeze. M'Grath was too good for Andrews in. the men’s singles final. When play opened and Andrews quickly ran to a five-love lead’it seemed that he might win in straight sets. His lorehand drives to M'Grath’s backhand were practically unplayable. For those hvc games he made scarcely a mistake, while M'Grath, oven for balls he got well behind, made numerous mistakes, imt he was not perturbed. As game r succeeded game so ho improved in his touch. As he did so and varied his length and pace, Andrews fell into errors as he belted for winners, and M'Grath reached 5-all. At that stage M'Grath tried to force mattres, and played into Andrews’s hands. Anarews sent oyer sizzling drives that won him the next two games and the set . . Andrews continued the same driving tactics in the second set, and at one stage it seemed that he might win, but M'Grath, standing in on Andrews s kicking service, drove hard to Andrews’s backhand, forcing Andrews into errors. M'Grath also tried dropshots, which were failing badly, and this gave .Andrews many a breather, but M'Grath ran to a 3-love lead. Andrews continued to force the pace, and, storming the net, forced M'Grath to hurry his • strokes, and make errors, allowing Andrews to equalise at 3-all. From then on M'Grath had the odd game until Andrews led 8-7, but lie was a tired - man, and M'Grath, with steady placements, saw to it that Andrews was given no rest. He placed steadily from corner to corner, and won. the set comfortably. Andrews, by forceful tennis (he was the aggressor practically throughout the entire three sets) had a wonderful chance of winning the third set. Tho spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. He was able to save set points against him in the tenth game by n sizzling drive, and himself held the set points in the twelfth game,- but - M'Grath was not to be denied. Ho - was now stroking carefully, only occasionally • rocking them in with his two-handed backhand, and could afford to wait his chance. M'Grath’s change of pace and varied length caused-An- ' drews to net, and so M'Grath won the third set. . • . - The interval of 10 minutes did not appear to restore Andrews’s feet, which obviously were giving him trouble. , M'Grath had seen to it that they were given plenty of use. Andrews also was not in a to use his fierce forehand drive consistently. When he did he too often made errors, and was mainly in the net with it. On the whole, M'Grath was con- ■ tent to keep the rally going and An-/ drews moving, and in the end Andrews was outplayed. M'Grath • did, not lose a game. . ; The women’s singles final between . Miss Dulcie Nicholls and Miss N., Beverley was nearly a great surprise. By driving deep and hard to Miss Nicholls’s backhand and going to the. .. net, Miss Beverley completely outplayed Miss Nicholls in the first set, and led 4-1 in the second. She was aggressive, and was displaying wonderful control. Miss Nicholls was on the defensive, and was clearly worried. Then, in the interval of the men’s singles, the spectators surged round the court where the_ women were battling, and a change immediately came over Miss Beverley’s game. She no longer attacked, but Stayed on the • back line and tried to outdrive Miss Nicholls. There is no woman in New Zealand who can do that, and Miss Nicholls, driving from corner to corner to keep Miss Beverley chasing, won the next five games. In tho third set Miss Nicholls continued to take control, and, although Miss Beverley made occasional sorties to the net, by which means she fought up from 1-4 to 3-4, 4-5, Miss Nicholls wes never actually in danger. There were times, however, when Miss Beverley had the hardest of luck from the net as volleys went inches out over the side lines, and once right on the line, when the umpire called wrongly. When Miss Beverley went .to the net toward the end of the third set Miss Nicholls drove her back with lobs. At the end ' of the match Miss Beverley fainted. D. G. France and N. G. Sturt played brilliantly to beat M'Grath and Seay in the final of the men’s doubles. Both made brilliant cross-court volleys, and their return of service was excellent. They concentrated on Seay, and were • also helped by the fact that M'Grath, when he came into the picture, was uncertain. No one thought for a moment-that France, and Sturt could win in straight sets, npr would they have done so had M'Grath not missed

a sitter in the second set at set point. Although France was the presiding genius of his side and smashed and volleyed brilliantly, Sturt did great work with sharp angle volleys almost parallel .to the net. He avoided M'Grath at the net very well, and forced Seay to play an awkward backhand stroke, allowing France to intercept at the net. When he did so it was usually to put the ball where his opnonents had no chance of petting it._ The lobbing of France and Sturt, which .forced the

opposition from the net, was better than that of M'Grath and Seay. Theirs was a better combination altogether, and their, play was also of a much higher standard.

Roussell and Miss 1. Poole did exceptionally well to get a set off Moon and Miss’ Nicholls in the semi-final of the mixed doubles. They did so by crowding in on the net and slamming everything; they missed very little. After that Miss Poole made numerous errors as Moon and Miss Nicholls jumped into their stride and volleyed and drove with scarcely a mistake. In the second and third sets Moon and Miss Nicholls were always on top, and superior in every department. The final was one-sided, and was soon over. As Miss Beverley had not recovered from her fainting after the singles, Moon and Miss Nicholls did what they liked, and were even unlucky to lose their two games in the second set. The winners made hardly a mistake. It was impossible for Coombe to carry the burden. Miss Beverley was very plucky even it unwise to have played. Results: — MEN’S SINGLES. FINAL. Y. B. M'Grath beat E. D. Andrews, 5- 10-8, 7-5, 6-0. WOMEN'S SINGLES. FINAL. Miss 1). Nicholls boat Miss N. Beverley, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. MEN’S DOUBLES. FINAL. D. G. France and N. G. Sturt beat V. B. M'Grath and 1. A. Seay, 6-4, 8-6, 6-3. MIXED DOUBLES. SEMI-FINAL. E. F. Moon and Miss N. Nicholls beat A. Roussell and Miss I. Poole, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. FINAL. E. F. Moon and Miss D. Nicholls beat 1). C. Coombe and Miss N. Beverley, 6-0, 6-2. NEW ZEALAND PLATE. MEN’S SINGLES. —Semi-finals.— R. M'L. Ferkins beat F. W. Jenkinson, 6-1, 6-1. E. A. Roussell beat J. L. Stevens, 6- 6-3 —Final.— Roussell beat Ferkins, 6-2, 6-1. WOMEN’S SINGLES. L —Final. — Miss D. Miller beat Miss I. Poole, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1. FOOTBALL IN BRITAIN SOCCER Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, January 4. . First Division. —Arsenal v. Birniingham, 1-1; Aston Villa v, Portsmouth, 4-2; Blackburn Rovers' v. Leeds United, 0-3; Bolton Wanderers, v. Derby County, 0-2; Chelsea v. Grimsby Town, 0-2; Everton v. Liverpool, 0-0; Huddersfield Town v. Brentford, 2-2; Manchester City v. Sunderland, 0-1; Middlesbrough v. Preston North End, 2-0; Stoke City v. West Bromwich Albion,, 3-2; Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Sheffield Wednesday, 2-1. Second Division.—Barnsley v. Fulham, 2-0; Blackpool v. Bury, 2-3; Bradford City v. Manchester United, 1-0; Charlton Athletic v. Doncaster Rovers, 3-0; Hull City v. Burnley, 1- Newcastle United v.•'Tottenham" Hotspur, 1-4; Norwich' City v. Swansea Town, 0-1 ( Notts Forest, v. West 1 Ham United,' 0-2; Plymouth Argyle v. Port Vale, 4-1; Sheffield United v. Bradford, 2- ; Southampton v. Leicester City, 1-0.

Third Division (Southern Section). — Brighton and Hove Albion v. Aidershot, 2-1; Bristol Rovers v. Bristol City. 1-1; Clapton Orient v. Notts County, 0-2; Crystal Palace v. Gillingham, 1-1; Exeter City v. Swindon Town, 1-1; Newport County v. Coventry City, 2-1; Northampton Town 'v. Bournemouth, 2-1; Queen’s Park Rangers v. Torquay United, 2-1; Reading v. Cardiff City, 4-1; Southend United v. Luton Town, 0-1; Watford v. Millwall, 2-1, Third Division (Northern Section). — Barrow v. Stockport County, 1-0; Carlisle United v. Gateshead, 2-0; Chester v. Wrexham, 1-1; Hartlepools United v. Darlington, 2-1; Lincoln City v. Southport, 4-0; Mansfield Town' v. Halifax Town, 3-2;. New Brighton v. Chesterfield, 1-2; Rochdale v. Accrington Stanley, 2-2; Rotherham United v. Oldham Athletic, 1-0; Walsall v. Tranmere Rovers, 0-0; York City v. Crewe Alexandra, 4-1. Scottish League (First Division). — Airdrieonians v. Kilmarnock, 1-4; Arbroath v. Clyde, 2-1; Ayr United v. Albion Rovers, 4-1; Celtic v. St. Johnstone, 2-0; Dundee v. Rangers, 0-3; Dunfermline Athletic v. Heart of Midlothian, 2-0; Hibernians v. Aberdeen, 1- Motherwell v. Queen’s Park, 1-0; Partick Thistle v. Queen of the South, 2- ; Third Lanark v, Hamilton Academicals, 4-0. Scottish League (Second Division). —Alloa v. Falkirk, 2-2; Cowdenbeath v. Leith Athletic, 5-1; East Fife v. Dundee United, 4-3; East Stirlingshire v. Raith Rovers, 4-2; Forfar Athletic y. Brechin City, 1-1; Greenock Morton v. Montrose, 4-0; St. Bernard’s v. King’s Park, 5-3; St. Mirren v. Dumbarton. 8-0; Stenhousemuir v. 'Edinburgh City, 2-2. RUGBY LEAGUE Acton and Willcsdcn v. Rochdale Hornets, 23-0; Batley v. Streatham and Mitcham, 7-6; Bradford Northern v. Leigh. 35-10; Bramley v. Barrow, 20-13; Castleford v. Huddersfield, 15-14; Halifax v. Broughton Rangers, 7-7; Hull Kingston Rovers v. Featherstone Rovers, 14-7; Hunslet v. Dewsbury, 21-4; Keighley v. Liverpool Stanley, 17-12; Oldham v. St. Helens, 10-2; Salford v. York, 8-0; St. Helens Recreation v. Swinton, 7-0; Wakefield Trinity v. Hull. 0-5; Warrington v. Leeds, 5-3; Widnes v. Wigan, 8-7. RUGBY UNION Bath v. Richmond, 9-0; Birkenhead Park v. Bradford, 36-7; Bristol v. Royal Air Force, 14-8; Exeter v. Devonport Services, 3-19; Leicester v. Swansea, 6-5; Newport v. Plymouth Albion. 14-0; Northampton v. Rugby, 12-3; Old Leysians v. Old Blues, 0-12; Llanelly v. Neath, 20-11; Waterloo v. Moseley, 36-8; Nuneaton v. Coventry, 3- AVatsonians v. Heriotonians, 16-0.