TENNIS CHAMPIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23495, 8 February 1940, Page 10

TENNIS CHAMPIONS

PLAY IN HALF GALE COMBINED DOUBLES HOLDERS DEFEATED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 8. Conditions this morning were not conducive to a high standard of play in the New Zealand Centennial Tennis Championships at Mir.amar, as all the players were troubled by the northerly wind, which blew in gusts of halfgale force. The major upset was the defeat of the combined doubles title holders, N. G. Sturt (Auckland) and Miss Hardcastle (Australia) by R. Howe (Wellington) and Miss M. Beverley (Waikato), The championship events were advanced a further stage to-day, and a start was made with the men’s and women’s plate events, in which players who were eliminated in the first and second rounds of the championship matches are competing. The most interesting combined doubles match this morning was that between Edwards and Mrs Hatherly and Angas and Miss Poole. It was keenly-contested throughout, with victory going to the pair who controlled! their shots better in the wind. Edwards won many points with brilliant interceptions at the net-. The first real upset of the tournament was the defeat of Sturt and' Miss Hardcastle by R. Howe and! Miss M. Beverley. The titleholders were unable to master the wind, which was the cause of their defeat. The Australian champion, Miss Wynne, advanced to the quarter-finals of the women’s singles by defeating Miss Miller in straight sets. With fast, accurate driving to the baseline, Miss Wynne kept her opponent on the run, and forced her into numerous errors. Playing within themselves, Bromwich and Miss Coyne vanquished Pountney and Miss N. Beverley with the loss of only four games. The Australians played their ground shots soundly, arid well-angled volleys from net positions picked holes in the defence. Crawford and Miss Wynne beat Penfold and Miss Howe with the greatest of ease. The New Zealand pair won two games on their opponents' mistakes. Miss Wynne was the outstanding player on the_ court, her clean volleying and smashing being features of her game. The New Zealand junior champion, M'Kenzie, was eliminated from the singles championship by Angas, who is a former holder of' the singles title. M'Kenzie drove with characteristic steadiness on both hands, but Angas’s ability at the net proved the deciding factor. Bromwich and Miss Coyne (Australia) defeated Pountney (Auckland) and Miss N. Beverley (Waikato), 6-2, 6-2. Results:— COMBINED CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. —Second Round.— Edwards (Wellington) and Mrs Hatherly (Canterbury) beat Angas and Miss Poole (Canterbury) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Barnes (Australia) and Miss Cooke (Auckland) beat Pattinson and Miss Armstrong (Canterbury) 6-3, 7-5. Robb and Miss Donthett (Wellington) beat Hawksworth (Wairarapa) and Miss Wilson (Southland) 8-10, 6-1, 8-6. —Third Round.— Crawford and Miss Wynne (Australia) beat Peufold (Canterbury) and Miss Howe (Wellington) 6-1. R. Howe (Wellington) and Miss M. Beverley (Waikato) beat Sturt (Auckland) and Miss Hardcastle (Australia), 6-2, 6-2. MEN’S SINGLES. —Third Round. — Angas (Canterbury) beat M'Kenzie (Wellington), 6-3. 6-3, 7-5. Edwards (Wellington) beat Pearce (Wellington), 7-5, 6-2, 7-5. WOMEN’S SINGLES. —Third Round.— Miss Wynne (Australia) defeated Miss Miller (Otago), 6-3, 6-1.