TENNIS TITLES

Evening Star, Issue 23496, 9 February 1940, Page 3

TENNIS TITLES

DOMINION TOURNAMENT WIND AGAIN TROUBLES PLAYERS HOWE BEATS BROWN (Per United Peess Association.) WELLINGTON, February 8. A northerly gale, even more treacherous than that of yesterday, seriously hampered the players in the New Zealand Centennial lawn tennis championships at Miramar to-day. The wind played incredible tricks, being sufficient to send the wooden boxes used as extra seating accommodation rolling across the courts. It _ caused many lobs to stop suddenly in midair and then fall vertically on the wrong side of the net. The Australians, especially, were sorely tried, and their play suffered accordingly. Some of the courts are already showing signs of wear, and clouds of dust from around the baselines added to the general discomfort. The fairly largo galleries were treated to many splendid matches. The holders of the mixed doubles title, Miss Hardcastlo (Australia) and N. G. Sturt (Auckland) went down to 11. Howe (Wellington) and Miss M. Beverley (Waikato), who used the vagaries of the wind better than their opponents. Crawford had to fight hard at times to stave off a determined challenge by Painter, a young Wellington player, who won the first set and took the fourth to 14 games. Another interesting match was that between the Misses Beverley and Misses Attwood _ and M'Lean, who played inspired tennis to take a set from their more experienced opponents. Barnes, the 16-year-old Australian junior cnampion, added to his laurels by defeating Franco. One of the best matches of the day was the singles between Crawford and Painter. The spectators saw many fine driving rallies in which the New Zealander conceded nothing. Crawford lost the first set 4-6, and was fully extended in the remainder of the games. Painter drove freely and Accurately on both hands and covered the court with amazing ability, but he was unable to match the superior courtcraft of the seasoned Australian, whose magnificent low volleying won him many points. Painter on his present form is one of the most promising young players in the Dominion. He won the New Zealand junior championship three years running between the ages of 14 and 17. He toured Australia on the last visit of a New Zealand junior team, and his play is showing a consistent improvement. Barnes played his best game of the tournament to defeat D. G. France in straight sets. The passing shots of the Australian player were superb, and he volleyed and smashed confidently at all times. A dour struggle between R. Howe and the former New Zealand champion, A. D. Brown, under atrocious conditions, saw the Wellington player win through, owing to his generally steadier play, although the result was in doubt right to the finish. Bromwich was never extended to beat Corich with the loss of only four games. Playing a brilliant interceptive game at the net, Angas beat the New Zealand junior champion, M'Kenzie, who, in spite of employing a full battery of orthodox strokes, could not master the Canterbury man’s resource and technique. Pountney and Sharp made valiant efforts to capture points from Crawford and Bromwich, but fewer than half a dozen games went to deuce. Sharp was not playing at the top of his form, and was wisely content to leave the lion’s share of the work to Pountney, who frequently found, the Australians out of position. The visitors, however, rose to brilliant heights whenever they needed the points. THRILLING ENCOUNTER.

Tho final match of the day, the men’s doubles between Sturt and France and Barnes and Dyer, provided one of the most thrilling encounters yet seen. Play was even throughout, and victory came to' Sturt and France only after a sensational incident. Sturt, at match point, returned a ball that hit the net and bounced 3yds on. Barnes ran up and played the ball back. It also struck the net, hovered an instant. and then, lacking a fraction of an ounce more velocity, rolled back to give Sturt and France the match. Most of the games went to deuce, and throughout it looked like anybody’s mutch. Barnes delighted the gallery with his stroke equipment, and although he failed sometimes, it was either through over-keenness or the gusty wind. In spite of the high wind the women players managed to enjoy their-games. Miss Wynne, the Australian champion, advanced to the quartern-finals of the singles by defeating Miss Miller in straight sets. With fast, accurate drives to the baseline she kept her opponent on the run, and not even Miss ililler’s well-known prowess of recovery could enable her to cope with the sustained severity of the Australian girl’s attack. Miss Coyne did not have things all her own way against Miss Poole. The Australian player, who was drawn with Bromwich against Pountney and Miss N. Beverley in the mixed doubles, never found herself seriously threatened. She and Bromwich earned praise for deciding to play rather than accept a default from Pountney, who was unavoidably delayed in reaching tho courts. Results of afternoon’s play:—

MEN’S SINGLES. —Third Round.— Crawford (Australia) beat Rainter (Wellington), 4-0, 6-1, 6-3, 8-6. Rronnvich (Australia) beat Corich (Canterbury). 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. Sturt (Auckland) beat Bold (Canterbury), 6-4, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2. Howe (Wellington) beat Brown (Canterbury), 2-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0, 8-6. Pattinson Canterbury) beat Robb (Wellington), 7-5, 7-5, 6-2. Barnes (Australia) beat France (Wellington), 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. WOMEN’S SINGLES. —Third Round.— Miss M. Beverley (Waikato) beat Miss N. Beverley (Waikato), 6-3, 6-3. Miss Boyne (Australia) beat Miss Poole (Canterbury), 9-7, 6-1. MEN’S DOUBLES. —Third Round.— Bromwich and Crawford (Australia) heat Pountney (Auckland) and Sharpe (Hawke’s Bay), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3. France (Wellington) and Sturt

(Auckland) beat Barnes (Australia) and Dyer (Wellington), 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 7-5. Edwards and R. Howe (Wellington) beat Ferkins and Roussell (Wellington), 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. WOMEN’S DOUBLES. —Second Round.— Miss Hardcastle (Australia) and Mrs Gallagher (Wellington) beat Mesdames France and Dykes (Wellington) 6-4, 6-3. Misses N. and M. Beverley (Waikato) heat Misses Atwood (Manawatu) and M’Lean (Wellington), 6-1, 4-6 6-1. Miss Poole and Mrs Hatherly beat Miss Castle and Mrs Kennedy (Wellington), 6-3, 6-3.