TENNIS TITLES

Evening Star, Issue 23497, 10 February 1940, Page 9

TENNIS TITLES

DOMINION TOURNAMENT THE AUSTRALIANS IN FORM BROMWICH AT HIS BEST [Pen United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 9. With only the semi-finals and finals to lie played! in the New Zealand Centennial lawn tennis championships, the indications are that the Australains will win all the events. In the men’s singles Bromwich is to meet Howe, and Crawford will meet Augas. On to-day’s form, the final next Monday should be fought out between Bromwich and Crawford. In the other events the Australians are just as certain to win the finals. Misses Wynne and Coyne have shown such impressive form in both singles and doubles that only a miracle can stop them from becoming the new champions. Conditions to-day were much more favourable than hitherto, and the players had no excuse whatever for their lapses. There was bright sunshine for most of the day, and the northerly wind had dropped! considerably. The best match of the day was the singles between Crawford and Barnes, in which Crawford, after dropping the first set 1-6, had to go flat out in the second and third to ensure victory in four sets. Crawford took some time to settle down, and his sixteen-year-old opponent, playing at the top of his form, deserved full credit for winning the first set with the loss of only one game. Barnes’s driving on both hands matched that of his redoubtable opponent, but Crawford’s superb volleying at the net was the decisive factor in his victory. Barnes drew applause from the largo gallery with amazing recoveries. In the third set the score ran to 3-all, and Barnes lost the vital seventh game and dropped the set. This was the turning point in the match, and Crawford won the final set with comparative ease. Barnes has all the strokes, and he plays with the confidence of a seasoned player.

Bromwich showed the measure of his greatness by defeating Sturt in straight sets. Sturt is always a hard man to beat, but Bromwich, showing his best form of the tournament, was irresistible. The Australian concentrated on Sturt’s backhand, and although the Auckland player was stroking very well, his returns gave Bromwich opportunities to volley for winners at the net. Bromwich put over some sizzling drives which gave Sturt no chance of making a return.

Edwards- was unable to find touch in the first set with Angas," winning only one game. He showed something closer to the form that won him the New Zealand singles title last year in the second set, but he failed at crucial periods of the match, which never reached brilliant heights. Angas's steadiness however, plus his outstanding ability to cover the court, were tho deciding factors. Pattinson, who is'the_ most-improved player in Canterbury this season, came through four strenuous sets with Howe with his colours flying. Howe owed his win to a : greater variety of shots, among which was a chop shot which he exploited to advantage. Howe is a picturesque player with experience in many parts of the world. In his doubles match with Edwards, who seemed more at homo than in his match against Angas, Howe was always worth watching. Many men's pairs at the present championships have approached their match_ against the Austrlians with some obvious trepidation, but Howe and Edwards gave the impression that they thought more of the gamo than of the result. Misses Beverley would have taken Misses Wynne and Coyne to at least three sets if they could have concentrated more on their immediate game. Instead, they played as if overawed by their opponents reputation. Miss Wynne snowed herself to be tho hardest hitter among the women at the present tournament. Apart from her serving, Miss Wynne got home many smashes that gave no chance of being played back. Mrs Hatherly and Miss Poole were not in the same class as Mrs Gallagher (nee Miss Dulcie Nicholls) and Miss Hardcastlo, and could not cope with the superior all-round solid game of the winners. Miss M. Beverley, with R. Howe, was brilliant in the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles. Howe's work at the net added to the spectacular nature of this match. The good combined play of Miss Cooke and Barnes prevailed against Mrs Hatherly and Edwards, both of whom were too erratic and lacked the necessary co-ordination. Afternoon results: — MEN'S SINGLES. —Quarter-finals. — Bromwich (Australia) beat Sturt (Auckland), 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. Howe (Wellington) beat Pattinson (Canterbury), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. Angas (Canterbury) beat Edwards (Wellington) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. Crawford (Australia) beat Barnes (Australia), 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. MEN'S DOUBLES. —Semi-finals. — Bromwich and Crawford beat Edwards and Howe, 6-1, 6-3. 6-3. Bromwich and Crawford will meet the winners between Start and Franco and Brown and Angns. WOMEN'S DOUBLES. ■—Semi-finals. — Miss Hardcastle (Australia) and Mrs Gallagher (Wellington) beat Mrs Hatherly and Miss Poole (Canterbury). 6-3, 6-1 Misses Wynne and Coyne (Australia) beat Miss N. and M. Beverley (Waikato). 6-1, 6-2. VETERANS' DOUBLES. —Semi-finals. — V. Hooker and M L. Lampe beat J. A M'Gill and W P Walker, 6-3. 6-1. R Browning and D F. Glanville beat W. J. Melody and H. J. Thompson, 6-3, 8-6