TENNIS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 December 1934, Page 7

TENNIS

VICTORIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.

[by CABLE—PRESS assn.-— COPYRIGHT.]

i MELBOURNE. December 13. The tennis championships were continued to-day. Results: — Men’s singles, quarter-finals: Crawford defeated Malcolm, 6/0 6/0 6/3; Stefani defeated Hughes 6/4, 4/6, 8/6, 6/3.

Women’s singles: Miss Dearman defeated Miss MacFarlane 6/2, 6/2.

Mixed doubles: Turnbull and Miss Hartigan defeated Hassett and Miss Woodward 4/6, 6/3, 6/4; Quist and Miss Lyle defeated Clemenger and Miss Bellamy 6/2, 6/1. Men’s doubles, semi-finals: Quist and Turnbull had a walk-over from Perry and Hughes. So strenuous was the match between Stefani and Hughes, that Hughes blistered his hands, and wanted a postponement of the semi-final of the doubles. This was not agreed to. Perry and Hughes therefore, forfeited the match. Stefani gained an early lead in the singles, his ground strokes being better controlled than those of Hughes, who was unable to reach the net, although he had two splendid chances in the third set. At critical stages Hughes could not clinch the points. Stefani’s top spin returns were devastating.

Crawford was too strong for Malcolm. Owing to .the heat of the day, Crawford was obviously trying to end the match as soon as possible. In this he was successful .

LATER.

Women’s Doubles: Misses G. and D. Stevenson defeated Mrs Malcolm and Miss Berryman 4/6, 6/1, 6/2. Misses Dearman and Lyle defeated Misses Coyne and Hattersley 6/1, 4/6, 6/2. Miss Round and Mrs Harper defeated Misses Black and Woodward 4/6, 6/2, 6/4. Miss Hartigan and Mrs Hopman defeated Misses Chitty and Bellamy 6/4, 5/7, 12/10. Men’s doubles: Semi-finals: Crawford and Hopman defeated Sproule and Thompson 1/6, 6/3, 6/1, 6/4. After losing the first set, owing to the unexpected aggressiveness of Sproule and Thompson, Crawford and Hopman had to play at top in the three succeeding sets in their hardest match of the tournament. They meet Quist., and. Turnbull in the final. The tournament will be resumed at Kooyong to-morrow.

B.T.A. AND PROFESSIONALISM.

LONDON, December 13.

The “Daily Mail” says: The British Lawn ' Tennis Association is conducting a confidential inquiry into the probable 'effect on tlie Wimbledon attendances .by further secessions from the amateur ranks. it has sent a memorandum to Wimbledon debenture holders; asking their opinion regarding the attitude of tlie public if Perry and Austin and leading Continental players adopted professionalism, and consequently were unable to participate in the "Wimbledon championships. « One leading debenture holder declared that in that case Wimbledon would no longer be a successful commercial proposition. The public would not support a tournament in which there were second-rate players. The Association’s opinion is divided. /The'diehards throw up their hands with horror at the idea of any open championship at Wimbledon. Others see that “the writing is on the wall” and are prepared to how to tho inevitable.