NATIONAL TENNIS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20164, 6 February 1940, Page 4

NATIONAL TENNIS

OPENING OF TOURNEY AUSTRALIANS COMPETE NO FIRST-DAY UPSETS INTERESTING MATCHES (Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, this day. With well over 80 entries, including five Australian players, the New Zealand centennial tennis championships; were opened at Miramar yesterday in fine, warm weather. The day's play provided no major upsets and the results proved more or less as expected, although many matches were closely contested. The courts are in splendid order, but were rather slow yesterday after rain. The Australians, who will arrive this morning, are J. Bromwich, J. H. Crawford, and Misses T. Coyne, N. Wynne and M. Hardcastle. Genera! opinion favours the Australians to contest every final, but with the cream of New Zealand talent available many interesting games should be seen before the championships conclude next Monday. The first clash between New Zealand players and the Australian champions will take place to-day. There should be a thrilling driving contest when Crawford, five times Australian champion, meets K. Dyer, the hardhitting Wellington player, whose strong serve is one of the features of hi? game. Bromwich, Australia’s No. 1, is to meet Renouf, of Victoria University College, Wellington, who in his play yesterday against the seasoned Sturt and France showed that he is capable of rising to great heights 'in the singles. He combines a strong physique with speed. His screw serve is a feature of his game. Miss M. Hardcastle will meet Miss J. Nicholls, Miss Wynne will play Miss R. Wilson, and Miss Coyne will meet Mrs. Adams. Youthful Players The most interesting singles match yesterday was that between the 17-year-old New Zealand junior champion, McKenzie, and Hawksworth, the Manawatu champion. Victory went to McKenzie, who was steadier than his harder-hitting opponent. With fast and beautifully controlled forehand drives, which caught McKenzie out of position, Hawksworth made a great recovery in the third set from 2 —5 to 6* —6, but he was unable to sustain his effort. Barnes, the Sydney Grammar School boy, aged 16, showed impressive form to defeat M. Ferkins. The Australian boy has all the strokes and plays with the confidence of a veteran. He revealed a strong service, and good ground strokes gave him openings at the net, where he executed cleanlyhit smashes and nicely-angled volleys for winners. Barnes is regarded as one of the most promising juniors in Australia and a potential Davis Cup player. Ferkins drove well and contested every point, but the free-hitting Australian was always master. The veteran Lampe did well to take a set from the hard-hitting New Zealand champion, Edwards, although the result of their match was never really in doubt. Brown, once he found touch, went on to beat Willis easily. Cant-Kelly Marathon Sturt had more or less of a practice game in his match against S. Hooper, and Pattinson, although he dropped a set, won with the same ease against Morrison. The match between Cant and Kelly was a marathon, 56 games being played before Cant emerged victor. An evenly-matched pair, they fought a baseline duel without ever rising to spectacular heights. A fairly small gallery got its first surprise when Pountney and Sharp beat a hard-hitting pair in Pearce and Hawksworth. Sturt and France found unexpected opposition at times in Renouf and Morrison, who took their more experienced opponents to four sets. Miss Armstrong made a valiant effort against the seeded Wellington player Miss Douthett in the second set only, being beaten at the eighteenth game. After winning the first set comfortably from Miss Kerr, 6—2, 'Mrs. Hatherley, nee Miss Irene Poole, lost touch in the second and went down. She made few mistakes, however, to take the deciding set, G—l. The Misses Beverley were in fine form against Mrs. Adams and Miss Howe, to whom they did not lose one game. Results:—

Men’s Singles

Second Round.—O. Bold (Canterbury) d. W. T. Pounlney (Auckland), 7—9, I—(i, 7—5, B—6, 6—4; R. Howe (Wellington) d. J. Foster (Wanganui), 6 —3, 6 —4, 6—2; R. G. Paltinson (Canterbury) d. N. A. Morrison (Wellington), 2—6, 6—4, 6—3, 6—2; C. F. Penfold (Canterbury) d. E. G. Hawthorne (Wellington), 6—o, B—6, 6—l; A. R. Cant (Canterbury) d. B. J. Kelly (Wellington), 6—B, B—6, 6—4, 10—8; R. Barnes (Australia) d. M. Ferkins (Wellington), 6—3, 4—G. 6—2, 6—2.

Men’s Doubles

First Round.—R. Barnes (Australia) and K. W. Dyer (Wellington) d. M. Ferkins and Dr. D. Patterson (Wellington), 6—l, 6—3, 6 —o; Bold and Willis d. Lampe and Falconer, 6—3, 6 —4, 6 —3; R. Ferkins and E. A. Roussell (Wellington) d. W. R. Hooper and S. S. Hooper (Manawatu), 6 —o. 6 —o, 6—4; Pountney and Sharpe d. Hawksworth and Pearce, 6 —3, B—6,8 —6, 6—3; France and Sturt d. F. H. Renouf (Wellington) and Morrison, 6—3, 6—B, B—6, 6—4.

Women’s Singles

First Round.—Miss Z. Castle (Wellington) d. Miss J. Wallace (Auckland), B—6, 4—6, 6—3; Miss P. Cooke (Auckland) d. Miss ,1. Bcban (Wellington), 6—4, 6 —o.

Women’s Doubles

First Round—Misses M. Attwood and F. E. Maclean (Wellington) d. Misses N. Chester and J. Nicholls (Wellington), B—6, 3—6, 6 —3; Misses N. and M. Beverley (Waikato) d. Miss llowe and Mrs. R. P. Adams (Wellington), 6—(i, 6 -0; Miss Castle and Mrs. H. Kennedy (Wellington) cl. Mesdamr/ R. 11. I\l ilburu and G. Cotterill (Hawke’s Bay), 6—o, 6—2; Misses Cooke and Douthett cl. Misses R. Wilson (Southland) and D. Miller! (Otago), 6—l, 6—3; Mesdames France and H. M. Dykes (Wellington) d. Misses Wallace and Glenny. 4—6. 6—4, 6—4.