TENNIS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 December 1924, Page 6

TENNIS.

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS. HEAVY COURTS. DETAILS OF THE MATCHES. , (£Y TISLEGBA.PH— ASSOCIATION. '. "V'/"' AUCKLAND, Dec. 27. Tlie f New Zealand lawn tennis championships were commenced at the Stanley Street courts to-day. Though the courts had made a good recovery from the ;raiii, 1 they werh very heavy when play started ’ and gave a treacherous footing, but under the influence of a drying wind the'surface improved during the-day .and the courts were much faster at the end of the day’s play. The afternoon kept fine-till’five o’clock, when a heavy shower, which had been threatening for some time, stopped play for .the day. The players in the afternoon had a deqide,d advantage over the competitors who had played on wet courts in . the morning,'and a fairly strong cross wind was also against the be.s.t of conditions. A large number of matches were played considering the delays caused by showers, and dll tlie first round matches in the men’s singles were completed. The matches were watched fiy several hundred interested spectators; ' Tlie first'day’s play did not produce any tennis of a startling character. The standard of play for the most part was .average,' while conditions were . against 'the players, particularly in the morning- ; Most pf tlie first round matches were .won easily, though there were two or five set struggles/In the inen’s .singles there were pb surprise victories. Tfie leading player's were not iropfiled in their prefiinihary games, and with Jew .exceptipns their best foi-jp was pot exhibited, and thus the championship ,}yinn.er.s are .still well',concealed!, As a result pf the system the more nromihent players in -the inen’s singles had comparatively easy matches, and nearly all tfie contests were won in three straight sets. Tfie match between; H, L. Hobson (Auckland) and 1., A. Seay ; (Canterbury) was played when the court was very dead. The -Auckland man won' a fairly good match by 7-5, fi-4, 6-4: Easy' wins were .secured by. two ;of the “seeded” men —E. L. Bartleet (Auckland) and A. W. Sims (West Coast). The present champion' (Sims) lost only one game in his three sets, though his opponent was weak-, and yhis second match was also easily won. Griffiths* (Auckland) and Dickie (Taranaki) had a long, strenuous contest, the feature of which was the steady driving by both players. The Aucklander started off well, and in the end his superior steadiness’ prevailed. ,

Quite a good,match was that between Gilmer (Canterbury) and Doidge (Auckland Ollivier’s well disguised Placed drives were very effective, and contributed largely to his win. One of the best games to watch during tlie morning was that between Peaeofek and )}. Glanvjlle (Christchurch). Both men played forceful and clever tennis, i and used a variety of strokes. Peacock, in particular, played an attractive driving game, and also covered the net in good style. Glanville made some pretty recoveries but Peacock was master of the play and showed form of a good all-round character. Smyth (Otago University) had a long struggfe with. A. C. .Johns (Eden and Epsom). Considerable interest was taken by i . spectators in the appearance of Lowry. (Hastings), who appeared in championship tennis for the first ■ time since his return from England, where: he played for .Cambrdge University. He levealed himself in his match against Turner (Eden and Epsom) as a bal’d .and accurate hitter, and some of hjs strokes were splendid. The courts .lyere very much faster in the afternoon, when Wallace (Taranak*) met Fhtwistle (Auckland). This was a close match, but Wallace was superior in allplay. Entwistle’s indiscriminate driving got him into trouble, and he .netted or outed many shots that he sohiiid hgve returned. Clark (Auckiand) made a spirited, game against France (Wellington), but the latter won in three sets. Melody (Wellington) had a five set struggle in defeating Robinson'(Parnell). The majority of the matches in the ladies singles were one-sided, and there were no unexpected results. The present champion (Miss M. Spiers, of Christchurch) had a bye. Mrs W. J. Melody (Wellington) beat Miss E. B. Nutting (Taranaki) with the loss of a single game, while Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) had an easy win-. JJ iss L, J- McLaren (Otago) and Miss N. MacCormick (Auckland) also won without difficulty. ' ■. T'he present girl champion, Miss D. M. Nicholls (Auckland), tlie ex-Wel-lington player, was defeated by Miss E. M. Ballaiityne (Otago), 2-6, 2-6 while Miss'N. Lloyd (New South Wales) had a comfortable' win'against Miss - D . M. Pagni (Auckland). One inen’s doubles match was played, resulting in a win for Lainpe and Wheeler (Wanganui) over Horne and Turner (Auckland). Great interest was taken in the ladies’ doubles between Miss M. Payton (Auckland) and Miss S. Clark (Hawke’s Bay) and Misses Sniers and Ferrier (Christchurch). It was a great struggle, and was won hy the former pair. Although they lost the first set they won the second at 12-10 and the ;. third at 6-2. A feature of the game was Miss Payton’s excellent piav, particularly at the net. ? Detailed results:— MEN’S SINGLES.

First .round—V. It. Johns (Auckland) beat F. W. Martin (Masterton), 6—4, 4 6, 6 3, 6—4; E. D. Andrews (Palmerston North) beat J. H W Sheppard (Canterbury), 6—2, 6—4 (Sheppard retired) ; D. G. France (Wellington) beat J. C. Charters (Whanga--6 1, 6- 3, 6—2; S. E. Jackson beat A. .Borrows (Canterbury), 6—l, 2—6, 5—3 (Borrows retired); E. M. Ohlson (Auckland) beat Et. H. Donovan (Wellington), 7—5, 6—3, .6—l; E. D. Bartleet (Auckland) beat J. Peat (Whangarei), 6 —l, 6—l, 6—4; W. A. Fotheriugham (Auckland) beat Q. E. B. Richardson (Auckland), 6—'', 6—2, 6—3, 6—4; A. W. Sims (West Coast) beat' It. E. McGregor (Auckland)’ 6—o, 6—l, 6—o; H. O. Rowlands (Auckland) beat L. T Donovan (Wellington), 6—3, 6—o, H. L. Robson (Auckland) beat E. A. Seay (Canterbury), 7—5, 6—4, 6—4; E. B ,W. Smyth (Otago) beat A. C. 'Johns (Auckland) 6—l, B—6, 6—l; E. W Wright (Waikato) beat B. :g. Waters (Pukekohe) 6—3, 6—2, 6—2; K. T. Laurenson (Matamata) beat C. J. Dickmere (Whangarei) 4—o, 5—7, 6—2, 6 —3; E. W. Griffiths (Auckland) beat C. J. Dickie (Taranaki) 6 —l, 9—7, 5 7, 6 —2 ; ,G. Barnett (Auckland) beat V. Pear.se/(Temuka), 6—•4, 3 —6, 6—4, 6 ; W. J. Melody (Wellington) beat F. A. Robinson (Auckland) 6—4, &—ll, 3—6, 6—4, B—6; C. C. Chalmers (Auckland) beat C. J. Hunter (Cambridge) 2—6, 7—9, 7—5, 6—3, 1.2—10. Second round.—G. Olliver (Canterbury) beat H. Doidge (Auckland) 6—2, 6—2, 7 —5; K. M. Lowry (Hastings) beat A. K. Turner (Auckland), 6—l, 6-M), 3 —6, 6 —4 ; J. C. Peacock' (Wellington) beat I>. Glanville (Canter-

bury) 6—3, 6—2, 6—l; R. McL. Ferkins (Wellington) beat O. K. Stevens (Pukekohe) B—6, 6—4, 7—5; A. L. France;(Wellington) beat T. E. Clark (Auckland) 7—5, I—6,1 —6, 6 —3, 10—8; Sinis'beat Rowlands, 6—2, 6—3, 6 —2. MEN’S DOUBLES. First round.—M. ''A. Lampe (Wanganui)' and A. H. Wheeler (Marten) beat W . A. Horne .and A. K. Turner (Auckland), 6—4, 6—2, 4—6, 6—4. LADIES’ SINGLES. First round. —Miss E. M. Ballantyne (Otago) ’ beat Miss D. M. Nicholls (Auckland) 6—2, 6—2; Mrs W. K. Melody (Wellington) beat Miss E. B. Nutting (Taranaki) .6—o, 6 —o; Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) beat Miss E. Miller (Auckland) 6—2, 6 —l; Miss M. Colebrook (Auckland beat Miss M. B. Campbell (Whangarei), .6 —2, 4—6, .6-7-4>’ .Miss J. McLaren (Otago) beat Miss M. B. Campbell (Whangarei), 6 —2, 6 —3; Miss N. Mac Cormack (Auckland) beat- Miss M. J. Aitken (Arata.pn) 6 —o, 6- —1; .Miss Marion Macfarlane (Auckland) beat MissJ. E. Ramsay (Auckland), 6—4, 6—3; Miss B. Cotterill (Canterbury) beat Miss L. Frankham (Auckland). 6 —l, 6 —2; Miss N. Lloyd (New South Wales) heat. Miss D. M. Pagni (Auckland) 6—l, 6—2; Miss A. M. Arneil (Whangarei) beat Miss M. Whitelaw (Auckland, 6 —l Q LADIES’ DOUBLES. ' First round.—Miss M. Payton (Auckland) arid Miss S. Clark (Hawke’s Bay) beat Miss M. Spiers and Miss Y. Ferrier (Canterbury), 9—ll, 12—10, 6 —.2; Mrs W. J. Melody (Wellington) and Miss J. McLafen (Otago) beat Miss M. Major and Miss M. E. Neilson (Auckland) 6—l, 6—l. . COMBINED DOUBLES. Second round.—V. R. Johns and Miss R. M. Knight (Auckland) beat J. O. Charters and Miss G. Good (Whangarei) 6—o, 6—l. TARANAKI TOURNAMENT, AUCKLAND MATCH. A his gathering of the cream of the dominion tennis players is certain to be : present at the tournament at New Plymouth on January .6. Additional entries to those already mention-: .ed jn the Star will be : (Pearce (T.e- , pinka), Hooper (Palmer’ston North), , jofins (Auckland); It will be noted that entries close with the secretary, ■ Box I,69,. Plymouth. <hi the Saturday following the tenrnamefit, ;January 10. the annual match Tarn.niki y. Apcklapd will take place. . Tfie teams wj<U consist of six men and . foilr ladies, and they play for a ’ .Ssfiield. The last two meetings resulted in a win"'tor Taranaki and- a loss by ai narrow margin, so that this year’s cop test will creat very keen interest. v