TENNIS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 December 1927, Page 10

TENNIS.

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS

LEADERS FOR THE TITLE.

(.Hl' TKtiEGHAPII PRESS ASSOCIATION. ) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 27.

The New Zealand tennis championships were continued in perfect weather witli a light easterly wind. _ The first round matches in the men's doubles were played in the morning, and the third round of tne .men’s singles and tiie second round of the ladies’ singles in the afternoon.

All contests were adjourned for an hour between one and two o’clock as a mark of respect to the memory of K. D. Harman, for many years a prominent tennis officer and ex-player. As a. result of the third round matches the following eight players are left in the men's singles championships: Bartleet, Sturt and Laurenson (Auckland), Ollivier and Seay (Canterbury), L. France. D. France and Mulfroy (Wellington). In the next round. Ollivier plays Don France, Sturt plays Seay, Bartleet plays Malfroy, and Len France plays Laurenson. 'it is expected that Ollivier and Seay will contest the semifinal in the top half, and that Bartleet should meet Laurenson in the other semi-final.

Malfroy is suffering from a bad arm, and .may scratch.

In the doubles the Loughnan brothers played brilliant tennis against McDougall and Sumpter. They forced the place and outclassed the Otago pair at the start, though the third set went to 10—S, Sumpter being deadly for a period overhead. Pearse and Melody had' a gruelling five-set match against Field and Denton. Pearse was back in form and very steady.

Wallace and Parker made it fast and exciting against Aitken and Browning, and the tennis was spectacular right thiough, though the northern t>air dominated the fourth set. Bartleet so far has not had a severe test, and it- is hard to predict how ho will fare against Laurenson.. Some critics believe he will win easily, hut will go down to Ollivier in the final. Len France, however, has- to be reckoned with in this half. It must be remembered that Laurenson is rapidly playing himself into form. His defeat- Of T. W. Patterson. South Island champion, was impressive.

No .surprises occurred in the ladies’ singles second round. The next round sees Miss Spiers play Miss Tracy, Miss MacFarlane plays Miss Pattison, Mrs. Adams (present champion) plays Mrs. Melodv, and Miss Knight- plays Miss Wake.'

On present- form Misses Spiers and MacFarlane. Mns. Adams and Miss Wake should enter the semi-finals. Miss Spiers is generally regarded as a certainty for championship honours. The second round of the men’s doubles was interesting. France and France, Laurenson and Bartleet, Peacock and Wilson, and Ollivier and Seay are all showing fine form. The winners should come from them.

HAWF.R A TOURNAMENT. CONCLUDING ROUNDS REACHED. LAST TWO DAYS OF PLAY. I The Haw-era- Tennis Club’s open tournament was continued to-day, when several of the finals in the different divisions were deoided, the concluding rounds in all events- being approached leaving but a few matches to be played to-morrow. Yesterday’s matches were productive of high-class tennis and several sin-prise will® were recorded. The players continue to be most enthusiastic. and the finals played to-day were keenly contested, drawing considerable attention. The final of the boys’ singles championship between J. J. McCarthy (Hawera) and M. S. Mitchell (Napier) was a game characterised by long drives and rallies. Mitchell is junior champion of Hawke’s Bay, and J. J. McCarthy ex-junior champion at- St. Patrick's College. The fact that McCarthy defeated his opponent in such a decisive manner speaks well for the future of tennis in South Taranaki. O’Brien did not have much trouble in disposing of H. Wills in the final of the men’s singles, his good placing being the main factor. In the final- •'>f the ladies’ singles, Mis« Powdrell (Whakatano) heat Miss E. B. Nutting (Inglewood), the winner m-oving to lip altogether too steady for her opponent. CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS. Men’s Singtas. Third round : Findlay beat Leeee, 6 —o, 3G. 7— 5; Collins beat Udy, 6—2, 4 6—4. Fourth round: Powdrell heat Collins. 6—4. 6—l; H. Wills beat Hine 6—3, 6 —4; Barkman beat Wills. 2—6, 6—4, 6—3. Final: O’Brien (Wellington) beat H. Wills (Haiwera). 6—l, 6—i. Ladies’ Singles. Third round: -Miss Cave beat Moss Dn.ist, 6 —4, 6—2; Miss Pease beat Miss Wyltls 6 —3. 6 —o; Miss Powdrell beat Mrs Budge 6—3, 6 —o. Semi-finals: Miss Nutting beat Miss Cave, 6 —5, 6—2; Miss Powdrell beat

Mi-s Pease 4—6, 6—4, 6—o. Final : Miss Powd re'll (Wbakatune heat Miss R B. Nutting (Inglewood). 61, 6—2. Hoys’ Singles. Semi-finals : Mitchell (beat A. Dickie, 6—3, 6—3. Final : McCarthy bent Mitc-liell, 6—3, 3—6, 6—2. Men’s Doubles. Third romul: Torrens and G. Wiilhs beat Mitchell and Richards, 6—2, 7—6; Jones and H. Wills beiat Hawken am: Pease, 6—2, 6—2; O’Brien and Collins beat Christie and Smith, 6—l, (>—2. * Semi-finals : Dowd re II and Barkman heat Torrens and Wills 6—2, 6—l. Ladies’ Doubles. j Third round: Misses Hemingway and I Taylor beat Masses Hi. and D. Ha,when, ■ 6—3, 6—2. Semi-finals : Mrs Burkinan and Miss Powdrell beat- Misses Hemingway and Taylor, 6—3, 6—l. Combined Doubles. Second round : Collins and Mrs Collins beat Torrens .and JVlliss Taylor. 6—3, 7—5; Oemanee' and Miss D. Trike:- beat Jones and Mrs Jones, 5—7, 6—l. 6—3, Third; round: G. Wills and Miss Wills won from Richards’ and M.bis Baker bv default; Pease and Miss Nutting 'beat2plem.ari.ee and Mis® Bake: 6—3, B—6. HANDICAP EVENTS. Men’® Singles (A. Gnade). Third round : Wyllie (12) beat Leere (14), 70—16; G. Wills (-3) beat Mitchell (sor), 76—74: O’Brien (-20) beat Lambi© (14), 70—66.