CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 January 1929, Page 8

CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS.

FOUR LEFT IN ME NS SINGLES.

MISSES SPEIRS AND MAC PAHLANE TO CONTEST LADIES’ PINAL.

Bartleet (bolder), ' Laurensqfn, Malfroy and France are left to fight for the men’s singles tennis championship of New Zealand as the result of yesterday’s play. The present lady champion. Miss Speirs Canterbury) went through to the final in the ladies’ singles, and should have no difficulty in holding the title against Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland). .The doubles events produced no surprises, although /there were home stem battles. YESTERDAY’S PLAY. AUCKLAND, Last : Night. The New Zealand tennis championships were continued to-day in fine weather though a few showers fell in the middle of the afternoon. , A large crowd watched the interesting and exciting matches. Playing a strong accurai e game, Bartlcet proved too good for Angas, who was inconsistent, mixing brilliant shots with bad ones.

Sturt started off promisingly against Malfroy, who, however, mane fewer errors and compelled his opponent to fight for every point. In the semi finals of the ladies’ singles, Miss Marjorie Macfarlane beat Mrs Adams by persistently attacking her back hand.

Miss Speirs played at the tep of her form against Miss I'racy, the chain, pion’a driving being too much for the Wellington player.

Glanville played very well against France who concentrated on steadiness and cuts chops. The, Canterbury player frequently worked his opponent out of position, but them in his anxiety to finish the rally by placing the ball out of reach, hit just over the side lines.

Wonderful steadiness and the retrieving of shots which against any other player in New Zealand would have won . outright, carried Laurenson through against Stedman in a close four-set match, Stedman played spectacular tenuis and deserves great credit for his fine performance against, the hardest player to defeat in the country. With a lead of two sets to one, Laurenson had to fight every inch of the way in the fourth.

Charters and Stodman fully earned the applause which greeted their stand against Laurcnson and Bartleet, holders of the doubles title. Charters in particular gave a very fine display. In the end tlid greater experience of the holders told, but they could at no time afford to let up. Men’s Singles,

Third round: E. Bartleet (Auckland) boat P. Jones (Maori), 6 —o, (j—2, 6 —o; Angas (Canterbury) beat Gregory (Auckland), 6—o, (5 —-0, 0 —0; Btedman (Auckland) beat Lampc (Wanganui). 6—3, 6—l, 6—l; Malfroy (Wellington) beat Rhodes Williams (Wellington), 10 —8, 6 —l, 6—l ; Sturt (Auckland) beat Lowry (Hawke’s Bay), 6—2, 6—2, 6—o; A. L. France (Wellington) beat' Watson (OtagOi), 6—l, 6 —l, 6 —2; Glanville (Canterbury) beat Martin (Auckland), 6 —3, B—6,8 —6, 6—2; Laurcnson (Waikato) beat Entwistlc (Auckland), 6—2, 6—4, 6—-8, 6—2. Fourth round: Bartleet beat Angas 6—4, 6—3, B—6; Malfroy beat Sturt 6—3 6—3, 10—8; France beat Gianville 6—2, 9—7, 6—o; Laurcnson boat Stedman 6 —l, 6—l, 2—6, 10 —8. Ladies' Singles. Third round; Miss Marjorie MacFariane (Auckland) beat Miss Gibson (South Canterbury). 6—2; Mrs. Adams (Wellington) beat Miss Myers (Wanganui) ,7 —5, 7 —5; Miss Speirs (Canterbury) beat Miss M. Nicholls (Wellington), 6—4, 6 —l; Miss Tracy (Wellington) beat Mrs. Melody (Wellington), 6—o, 7—5. Semi finals: Miss Marjorie Macfarlane? beat Mrs Adams 9 —7, 6 —l; Miss Speirs beat Miss Tracy 6—3; 6—3. Men’s Doubles.

Second round: Johns and Morrison (Auckland) beat Lampc (Wanganui) and Williams (Wellington), 6—2, 7 —5, I—6, 6—o. Third round; France and Angas beat Turner and Turner (Auckland), 6—l, 6 i t e—ij Charters and Stcdman boat Glanvillc and Lowry, 6—l, 6 —3, 6—l; Bartleet and Laurenson beat A. C. Jones and Morrison (Auckland), 6 —4, 6—S, 6—4, 6—2. Semi finals: Franco and Angas beat Sturt and Malfroy 4 — 6, 12 — 10, 6 — 4; Bartleet and Laurenson beat Charters and Stedman 5—7, 6—4, 6—2, 6—2. Ladies’ Doubles. First round: Misses Nicholia and Howe (Wellington) boat Misses Miller (Auckland), 6 —3, 7 —5. Second round: Misses Speirs and Wake (Canterbury) beati Misses Nicholls and Howe, 6—4, 2—G, S —G; Mrs. Melody and Miss Myers beat Misses Andrew and Gibson, 6 —l, G —l; Mrs. Adams and Miss Tracey (Wellington) boat Mrs. Arneil and Miss Ramsay, 6—l, 6—l. ’ \ Semi finals; Misses Speirs and Wake beat Mrs Melody and Miss' Myers G—4, 6—3; Mrs Adams and Miss Tracy beat Misses Marjorie and Marion Macfarlunc 6 —l, 5 —7, ,6 —4. Combined Doubles.

First round: Miss Andrew and FerItins won from Miss D. Miller and V. li. Johns by default; Mrs. Jones and Jones won from Miss P. Miller and A. C. Johns by default; Miss Nicholls and Sturt (Auckland) w'on from Mrs. Napier and Coster by default; Mrs. Melody and Melody beat Mrs. Shroff (Auckland) and Charters (Whangaroi), 7 —5, 6—o; Miss Myers and I.nmpo beat Miss Whitelaw and Turner, (3—2. (f-— 3; Alisa Marion Mae.Parlanc and Lowry beat Miss Potter and Lamb, 7—5, 6—3; Miss Tracy and.Malfroy beat Miss Newton and Turner (Maori), 6 —o, 6—o. Second round: Miss Marjorie MacFarlane and Mclntosh beat Miss Howe and Griffiths (xluckland), 7 —5, 7—5; Miss Nicholls and Sturt won from Mrs. H. Jones and J. D. Jones by default; Mrs. Adams and France boat Mrs. Scott-Watson and Stedman, 7 —5, Miss Myers and Lampe (Wanganui) beat Mrs. Robson and Ohlson, Grr-2, 6 —3; Miss Speirs and Angas boat Miss Andrew and Forkins, 5—7, 6— 2, 6—3; Miss Tracy and Malfroy beat Mrs. Mol-

ociy and Melody, 6 —3, 0 —I; Miss Wako end Glanvillo beat Miss Rukutai and H. P, Jones, U —2, 7 —5; Miss Ramsay and Morrison beat Miss Marion MacParlane (Auckland) and Lowry, o—2,0 — 2, 6—2. Third round: Miss Wake and Gianvillc won from Miss Marjorie Macfarlane and Macintosh by default; Mi.sS Myers and Lampe beat Mrs Adams.and France 6 — i, 7—5; Miss Tracy and Malfroy beat Miss Nicholls and Sturt 6—2, 6—o; Miss Speirs and Angas beat Miss Ramsay and Morrison 6— i, y _g q ’ How They Played.

Spectacular and exciting tennis wan revealed on Monday when the third day’s play of the New Zealand championship tournament took place. .The weather was perfect.' The troublesome wind had slackened, the sun shone and the courts for the first time were reasonably dry. In the ladies’ singles Miss Myers (Wanganui) nearly caused an upset when she led Mrs. Adams 5—2 and 40 —0 in the first set only to lose 5: —7. She carried the second to advantage, saving the match point throe times before she lost.

The Christchurch pair, Misses Speirs and Wake, had a narrow escape, from defeat at the hands of Misses Nicholls and Howe (Wellington). Laurenson and Bartlcet were the only pair,to meet with trouble in the men’s doubles. They had a good margin of superiority after the second .-ft which they lost. A feature of the morning’s play was Steelman’s splendid display against Lampe (Wanganui) whom he defeated in straight sets with great driving, Lampe started well but found ihe not position untenable against n stream of accurately placed drives sent" over. Forced back from the net ho had -no chance and the best he could dp was one game in each of the .second and third sets. Stedman has never played better and this performance carries Idm into the front rank of New Zealand tennis.

As in her match with Airs. Shroff, Miss Speirs, the title holder, started badly against Miss Nicholls, v, ho with well-executed shots, gained a 4 —2 lead. The champion then improved, and getting her drives going took the next four games for the set. In the second set. despite a pdneky fight by Miss Nicholls, Miss Speirs hit the balls hard to the corners and won almost as she liked. It was Miss Speirs* bast display in Auckland.

Miss Marjorie MacParlane displayed good form against Miss Gibson and lost only three games.

Considerable interest was shown m the match between Mrs. Adams and Miss Myers, which was closely contested and was productive of line tennis. Using her more powerful service to advantage and attacking her opponent’s backhand, Miss Myers led 5—2 . and 40—love in the first set, but Mrs. Adams then won the nest five games and the set with .fast drives down the sidelines and pretty crosscourt shots. There were some great rallies in the second set, deuce being frequently called in . prolonged games. Mrs, Adams finished the match with a display of fine shots which Miss Myers was unable to handle. The doubles between Bartlcct and Laurcnson and Johns and Morrison provided many spectacular rallies. Laurenson’S brilliant overhead work delighted the spectators. Bartleet played sound tennis, occasionally opening out with brilliant services or forehand driving. One of the best-contested ladies’ doubles of the tournament was played between Misses Howe and Nicholls (Wellington) and Misses Speirs and Wako (Christchurch). The Canterbury pair won, but they were behind .1 —4 in the first set. .They lost the second and were carried to a close advantage set in the third. Miss Howe excelled herself throughout with her steadiness? In some of the rallies the ball must have crossed the net 30 and 40 times.-