LAWN TENNIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 218, 15 August 1931, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS

Papers received by. the last mail show lrow very nearly Austin succeeded in bringing the championship back to Britain. In the quarter-finals he met tho leading American player, Shields, and led lnm two sets to one and five games to four. He twice was at match point at this stage, and one of the shots which Shields brought off to save tire match landed within two inches of the baseline. Another few inches further and Austin would have been tho winner by three sets to one, and would probably have won the championship, for in the semi-final he would have met Borotra whom he lrad beaten the last time they met and whom he subsequently beat in the final of the Davis Cup. That would have brought him against Wood in the final, and judging by the result of their rubber in the inter-zone final of tire Davis Cup Austin would have won with considerable ease.

Perry, though he lias not the experience of Austin, is potentially a much better player, with better physique and much more powerful shots. The famous player, C. P. Dixon, who visited New Zealand with the last British team to win the Davis Cup, writes of Malfroy’s match with Wood: —“C. E. Malfroy A the New Zealand and Cambridge University player, showed what could be done by. aggressive methods when on Court 1 he went pretty close to ousting Sidney Wood. With a deadly kicking service he followed it up to the net and his crisp and deft volleying had the American harassed. It -was a minor edition of the match between F. T. Hunter and E. D. Andrews (also a New Zealander) played on the same court three years ago. Malfroy, however, did not quite do the trick, the score against him being 6—3, 10—12, 10—8, 6—4. In the third set, which he lost, Malfroy was several times within a point of securing it. As a match there was much that was brilliant interspersed with many glaring errors.” Another well-known authority, Mr H. 8. Scrivener, says:—“Wood is a player wlro seems to like indulging in the luxury of a let-up. He was all out in his match with tho Spanish ‘ace’ Muier, doubtless because it wouldn't have done at all not to be; but against Malfroy ho often played in quite a slip-shod manner and hardly seemed alive to the danger inherent in Mallroy’s net-storming tactics; that danger lay. in the fact that nothing he could do had the effect of putting Malfroy off them; he kept them up to the bitter end regardless of tiie twinges of cramp which hampered him in tne fourth set, and Wood won in the end mainly because ho had succeeded in running Malfroy off liis feet. I need not repeat the tale of the many set-points which each lost in tho course of the two long middle sets.” The great find of the tournament was the not yet nineteen-year-old girl, Miss Scriven who, though she won the Girl Chainjiionship in 1y29, had not in the meantime been heard of in tirstclass tennis. She beat in turn four internationals, namely, Mile. Sigart, the champion of Belgium, and the three British players, Misses Harvey, Heeley and Ridley. She is a left-hander with a match-fighting temperament, and is well equipped with all court strokes, her forehand drive being described as “devastating.” Miss Ridley had previously beaten all tire best known ladies in tho special trial tournament, and at Wimbledon had knocked out Miss Mudford,' who was second in last year’s British ranking. Evidently Miss Scriven will go far.

Another lady who enhanced her reputation was Miss Round, who did so well at the beginning of last season but failed to maintain her form. She has evidently recovered it and defeated the famous Senorita de Alvarez with considerable ease, eventually getting into the last eight. _ Competent critics think that she is more likely to bring the championship back to England than Miss Nuthall, who invariably fails at Wimbledon.

MANAWATU ASSOCIATION. REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES. Activities during the past season aro reviewed in the report to be presented by the chairman of tho management committee (Mr C. T. Salmon) at the annual meeting of the Manawatu Tennis Association, as follow: Manawatu Championships.—As usual, the association’£ open tournament was conducted in conjunction with tho Palmerston North Club on their courts at Linton Street, on 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th January and tho winners in the various events were as under: Men’s singles, A. C. Stedman; ladies’ singles, Miss D. Nicholls; men’s doubles, Wilson and Stedman; ladies’ doubles, Mrs Adams and Miss D. Nicholls; mixed doubles, Wilson and Miss D. Nicholls. Adverse weather conditions were encountered, but notwithstanding this fact, fairly large entries were again successfully dealt with by members of tho Palmerston North Club.

Manawatu Local Championships.—Disappointing entries were received in tho previous season for this event when conducted in conjunction with our open tournament. The management committee, therefore, held this season on the Northern Club’s courts on the 22nd and 24th January, a separate tournament specially organised for this event. Again in spite of adverse weather conditions, a very successful tournament resulted with record entries. The winners of the various events were as under: Men’s championship, Dr K. Salmond (Fcilding); ladies’ championship singles. Miss N. Astlo. (Palmerston North); ladies’ handicap singles, Miss D. Haggitt (Palmerston North); men’s handicap singles, Ist section, V. Rhodes; 2nd section, B. Jewell; mixed championship doubles, Hankin and _ Miss Carty. The thanks of this association aro due to those affiliated clubs who assisted in the catering etc., for both tho above tournaments. Matches: The association team consisting of Campbell, Spragge, Salmond, Boddy, Robertson. McDonald and Mrs Thomson, Misses Cummerficld, Litchfield, Haggitt, Astlo and Rutherford, was successful in defeating Wairarapa in a match for the Christie Cup played at Mastorton on February 21, by 18 rubbers, 38 sets, 305 games, to 6 rubbers, 19 6ets, 239 games. Tho team was, however, unsuccessful in retaining tho cup in a challenge match by the Wanganui Association, tho scores being 13 rubbers, 36 sets, 297 games to 11 rubbers. 31 sets, 287 games. In this match Brown and Hankin replaced Campbell and Boddy who were both suffering from arm injuries, while Miss Carty was includod in place of Miss Rutherford. Palmerston North Club v. Rost of Affiliated Clubs: With a view to providing the selectors with 'some indication as to the relative abilities of both the men and rvomen players in . tho district, two matches were staged. The ladies’ match was by the courtesy of the Feikling Club, played on their courts, while the men’s was staged on the Palmerston North Club’s courts. It is liopod that both these matches will continue to be annual fixtures. . , , , Ranking List: The selectors have’ submitted a ranking list which is furnished hereunder: —Mon: 1, Campbell; 2, Brown; 3, Spragge; 4, Boddy, Robertson and Salmond; 7, Hankin and McDonald; 9, Einam; 10, Hooper and Procter. Ladies: 1, Mrs McNair Thomson; 2, Miss Cummerfiold and Litchfield; 4, Miss Astle, Carty and Haggitt; 7, Mrs Beattie and Miss Rutherford; 8, Miss Walker; 9, Miss R. Wapp. General. — The association enters the new season with'a credit balance of £23 6s sd. The thanks of the association are due to Mr R. H. Spencer for his services as auditor; Messrs Salmon, Thompson and Gibbons for their services as delegates to the N.Z.L.T.A.; to Messrs Watson, Thompson and "McDonald" as selectors; to Mesdames .Haggitt and Salmon and their assistants . for , services rendered during tournaments; to tho

Press for full and accurate reporting of' matches; to Mr McMurray for the use of his premises for meetings of the management committee; to Mr Stannard and those members of the Northern Club who assisted in our local district tournament; to Mr 11. F. Gibbons and Dr. Salmond for supplying cars to convey the representative team to Masterton and to the many others, too numerous to particularise, who directly or indirectly, assisted the association during the pant season.