LAWN TENNIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 70, 22 February 1932, Page 2

LAWN TENNIS

MANAWATU BEAT WAIRARAPA. AN EASY~VICTORY. The Palmerston North Lawn Tennis Club’s courts at Linton Street were on Saturday the scene of the annual match between the Alanawatu and Wairarapa Lawn Tennis Associations. Manawatu were not considered to be as strong as last year when they won by 18 rubbers to sir, but on Saturday they inflicted the biggest defeat Wairarapa have yet experienced when they beat the challengers by 23 games to one. In every game except one—that between Salmond and Miss Rutherford and Miller and Miss Bradley in the mixed doubles —Manawatu were successful. In this game the Palmerston North pair were an exceptionally strong combination and it was only by the most excellent play that the visitors beat them in the last set. Play was of an exceptionally high standard despite the strong wind which prevailed, and in every instance the scores were inadequate as an indication of the merits of the respective teams. All the players gave sterling exhibitions and in many instances the wins were by only the narrowest of margins. It is interesting to note that in the men’s singles McDonald and Wellwood met as old opponents. They were first on the coVirt together at Hastings 17 years ago and have met regularly since then. Particularly fine play' was witnessed when Coombe and Salmond met Hodder and Wellwood to win by one point. At the conclusion of tho second set the scores were even and the last set was very keenly contested. The final game of the day—that between Miss Haggitt and Mrs Thomson and Mrs McMaster and Miss Graham—resolved itself into a good struggle. , ... The summary of games shows that in the men’s singles Manawatu won six and lost none; in the ladies’ singles won six and lost none; in the mixed doubles won five and lost one; in the men’s doubles won three and lost none; in the ladies’ doubles won three and lost none. The summary of wins, sets and games is as follows: - Manawatu: 23 wins; 47 sets; 329 games. _ Wairarapa: I win; 12 sets; 212 games. During an interval when rain necessitated tne postponement of play for a time, the viistors were entertained at lunch when, on behalf of the Manawatu Association, Dr, K. G. Salmond, extended to them a warm welcome and expressed appreciation that they had found it possible to pay the visit. He apologised for the unavoidable absence of Mr H. N. Watson. The detailed scores were as follow, Palmerston North players being mentioned first:

Men’s singles.—D. C. Coombe beat E. M. Hodder, 6—3, 6—3; K. G. Salmond beat F. Bush, I—o,1 —o, 6—4, 6—4; Robertson beat N. Miller, 6—2, 6—4; Boddy beat McLeod, fry-1, 7 —5; Blakeney beat H. M. Major, 6 —3, 6—4; McDonald beat E. B. Wellwood, 6—o, 9—7. . • Ladies’ singles.—Mrs Thomson beat Mrs R. H. McMaster, 6y-0, 6—3; Miss Rutherford beat Miss H. Graham 6 —1.3—6, 7—5; Miss N. Astle beat Miss N. M.' Fleming, 6—4, 6 —l; Miss Haggitt beat Miss It. Bradley, 6—4, 6—4; Mrs Beattie beat Miss M. Cameron, 6—4, 6—l; Miss Walker beat Miss B. Swainson, 6—4, 6—4. Men’s doubles. —Coombe and Salmond beat Hodder and Wellwood, 6 4 j 2 —6, 6—3 ; Robertson and Blakeney beat Bush and Major, 6—o, 46, 6—l; Boddy and McDonald beat Miller and McLeod, 6 —o, 6 —o. Ladies’ doubles. —Mrs Thomson and Miss Haggitt beat Mrs McMaster and Miss Graham, 6—4, 5—6, 6 —3 ; Miss Rutherford and Airs Beattie beat Misses Bradley and Cameron, 6 —o, 56, 7 —5; Alisses Astle and Walker beat Misses Fleming and Swainson, 6 4—6, 6—4. Mixed doubles.-^-Coombe and Mrs Thomson beat Hodder and Mrs McAlaster, 6—4, 6—3; Robertson and Airs Beattie beat Wellwood and’ Miss Graham, 6—4, 6—4; Salmond and Alias Rutherford lost to Aliller and Miss Bradley, 6—4, 5—6, 2—6; Blakeney and Miss Haggitt beat Bush and Miss Swainson, 6 —4, 3—6, 6—-4; AlcDonald and Aliss Astle beat Alajor and Aliss Cameron 2—6, 6—4, 6—4); Boddy and Miss Walker beat AlcLeod and Miss Fleming, 6 —5, 5 —6, 6 —o.

The result of the match against Wairarapa, a win by 23 rubbers to one, was a surprise to the warmest supporters of the Alanawatu team and augurs well for our prospects in the forthcoming match against Wanganui for the Christie Cup. The Alanawatu team -almost without exception were at the top of their form, but the match was by no means as one-sided as would appear from the score, for Manawatu were decidedly luckv and of eleven rubbers that went to the third set only lost one. The outstanding players were the two Alanawatu first strings. Of these Mrs Thomson was in better form than last season, and gave a glimpse of the form which at one time gave her third place in New Zealand. The young Feilding player, Coombe, who is only just twenty, has improved during the season and is still improving. He is easily the best player that Manawatu has had since the days of Buster Andrews. Playing Hodder, who had beaten him somewhat easily in the Alasterton tournament, he won in great style 6—3, 6—3. When Salmond, playing in second place against Bush, a promising young Pahiatua player, lost the first set at 6—l his cnances did not appear too rosy,. but he is a great sticker and just managed to pull off the next two sets.

The next three Alanawatu players had comfortable wins, but AlcDonald was up against Wellwood who last year beat him 2 —6, B—6,8 —6, 6 —2. History looked like repeating itself when, after winning the first set at 6 —o, he found himself at 5-all in the second. However, he stuck to his job and just got .home 9 —7, a very good performance for a veteran of many year’s standing. Airs Thomson gave a very pretty display of courtcraft in the top ladies’ rubber, having a strong player like Mrs AlcAlaster completely at her mercy throughout. In the second place Aliss Rutherford mot Aliss Graham, the baby of the Wairarapa team, and a capital game resulted, Aliss Rutherford just getting home in the third sot' at 7—5. Aliss Graham plays an attractive all-rountl game, and on the whole of the day’s play seems to be the best of the Wairarapa ladies.

Another interesting rubber was that between Aliss N. Astle and Aliss Fleming. When these two met last year the latter won 6 —5, 6 —2. She was considered to be playing better this year, but Miss Astle has made more improvement and reversed last year’s result by 6—4, 6—l. The remaining three Manawatu ladies won their rubbers with something .in hand. Two of the three men’s doubles went to three sets. In the top rubber the odds looked to be, in favour df Wairarapa when they had won the second set, but Salmond, who had hardly played his usual game up to this point, came to light in the third set

which Manawatu won easily. Coombe again played well, but no better than Hodder who is a great doubles player. Robertson and Blakeney were also taken to three sets by Bush and Major, but as they scored 16 games to their opponents’ 7 they were evidently much the stronger pair. Boddy and McDonald, playing well together, romped home without losing a game. The top ladies’ rubber, like the men’s, went to three sets and at one. time it looked as though Wairarapa would win. Miss Graham again played a great game. Both the other ladies’ doubles went to three sets, Manawatu just getting home in each case. Four of the mixed, doubles went to three sets and the surprise of the day was when Salmond and Miss Rutherford, who had easily won ait the Wanganui tournament last month and were only playing in third place, went down before Miller'and Aliss Bradley, both of whom were ranked below them in the singles. But such things frequently occur in mixed doubles in which the form is less reliable than in any other event. Considering the weather conditions, the courts were in very good order and though the Linton Street grounds are by no means picturesque there are very few courts in New Zealand which play better, especially after rain. They were a trifle slippery in the morning, but there was nothing to complain of after lunch except the strong wind, which, however, had the effect of drying the surface. The regrettable feature of the match was the utter want of preparations made by the Alanaivatu committee, the members of which in the morning were conspicuous by their absence, except one who was a player and therefore not in a position to manage the match. Not only had. the nets not been adjusted when play was due to begin, but there were no score-sheets provided, and the majority of the rubbers were played without umpires, a thing quite unknown elsewhere in inter-provincial matches at any sport. In this case, however, Mr H. Al. Boddington, the energetic lion, secretary of tho Wairarapa L.T.A., took complete charge even to the distribution of balls. But there is something wrong when such a want of management is shown.—Contributed. GLEN OROUA v. KAIRANGA. A very pleasant afternoon was spent at the Kairanga tennis courts on Saturday when a visiting team from Glen Oroua tried conclusions with the local players. The result was a win for Kairanga by 10 sets, 89 games, to nine sets, o 7 games. As the detailed results show, there were many closelycontested sets. A return match will be played at Glen Oroua next Saturday. Detailed results are as follow, Glen Oroua players being mentioned first: Ladies’ doubles. —Aliss Hobbs and Airs Prebble beat Alisses Alartin and Green, 6—l; Misses Prebble and Wheeler beat Misses O. Green and Eglinton, 6 —4. Men’s doubles. —N. Prebble and R. Prebble lost to L. Lancaster and W. Cook, 5—6; S. Parlane and L. Ihle‘ lost to G. Davey and I. Davey, 3—6; H. Prebble and D. Saunders beat 0. Collis and H. Turner, 6—3. Mixed doubles. —Aliss Hobbs and Prebble lost to Aliss Alartin and Lancaster I—6;1 —6; Airs Prebble and R. Prebble lost to Aliss Green and Cook, 5 6; Miss Prebble and Parlane beat Aliss O. Green and Davey, 6 —3; Miss Wheeler and Ihle beat Aliss J. Eglinton and I. Davey, 6—5. Ladies’ singles.—Aliss Hobbs lost to Miss Alartin, 5 —6; Airs Prebble beat Aliss Green, 6—5; Aliss Prebble beat Aliss O. Green, Miss Wheeler lost to Aliss J. Eglinton, 4—6. Alen’s singles.—N. Prebble beat L Lancaster, I—6;1 —6; R. Prebble lost to W. Cook, 3 —6; S. Parlane lost to D. Davey, I—6; L. Ihle lost to I. Dnvev, 3—6; H. Prebble beat 0. Collis, 6—3; D. Saunders lost to H. Turner, 3—6. TEST IN AUSTRALIA. JAPANESE PLAYERS BEATEN. SYDNEY, Feb. 21. The third tennis Test was concluded in hot weather, which affected the Japanese visitors, who went down by 10 rubbers to two. The results of yesterday’s play were: Singles.—Hopman beat Satoh, 6—o, 6 ; Crawford beat Harada, 3—6, B—6,8 —6, 6 —3; Sproule beat Nunoi, 7—5, 6—3. Doubles. —Crawford and Hopman beat Harada and Satoh, 6 —4, 6—4. Australia has won two out of the three Tests played. In . the first Test in Alelbourne Japan won by seven rubbers to five. In the second Test in Adelaide, Australia won by. seven rubbers to five. DAVIS CUP TRIALS. SYDNEY, Feb. 21. In a Davis Cup trial match, Turnbull (South. Australia) beat McGrath (New South Wales), 3—6, 6 —2, 7—5. The Autralian Tennis Council will decide on Tuesday whetlrer a team will be sent to contest the Davis Cup in the American zone. If the decision is favourable the personnel of the team will be announced immediately.