JUNIOR TOURNAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 46, 23 January 1939, Page 2

JUNIOR TOURNAMENT.

TITLES DECIDED. Per Press Association. WANGANUI. Jan. 21. With the inclusion of one Nortli Auckland boy Auckland players won all five titles at the junior tennis championships, which concluded yesterday in perfect weather. Results : —■ GIRLS’ SINGLES. Semi-final.—B. Potter beat J. AAallaee, 3—6, 6—2, 6—3. Final.—Potter beat D. Elsom (Canterbury), 6—L 6—2. BOYS’ SINGLES. Final.—A. Burns (Auckland) beat R. McKenzie (Wellington), 6—o, 6—o. BOYS’ DOUBLES. Final.—A. Burns (Auckland) and J. Smith (North Auckland) beat I. Thomson and H. Johnston (Waikato), 6—L 6-2. AIIXED DOUBLES. Quartor-fiiial.—A. Burns and At. Hodges beat J. AValker and E. Gilinour, 6—4, 5—6, 7—5. Semi-final.—R. Haddock and Betty Potter beat Barton and Elsom, 6— 4, 6—4 ;A. Burns and Alarion Hodges beat J. Smith and AVinnie Smith, 6—3. 6-4. Final.—Burns and Hodges heat Haddock (AVaiknto) and Poller (Auckland), 6—2, 6—l. GIRLS’ DOUBLES. Semi-final.— I). Elsom and E. Fleetwood (Canterbury) beat AA r . Smith (North Auckland) and J. AA allace (Auckland), 4—(5, 6—2, 6—4. Final.—M. and R. Hodges (Auckland) bent D. Elsom and F. Fleetwood (Canterbury)), B—6, 6—4. BOYS’ PLATE. Final.—l). Dunn (AYelliiigtoii) beat J. Smith (North Auckland), 9—7. GIRLS’ PLATE. Final.— D. Dickie (Taranaki) beat J. Ludlow (Wellington) 9—7.

THE 31 AN AAV AT U PLAYERS. . Alanawatu was represented by nine players at the New Zealand junior teunis championships. The two outstanding repie optatives were Alan Johns and Aliss O. Jacobs, although the other members justified themselves when compared with others in the tournament. The main attention of the public was directed to matches in which Miss B. Potter and A. Burns (Auckland), Alan Johns (Alanawatu) and B. Kelly (AA’ellington) were concerned.

Aliss Potter was clearly supreme among the ladies in the singles, although she and Aliss Symes were beaten by Alisses Smith and Wallace in the doubles, 5—6, 6—o, 6—3. It is interesting to note that the Alanawatu girls, Misses Jacobs and Spnekman, very nearly defeated this pair in their match, the score being 5—6, 6—4, 7—5. In this match Aliss Jacobs proved the most consistent player of the four, and was well up to the standard of tile very best girl doubles players at tho tournament.

Although Alan Johns was not in the finals, lie played fine tennis in most of his games. He and Miss It. Hodges

(Auckland) were beaten in the third round by Aliss Xicholls and Kelly (AA’ellington). Aliss Nieholls was in outstanding form, hut Aliss Hodges suffered from lapses. Johns was the outstanding player of the four. his volleying and smashing being superb, but the Wellington players won because they managed to keep the hall away from him, concentrating on Aliss Hodges. With a strong partner Johns could ably represent a New Zealand junior team in mixed doubles and men’s doubles. He has all the strokes, and after watching the play one would place him only second to Burns as regards general all-round play in the three sections, and this in spite of his defeat in the Alanawatu tournament bv Kelly, whose play in AA anganui, although excellent mostly, had serious lapses, chicflv with side line shots. J. Mullins' (Alanawatu) and Aliss AA’ailace (Auckland) put up a good game against Haddock and Aliss Potter (Auckland), the first set going to 6—5, while they took the second set by 6—l. Mullins served quite a number of aces and bis smashing was most consistent and severe. H. Reid and Aliss H. S’pitli (Alanawatu) scored a fine 'yin in their match against two provincial junior champions in Free and jYliss Symes, the the latter being the well-known Auckland plaver, who entered the semifinal of the championship singles. Aliss Smith (AVoodville) was .very steady and Reid volleyed excellently and surprised by well-judged lobbing at critical moments. The Alanawatu pair clinched this match by tho score of 6—l in the final set. Blinkhom and Bunning (Alanawatu) heat P. Smith and Hoare, 6—3, B—6, in the second round of the doubles. Both pi avers came to the net on attack and' volleyed and smashed with it all in all, much good should come to the local juniors who competed, and tho association should gain l>v their experience. ’The conduct of the tournament was excellent throughout.