LAWN TENNIS NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 48, 25 January 1939, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS NOTES

The district tournament is now' well advanced and, given favourable weather, should be finalised next Saturday. The entry for the. men’s championship was on the whole better than usual, but that for the ladies’ title was disappointing both in quantity and quality. Last year’s winner, Mrs J. H. McDonald, was an ex-champion of Canterbury and had been high in the New Zealand ranking list; the previous year’s winner. Mrs R. P. Adams, was an ex-champion of New Zealand (though a good many years ago); while Mrs A. Waldin. several times champion of both Palmerston North and Fcilding clubs, came before them. Mrs Hobin, who was playing so well at the enil of last season, was confidently expected to have an easy win, hut site is apparently short of practice just now and did not show anything like her host form. The unexpected winner, Mrs Clark, quite deserved her success on the days play. Site is a left-hander with a very unorthodox style, playing her shots with a very high trajectory and with a cut on both wings, hut with very little speed. She plays entirely at the hack of the court and relics on keeping Iter opponent on the baseline, too. Her placing ks good and she is quick on her feet. It. will he easier to judge her form in the match against A\ airarapa on February II in which, as Mnnawatu champion, she will, of course, be included in the Manawatu team. The form in the men’s open singles worked out very accurately. and, provided that Hobin heats J. Cope in the only quarter-final not yet played the four top Manawatu representatives will bo those left in the semifinals. But it is hv no means certain that Hobin will heat Cope, who has been playing well throughout flic tournament, though he has had rather a favourable draw. Last year, though Hobin was the P.N.L.T.C. champion. Cope beat him three times in four meetings, and at one time heat C.hisholin for top place in the club ladder. Ho also made a great show against Roddy in an inter-club match, and for two sets there was nothing to choose between them. Livingstone, last year’s champion, is not quite at the top of his form vet and lost the first set against I>. 'O’Brien. Boddy only just won his second set 7—5 tjvom Cowley, but so far has not lost a set. He is, as usual, very fit, hut has slight arm trouble. Chisholm was hard pressed in the first set of his match against Sbecrin, who led hint 4—2, but after that he had matters all his own way. lie had a much harder match against Christie, who played verv well and was only beaten 7—5, B—6* Hobin has had an easier draw than his next opponent J. Cope, and has not lost a set. The men’s doubles included a number of strong pairs and the match in the third round, Hobin and AlcM array against Chapman •ami O’Brien, was, at any rate I rout a spectator's view, the best match of any kind in the tournament. I here were long and brilliant volleying, rallies, interspersed with good Jobbing and smashing, and the issue in this keenly contested match was in doubt till Hobin and McMiirrav just got home 9—7 in the third set. All four players were in great, form and it would he invidious to say that any one was better than the others. Airs Anderson and Miss Haggitt, both ex-champions of the P.N.L.T.C. and successful representatives in many representative matches, played up to form to win the women’s handicap doubles from the hack mark. The Misses Robson, of Feildmg, played with good understanding and and at scratch did well to heat Airs Hobin and ATiss Kirk, who owed fifteen in the semi-finals. Allen Johns, our sixteen-year-old hoy who did so well in the open tournament, played well though without muclt suoeess in the New Zealand junior championships, and seems to ho making a fairly good show at the North Island championship meeting.