Men's Semi-Final In Auckland Tennis Championships

Northern Advocate, 28 January 1939, Page 10

Men's Semi-Final In Auckland Tennis Championships

{Special to "Northern Advocute’l

AUCKLAND, This Day. jgEDFORD took the first game in the

match against Gunn in the semifinals of the men’s singles, when the Auckland provincial tennis championships continued this afternoon, and then pulled away to lead 3—l before Gunn took the lead at 4—3.

Games went to 4—4, with the play fairly quiet, and Bedford took the next game to lead 5 —4. The following game went to Gunn, but Bedford, catching«»his opponent out of position on the sideline, took the lead at 6—5. Play went to down the centre exchanges, but Bedford was too tricky with angle shots, and won the first set 7 —5.

1 Gunn took the first two games in the second set, Bedford judging his distance badly. The. special feature was Bedford’s net play. He was following in on the right ball, and finishing off with a decisive angle smash. The second set went to Bedford 6—3, giving him two sets in hand, and at 2.25 o’clock he was 3—l up in the third set. Easy Win a Surprise.

In the minor matches, one of the surprises of the day was the defeat of W. T. Pountney, who partnered Miss N. Beverley to victory over J, W. Gunn and Miss M. Beverley in the senior mixed doubles yesterday, by A. S. Burns, the, New Zealand junior title-holder, in straight sets. In the intermediate girls’ singles, Miss M. Beverley, last year’s holder of the title, winner of the senior women’s singles for 1938 and winner also, with J. W. Gunn, of the 1938 mixed doubles title, had no difficulty in beating Miss W. Smith in two easy sets at 6—l, 6—l. j Results included:

Intermediate Boys’ Singles; quar-ter-finals.—B. Brown beat J. B. Smith, 6—B, 6—4, 6—2. Boys’ Junior Singles, quarter-finals. —F. G. Haddock beat T. H. Knowles, 6—4, 4—6, 7—5. Intermediate Girls’ Singles, qu'ar-ter-finals.—Miss M. Beverley beat Miss W. Smith, 6—l, 6—l; Miss B. Potter beat Miss R. C., Hodges, 6 —4, 6—2; Miss N. Symes beat Miss M. Hodges, 6—2, 6—l.