R. W. Smith Beats Bth Seeded Player

Northern Advocate, 8 January 1948, Page 4

R. W. Smith Beats Bth Seeded Player

TENNIS

AUCKLAND. Thu. (Sp.)—The greatest surprise in the New Zealand tennis championships yesterday was the defeat of the eighth seeded player. N. F. N. Bedford, by R. W. Smith, formerly of Northland. Smith won because of his application to a slow game, the one type for which Bedford’s sharp and fluent strokes were not adjusted. Bedford scored winners with ground shots off the forehand and volleys off the backhand and sometimes he hit smashes which bounded fierily into the stop netting. These were good strokes; but so too were the half-court backhands and the angled volleys which Smith kept on playing from start to finish. There was little pace on them and they were as unspectacular as they looked. But they were directed at two Bedford weaknesses —his need of pace to manufacture pace and his impatience with rallies played with extreme steadiness. Smith’s in fact, was both a playing and a psychological triumph. Play today did not commence until 12.30 pm MEN’S SINGLES Quarter-Finals

R. W. Smith (Auckland) beat N. F. N. Bedford (Auckland), o—4, 4—6. 6—4. 2 —G, G—4.

MEN’S DOUBLES

Fourth Round.—jßobson (Otago) and Bold (Hutt Valley) beat Hamilton and Nicholls (Wellington), U —l. 6—3, G—2; Barry and Bedford (Auckland) beat Matuschka and L. P. Roach (Waikato), G—4, 6—2, 6—4; Pattinson (Canterbury) and Angas (Wellington) beat Chalmers and Price (Auckland), 6—o, 6 —3, 6 —2; McKenzie and Painter (Wellington) boat Burns and Pountncy (Auckland), 6 —3. G—2, 6—2.

WOMEN’S DOUBLES Second Round. Misses J. Hansen and Z. Swanson (Auckland) beat Misses H. Redwood and V. Johnson (Auckland). G—2. 6—2; Misses M. Beverley (Waikato) and B. Potter (Auckland i beat Misses R. and M. Hodges (Auckland), 6—2, G—4. COMBINED DOUBLES Second Round.— Barry and Miss Attwood (Auckland) beat Burns and Miss R. Hodges (Auckland), 6—3, 9—7. Third Round.—Bold (Hutt Valley) and Miss Potter (Auckland) beat Gunn (Auckland) and Miss Beverley (Waikato). 6—4, 64; Painter and Mrs Painter (Wellington) beat O’Connor and Miss Walker (Wellington), 6—3, 6—3. MEN’S PLATE First Round.—O. Satchel! (Auckland) beat A. H. Gaskin (Wellington), 6—4, G—3; R. G. Pattinson (Canterbury) beat F. Haddock (Auckland). 6—l, 7—5; L. M. Roach (Waikato) beat P. Nicholls (Wellington). 2—G, 6—t), G—4; N. Bowden (Auckland) beat H. M. Bonner (Nelson), B—6. 7—5; C. Angas (Wellington) beat W. S. Huckstep (Auckland i, 6—l, 6 —2; B. Souter (Auckland) beat P. Becroft (Auckland), 7—5, G—o; N. H. Dudding (Hutt Valley) beat J. Shrubsalt (Auckland), 79, 6—2. 6—3; R. Coldliam (Auckland) beat G. Simpson (Waikato), G—o, 6—4; A. Tills (Auckland) beat M. Otway (Auckland), 4—(i, 6—3, G —l; R. Lee's (Auckland) beat C. J. Roberts (Auckland). 7—5, G—l; T. Childs (Auckland) beat N. A. •Stagg (Hutt Valley), 6—4. 4—6. 11—9; B. O'Connor (Wellington) beat P. E. Dempsey (Auckland). 6— 2, 6—4; K. W. Dyer (Auckland) beat C. H. Bowen (Auckland), B—6, 6—4; J. W. Best (Nelson) beat E. W. Roberts (Nelson). 7—5, 6—2; A. J. Seeley (Auckland) beat M. J. Fleming (Wanganui). 4—6, 6—4, 6—3; I. Boston (Waikato) won by default from G. L. Wright (Auckland). WOMEN'S PLATE

First Round.—Miss li. Redwood (Auckland) beat Miss P. Drawer (Auckland), 6—3, 6 —3; Miss M. Spackman (Otago) beat Miss M. Macfarlane (Auckland), 6—2. 6—4; Miss V. Johnson (Auckland i beat Miss M. Hodges (Auckland), 6 —o, I—6. 6—3.

Second Round.—Miss J. McL. Wallace (Auckland) beat Miss Z. Swanson (Auckland), 6—2, 6 —2.