LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19859, 1 February 1928, Page 16

LAWN TENNIS.

AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS REVIEW OF THE TOURNAMENT KNOTT SHOWS FINE FORM. Bir SIDE-LINE. There has been some play in the Auckland provincial lawn tenni3 championships, which concluded on Monday. The standard of play in the men's events was well up to that of previous years and all four semi-finalists thoroughly earned their positions. The Bartieet-Laurenson match was roost interesting to any who knew how to watch tennis. Bartleet played very and his driving at times was magnificent, scoring placements with Laurenson yards away and unable to get near the ball. Laurenson's play was also very fine. Most impressive was the way in which he neutralised Bartieat's best strokes. No service of the latter, no advance to the net and succeeding volley, no smash or attempted passing drive, daunted the Matamala player. He was out to nullify Bartleet's famous drive and his play was completely justified by the success *hat attended his efforts. It was deiidly to Bartleet's morale to have shot a her shot returned, now with overspin, now with chop, now short, nowdeep. Ye'i he stuck to his task. On the day, he met a better man and went down to a defeat which was not inglorious. Knott's Fine Driving. In many respects the encounter between N. Sturt and L. Knott provided the best tennis of the meeting. Unquestionably Knott's play was of a higher order than that which any other match produced. The Eden and Epsom player gave an exhibition of terrific forehand driving such as he has never before equalled. Sturt did not. have time to find his game and could only fight galkntlv and hope for Knott to lose some of his deadly accuracy. Start occasionally showed flashes of brilliance, notably in the third set, when he Lid 3—2 and got advantage on Knott's service, but Knott saved and came away again with another burst of speed. Brinsden ishowed good form against Bartleet and also when he defeated Nicholson. A. C. Stedman, whose appearance was watched with interest after his fine play in othsr tournaments, was unfortunate to strike Laurenson in the first round. However, he played very well and when he brings his low volleying up to the standard of his forehand drive there will be few players in Auckland to beat him. The Doubles Event. The doubles event provided some good contests, notably that between Griffiths and Brinsden and Lampe and Laurenson, when the Auckland pair staged a brilliant recovery after being down two sets. Brinsden was the best of the four in the concluding stages, his overhead work and service being mosi effective. Griffiths' return oi service was good and his tactics and anticipation lest little to be desired. Laurenson and Lampe started well, but tired. They must be considered unlucky to lose, as they had a 4—l lead in the third set. One cannot pass over the doubles pairs without reference to Nicholson and Grant, who defeated Bartleet and Robson and carried Knott and Sturt to four sets, of which three were close. Nicholson's play was remarkable and the manner in which he followed his innocent-looking delivery to the net and volleyed Knott's hardest drives calls for high praise. Stedman and Stedman did very well against Grant and Nicholson. The young Remuera pair did not get started in fch<j first set, but made a big effort in tho second, when they scored two match points and went on to lead at 6—5 and 7—6. LovV volleying was their weak point and J. C. Stedman showed a tendency to ha.ng back from the net, with the result that he had to volley up. North and Andrews had a marathon - contest with A. C. and V. R. Johns, in which fortunes varied considerably. Finally, North and Andrews won, North being conspicuous for good overhead work. In the next round they fell before the greater experience of Brinsden and Griffiths. This Play ol the Ladies. The form shown by the ladi'es, with ths exception of that by Miss Macfarlane, was not quit® as good as last year. Possibly the intense heat may hava had its effect. It was unfortunate that Miss Nicholls wa>s forced to retire and it is a pity 'that this match was staged so early in the> «,fternoon when ti:e heat was at its greatest. The defeat of Misses Knight and Colebrook at the hands of Misses Nicholls and Ramsay came as a surprise, but tha winning pair deserved their success. Miss Nicholls was the most effective and scored many points with good forehand driving. Both the Mioses Miller are improving and ate niiore severe in their stroking than they usnd to be. Their lobbing is very good. No finer smashing bv a lady player has been seen in Auckland than that given by Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, with i Mrs. Marshall, against the Misses Miller. Throughout the ladies' events Miss Macfarlane played brilliant tennis. Turner and Miss Whitelaw created a surprise in the comined doubles when, they defeated Sturt and Mrs. Scott-vVat-son, but beyond this there no startling results. The entries; in the B and the C grades were somewhat disappointing, partrcularly in the C grade ladies' doubles and combined doubles. However, the experiment can be regarded as successful find it should be more so next season. If tiw association can see its way to reduce tli<> entrance fees in these lower grades ii' will help to popularise the innovation among young players. The management of the meeting was equal to thai oi' previous years, but. the umpiring had iti» weaknesses. One is forced to the conclusion that an' Umpires' Association is very desirable, if it is at all possible. The line-umpiring could have stood much improvement. In some cases where lino umpires were appointed the centra! umpire still went on scoring without any cali from Ibis linesman. Only when the central umpire appeciled to him did t-ie line umpire give his decision. It is quite apparent that very few line umpires were conversant with their duties. Some Coming Champions. The B and C grade matches held in conjunction with tno Auckland ships, revealed some promising players, notably N. W. Bowden, Stall worthy and C. G. Bowden The first two were finalists in the B grade and C. G. Bowden won the C grade. N. W Bowden played very fine tennis in all his matches, and showed in his match against McKeown in the semi-final that he possesses a good match temperament and the stamina to see a hard five-set match through. J> lc " Keown led twe sets to one, but Bowden finished stronglv and took the next two sets for the match C. S. Bowden, a younger brother, played steady tennis against McDonald, and defeated his older opponent by the accuracy of his game. In-the ladies' doubles, Misses Long &nd Rukutai, of the Campbell Park Club, die verv well to defeat Misses C. and 1 • Bryant. Miss Rukutai intercepted cleverly ail the net. and Miss Long very safe ai the back of the court. J. Wilson and Miss Knei! deserve credit tor a good win in the combined doubles even . Wilson has some good strokes, ana when he gets a little more consistency sfcouia do better. Miss Knail supported him weli and drove and lobbed with precision.