BRILLIANT DRIVING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20760, 31 December 1930, Page 12

BRILLIANT DRIVING.

STED.MAN IN GREAT FORM

ANGAS DECISIVELY BEATEN.

BARNETT REACHES FINAL

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCH UR CII, Tuesday.

The New Zealand mini's singles tennis championship rests between A. C. Stedinan (Auckland) and H. A. Harnett (Canterbury), who have never before reached the championship finals. Playing an inspired driving panic Stedmau today caused tho sensation of the meeting by defeating tho New Zealand champion, C. Angas, in straight sets after a first set of 32 games. Seldom has more brilliant driving been seen in championship tennis in tho Dominion. Barnett, the boy champion of 1928, who beat D. G. France on the first day, proved his worth bv defeating N. R. C. Wilson, another New Zealand representative, in the other semi-final.

Barnett, who is only 19, plays very much in the style of J. T. Laurenson, a former Dominion champion, and promises within a fow years to bo one of New Zealand's greatest players. Mrs. W. J. Melody and Miss M. Myers won the final of the women's doubles championship, beating tho Misses Macfarlane, of Auckland. Tho remaining finals will bo played to-morrow afternoon. The weather to-day was overcast and cool, tho best day of the tournament so far.

Angas Kept on Defensive.

When Angas played so brilliantly against L. Fiance yesterday he seemed certain to reach the final, particularly as Stedman did not show good form in his match with T. W. Patterson. Yet in the semi-final match to-day the title-holder was kept on the defensive throughout the three sets and, exhausted by a first set struggle against phenomenal driving, could make only a half-hearted attempt to regain the lead. Running Angas from one side of the court to the other, Stedman hit harder and harder, putting such weight into his strokes that the ball scarcely rose from the ground. Angas made many brilliant recoveries throughout tho match. Indeed, only by resolutely chasing every ball could he score at all for games on end. Losing tho first set, 15—17, he was more distressed than his opponent, and his shots lost all their precision and crispness. In the first set Angas fairly held his own. He missed no fewer than four set points and held on grimly until Stedman broke through his service at 16—15. Angas took the lead in tho second set but lapsed into errors under such a brilliant and sustained attack. In the final set ho was tiring fast and after taking tho first game scored only seven points in the next five games, Stedman taking the set, 6—2.

Barnett Defeats Wilson.

The long match between Wilson and Barnett was not at all spectacular. Using the same tactics with which he had defeated D. G. France Barnett won t-tio first two sets each at B—6, Wilson failing in service. In the critical 13th game the Wellington man sharpened up his play and won the next two sets, but in- the final sot Barnett was the cleverer and the fresher player. The final will be played to-morrow afternoon. If Stedman plays as ho did to-day nothing will hold him, but if he lapses from form Barnett may well become the youngest champion in New Zealand tennis historv.

The finalists in tho women's singles aro Miss Marjorie Macfarlane and Mrs. H. M. Dykes, both of Auckland. Neithor of the semi-final matches was very interesting. Miss Macfarlane and Miss M. Myers fought out two long sets of colourless driving, depressing with their tenacity rather than with the quality of their play. Mrs. Dykes tried to open up her game against Mrs. Adams. She exploited a greater variety of shots than any other of the women, but was not steady enough to win in straight sets. Her play lacks much of its former sting, but her versatility may give her the victory against Miss Macfarlane. The Men's Doubles.

Tho men's doubles title will be decided between D. G. and A. L. Franco (Wellington) and C. Angas and I. A. Seay (Canterbury). Angas and Seay were altogether too good for M. L. Lampe and A. G. Wallace. The France brothers fought out a five-set match against Wilson and Stedman, who were runners-up in the event at tho last meeting. Unfortunately both Stedman and Wilson were tired after their hard singles matches, but the France brothers played thoroughly good tennis in the last three sets and well deserved their win.

Errors on both sides and long baseline duels, without variety of play or strokes, made the final of the women's doubles a very mediocre match. Although tho winners, Mrs. Melody and Miss Myers, led s—l in the first set and s—o in the second, in each case they were seriously challenged before they won the match, 7—5, 6—3. The Misses Macfarlane were not at their best and frequently spoiled good driving by wild smashing and half-hearted volleying. The semi-final of the mixed doubles could not be played since three of the men were engaged in other matches. Tho four remaining pairs are Seay and Miss M. Andrew, Wilson and Mrs. N. Thomson (the present title-holders), D. G. France and Mrs. I?. P. Adams and A. C. Stedman and Miss M. Wake.