LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20760, 31 December 1930, Page 15

LAWN TENNIS.

BY SIDELINE.

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS.

AUCKLAND PLAYERS DO WELL

GAMES IN HANDICAP TOURNEY.

Mailers liave certainly not gone according to Hoyle on the first two days' play in the New Zealand championships at Christchurch. I"). G. Fiance, Wellington's chief hope in the men's singles and last year's winner, went out to Barnett. Miss D. Nicholls, holder of the ladies' singles title, was defeated by Mrs. Thomson, and Misses Wake and Andrew, joint titleholders of the ladies' doubles, could only got five games in two sets against Misses Gould and Macdonald.

The first two days' play may be summed up by saying that Auckland foreshadowed triumphs in store, Canterbury had a rough journey and Wellington a rougher one. All else On the second day's play, oven the lady champion's defeat, was eclipsed by the dramatic match when O. Angas, singles title-holder, barely escaped from the imminent menace of defeat in bis third round match with H. Dymond. One is almost prepared for anything to happen in tho faco of the above sensations. The ladies' singles is tho most open event and opinion seems to be swinging to the chances of Mrs. Dykes. Angas' prospects appear good in tho men's singles, while nothing has happened in tho men's doubles to shake the belief that this event lies between Stedman and Wilson and Angas and Seay, although it is just possible that the France brothers may spring a surprise. Form of A. C. Johns.

A. C. Johns is to bo congratulated on the form ho displayed in the singles. To carry N. 11. C. Wilson to five sets is a very fine performance, the more so since in Auckland recently he has confined his attention almost entirely to doubles. Hayr has also performed well and it is to be hoped that he will take part in the Auckland championships, when his play will be watched with interest.

The Auckland handicap tournament, which concluded on Monday, must rank as ono of tho most successful of recent years. The weather was perfect for tennis, the standard was high and the entries just sufficient to enable the meeting to bo run off easily within three days. The handicapping as a whole turned out very well and the policy of bringing the poorer player forward as far as plus 30 was quite justified by the results. In tho men's singles event tho play of H. Aldred undoubtedly calls for special comment. Right throughout the tournament he was phenomenally steady without descending to pat-ball, which is the downfall of so many players when opposed to opponents on the plus marks. Possibly his best performance was his defeat of Hooper after a tremendous struggle, which went three sets and occupied the greater part of the morning. Hooper is a promising young player who, having acquired a reasonable degree of accuracy, should now endeavour to gain in aggression, particularly in his volleying. Most Aggressive Play. Tho most aggressive play in tennis is the volley and usually it is the winning one. "When a player moves up to tho net it is to get a chance to kill the ball and there should bo no such thing as safety play from this position. Frequently, in this match Hooper got into position for killing volleys but failed to put them away, and in the end Aldred either sent ono past him or scored with a lob. Two other young players on tho plus mark who did well wero Reid and Gray, tho last-named accounting for E. L. Bartleet in a close match. Thomson, who defeated Johns and eventually won also did well and should earn and receive a much lower handicap in the near future. P. E. Potter gave further proof of his consistency by doing well in all events without actually winning. In the singles he eliminated S. J. Robinson, off the same mark, and J. S. Colegrove, who is also a much-improved player. D. Anderson, on plus 15 4-6, acted the part of giantkiller in disposing of E. W. Griffiths, but was disposed of in the next round by J. C. Andrews. The last-named in turn failed to survive against T. Gould, who has lost none of his old skill and made the most of a perhaps too generous handicap. It did not avail him, however, in the final against Thomson, who, perhaps, should have been a little further back. But it is easy to be wise after the event.

Fighting Qualities. Undoubtedly tho outstanding players in the ladies' singles event were Misses B. Cooke, Betty Griffiths and Ellett. None of these three was successful, but all possess stroke and fighting qualities, which should, given the experience and practico in good company, carry them into the first flight within the nest few years. Few harder-fought matches, championship or otherwise, have been staged at Stanley Street than that between Misses Griffiths and Cooke in the third round. Both Miss Milne and Miss Heard, who fought out the final, are promising players and will doubtless be on a more difficult handicap next year. Miss Heard's success was well deserved and she has tho strokes which should help her to more successes in the near future.

There were some particularly well-con-tested matches in the concluding stages of the men's doubles. Thomson and Hooper were a blend of caution and aggression, which, combined with a very useful handicap, caused tho downfall of Aldred and Stedman and other strong pairs. P. E. Potter and McKeown, veterans in experience if not in years, did well to defeat Robinson and Partridge. This was one of the closest of the doubles matches and was productive of some very good play, with odd moments of mediocrity and wild shots, chiefly on the side of the losers. E. \V„ Griffiths and E. L. Bartleet were their next .victims in another interesting match. Lobbing Countered.

J. S. Colegrovo gave further proof of improved form in partnership with Tonks, this combination going through to tha final without the loss of a set. Possibly their best performance was a straight-set win over A. Porter and Jones who, on the day, wero outsteadied and failed to bring off their overhead shots with their usual skill. Colegrovo and Tonks accounted for Potter and McKeown in a close final match, in which all four played reasonably sound tennis. Potter and MoKeown are renownod for their sound lobbing, but the Remuora combination proved sufficiently accurate overhead to counter this, and after losing the first set hold the advantage throughout the next two.

Tho entries for the ladies' doubles were disappointing in numbers. The' winners, Misses Cooke and Lloyd, deserved their success and showed a good knowledge of tho game. Miss Cooko is an attractive and plucky player who performed well in all events in which she ontered, and her win in this event was popular. The combinod doubles event was well contested, tho successful combination eventually turning up in Carston and Miss Humo after somo keen matches. Miss Griffiths and Tonks reached the final and put up a reasonably good fight. Praise is due to Miss Griffiths, who is undoubtedly a most promising player. She canio through well in all events ii\ which sho participated, in spito of tho fact that in every caso sho waj on ono of the back marks.

Miss Humo displayed great steadiness and received good support from her partner, who is the possessor o! an accurato forehand which should gain further successes for her in the near future.