LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22045, 27 February 1935, Page 17

LAWN TENNIS

PASCOE CUP COMPETITION OPPOSITION FOR REMUERA LADDER CHALLENGE MATCHES BT SXDEI.ns'E The Pascoe competition, initiated in 1925 by Mr. James Pascoe, whose idea was to" foster lawn tennis in the business world of the city, continues to increase in popularity, and this year has seen the record of 50 teams, representing 40 business organisations, entered for the contest. The number of teams was reduced to 40, however, by the elimination of second teams. The tournament is at present in progress at the Clive Road courts, and it is expected to conclude next week. In order to prevent the domination of the tournament by leading players of the city, rules have been made whereby the first 12 graded players in Auckland are excluded from the competition. The cup is at present held by the Post and Telegraph Department, which won it three years in succession. The Caro Memorial Cup final, which was postponed last week, will be played next Saturday, and, judging from the personnel of the teams, it should result in a splendid contest. Remuera will be without the services of the provincial title holder, E. L. Bartleet, and Eden and Epsom must be conceded a great chance of lifting the cup and thus rounding off what has undoubtedly been a splendid year, as the second and third teams have already won the grass court competitions in these grades. Inter-club Competitions

The inter-club competitions were advanced another stage on Saturday, when interesting games resulted. Marist and Mount Eden reached the final of the fifth grade hard-court competition by defeating Unity and West End respectively at Windmill Road, and Eden and Epsom scored a double success by defeating Takapuna in the second grade grass court final and Royal Oak in tlie third grade.

The Eden and Epsom v. Takapuna match provided particularly good matches, especially in the singles contests. In the first singles Gooch, Takapuna, was impressive against Thomson, and appears to have the strokes and temperament to become a reafly good player. J. Brown won the first set with something to spare from E. Cheal, but the last-named took the second by careful play against an opponent too prone to go for winners before the ground was properly prepared. Brown recovered well from I—31 —3 in the third set to run out at 6—4, with severe driving and serving, which, considering the state of the court, was remarkably efficient.

By going in to the net on good length drives, to Miss M. Hall's backhand, Mrs. Thomas took the first set at 6—4, and carried the second to o-all. She just failed to clinch matters in the Hth game, and her opponent, with incisive driving in the third set, took it with the loss of only two games. Miss P. Cooke, whose strokes bear the stamp of careful coaching, was too strong on the forehand for Mrs. Everiss. The Takapuna player never abandoned the chase, but she could not arrest the progress of her young opponent for any appreciable time. Went Down Fighting

Gribble and Barrett ■went down fighting against Peak and Lewis. The Eden and Epsom pair had the more powerful services, always an important factor in a doubles, and their ground strokes, although somewhat uncertain, were more penetrative than those of their opponents. Brown and Gooch were outsteadied by Thomson and Cheal. In the early stages the Eden and Epsom pair seemed to be holding their own. They lost the. opening net only after a close and even contest, but secured the second set at 6—4. Uncertainty set in again in the third set, and the way was clear for a straight run home by the Takapuna pair. Misses Hall and Cooke were too severe off the ground for Mesdames Everiss and Thomas, in spite of the last-named p] avers' effective volleying. Misses McClymont and Broclie dropped the first set to Misses Halse and Corner, but gained the ascendancy in the next two, which they won at 6 —3. 6—2. Miss McClymont was conspicuous in the concluding stages, but all four played well, and were prominent at times with good volleying. With a win of three out of the four singles, Marist gained an early lead against Unity, and ultimately ended with a lead of four matches, while Mount Eden's double win in the men's doubles brought about the downfall of West End. For the former club Baigent played particularly well, and secured two good wins. He is inclined to get too much over-spin on his forehand, whereby he loses pace, but he has excellent control and is very keen and aggressive.

j The attack of the younger school of j players on the Auckland Association's I ladder is developing, and A. D. Brown, | with a win over S. J. Robinson at 6 —3, | 6—3, and a default from W. G. Wati kins, is now in tenth position. He has | a challenge in to E. W. Griffith, and | this should prove an interesting coni test. The Jtemuera veteran will need ! all his sagacity if he is to hold off sucj cessfully the challenge of the young | Eden and Epsom player. J. W. Gunn I defeated Jenkins, 6—l, 4 —6, 6—l, and j now has a challenge in to A. Mc- ! Keown. Other results are as follows: — C. E. Partridge beat A. K. Turner, 1 6—B, 7 —5, 6—o; A. K. Turner beat P. E. Potter, 6—o, 3—6, 6—3; V. R. Johns beat E. W. Griffith, 6—l, 3 —6, 7—5; A. Porter beat A. McKeown. 6—2, 6 —3.