COMMENT ON PLAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22617, 4 January 1937, Page 12

COMMENT ON PLAY

GOOD SINGLES GAMES MISS M. BEVERLEY BEATEN AUCKLANDERS LOSE DOUBLES [bt telegraph—special reporter] TIMARU, Sunday An gas has rarely played better than in the first two sets against Roussell, who was li>tless and failed to clinch manv openings he had played for at the net. Roussell found his game in the third set and ran from 3-lovc to 5—3 and won t'he set at 6 —l with welljudged placements and fast overhead work. After the interval Angas re--1 sumed his attack, but Roussell evened 3-all. The Canterbury man was not to be denied, and he has rarely played better, hitting looso balls with precision. Coonibe treated Charters with respect from the start, the last-named not liking the drying courts as he did tho wet conditions the previous day. Coonibe relied on defensive tactics which suit his style. Charters made many errors at tho net. In the first set the score was four-all, • and then Charters again became erratic, this costing him the set. Tho second set also went to four-all and then there was a repetition of Charters' inaccuracies. In tho third set tho standard of play was higher with both players driving well. Charters again attempted to force the pace and evened at o-all, but could not maintain his run. Coombe executed many bright cross-court passing shots to the side-lines. Sturt began well against Barnett, dealing effectively with his opponent's cuts and hitting clean, flat drives to clip the side-lines again and again. Sturt held a 4 —l lead and then Barnett, cutting at right angles with his back-hand, forced Sturt into errors and the score was even at 4-all. The ninth game went to Barnett to love. Sturt won the 10th after seven deuces, but failed to get right in on volleys. 'I he Aucklander took his opponent's serve to love and went on to win the set at 7—5. Sturt's Low Driving Sturt led 2 —o in the second set, but made errors, allowing Barnett to even. Sturt won the next game with beautiful low ilrives, making the chalk fly. He then won the next three games to love to win the set. Sturt's play was reminiscent of the day he beat Hopman. Sturt had a lapse in the third set, losing threo games in a row, but from then on he concentrated to lead 5 —3 and win tho match in most pleasing style. The Bedford-Jerkins match was a 1 long one of five sets. Ferkins played up to a high standard and was very consistent. Bedford mixed brilliance with mediocrity, but he had sufficient in reserve for the last set effort. The ladies' singles matches provided good contests, no surprises taking place. Miss Xichoils was too good for Miss Margaret Beverley, who put up a fine fight and was even unlucky to lose in two sets. Miss Xichol Is was more severe in her drive and service and used the drop shot effectively. Miss Beverley onted a lot at the commencement, but, after being down I—t1 —t drew level with four chances for a 5 —4 lead, two bad decisions went against Miss Beverley, who also twice drove just six inches out. This gave her opponent the game and an easy next one for set. Double-faults Served After Miss Beverley had served two double-fa dts in the second set Miss Xichoils thrived on her opponent's hard drives to the base-line and wen many , interesting, and hard-fought games by her abilitv to hit winners. When on , the run the Waikato girl returned too much to tho centre of tho court and rarely aced her opponent in the second j . set. M iss X. Beverley was far too good for Miss Ramsay, losing only three gayies. Hard driving with good length gave her many opportunities to advance to the not, Miss Ramsay being forced into many errors, She moved too slowly to counteract the speed of the Waikato plaver, who was at her host. M iss Bishop had an easy match. Miss T. Poole was not troubled in the first set by Miss Howe, but in the second many long rallies took place. Miss Howe hit good drives from the base-line, but the ability of her opponent to intercept gavo Miss Poole the match. Bad Doubles Results Aucklanders had a bad day in the doubles, Brown and Mayson displaying poor form to win only six games from Angas and Seay, who played steadily and rarely made mistakes. Sturt and omm played reasonably well against Coombe and Charters, who won by throe sets- to one. Sturt played well, being the best of the four. Gunn was weak overhead and on his return of service. Their opponents were not impressive, hut they Won on Gunn's weakness. Angas and Seav entered tho semifinals by beating Clow and Leng in three sets, the last being hard fought. Cant and Barnett were lucky to win in five sets from Edwards and Maeartliur. Edwards played brilliantly and he impresses as a player with a definite future. Tho ladies' doubles advanced to the semi-finals, the chief surprise being the defeat of M isses Xichoils and Howe by Misses Bishop and Wake. Miss Bishop was most steady, while Miss Howe did not, show her best Wellington form. The victorv was the result of fine teamwork 'and M iss Bishop's placements. Mrs. Beatson and Miss Gould beat Misses Fleming and Ramsay, the firstnamed being the best player and dominating the match. The attendance during the sunny afternoon was 1500. The courts at the end of the dav were wearing well after the bad weather.