TENNIS TITLES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23577, 10 February 1940, Page 13

TENNIS TITLES

DOMINION TOURNEY IMPROVED CONDITIONS SEMI-FINALS REACHED AUSTRALIANS DOMINANT [by telegraph—press ASSOCIATION - ] •' WELLINGTON, Friday ■ With only the semi-finals and finals to bo played in the New Zealand Centennial lawn tennis championships, indications are that the Australians will win all the events. In the men's singles J. Bromwich (Australia) is to meet R. Howe (Wellington), and J. H. Crawford (Australia) will meet C. An gas (Canterbury). On to-day's form the final next Monday should be fought out between Bromwich and Crawford. In the other events the Australians are almost as certain to win the finals. Misses N. Wynne and T. Coyne have shown such impressive form in both the singles and the doubles that only a miracle can stop them from becoming the new champions. . The conditions to-day ivere much more favourable than hitherto and the players had no excuse whatever for their lapses. There bright siinshine for most of the~ >! flay and _ the northerly wind had dropped considerably. Crawford Drops a Set

The best match of the/day was the singles between Crawford and R. Barnes (Australia), in which Crawford, after dropping the first set at I—6, had to go jill out in the second and third to ensure victory in four sets. Crawford took some time to settle down and his 16-year-old opponent, playing at the' top of his form, deserved full credit for winning the first set with the loss of only one game. Barnes' driving on both hands matched that of his redoubtable opponent but Crawford's superb volleying at the net was the decisive factor- in his victory. Barnes drew applause from a large gallery with amazing recoveries. In the third set the score ran "to 3 —all, and Barnes lost the vital seventh game and dropped the set. This was the turning point in the match and Crawford won the final set with comparative ease. Barnes has all the strokes and he plays with the confidence of a seasoned exponent. Bromwich Irresistible

Bromwich showed a measure of liis greatness' by defeating N. G.. Start (Auckland) in straight sets. Sturfc .'is always a hard man to beat, but Bromwich, showing his best form of the tournament, was irresistible. The Australian concentrated on Sturt's backhand, and although the Auckland player was stroking very well, his "returns gave Bromwich. opportunities ;to volley for winners. Bromwich put ov.er some sizzling drives- which gave Sturt no chance. v:

N. V. Edwards (Wellington) was unable to find touch in his first set .with C. Angas, winning, only one, game. He showed . something. closer to the form that won him the New Zealand singles title last year in the second. set, but he failed, at crucial, periods ,of the match, which never reached brilliant heights? However, Angas' steadiness, plus "his outstanding ; ability to cover the court, were- the deciding factors. R. G. Pattinson, who is the most improved : player in Canterbury this season V-came through four strenuous sets with R. Howe with colours flying. Howe owed his win to his greater variety of shots, among which a chop shot which he exploited to advantage. Howe is a picturesque player with tennis experience in many parts of the world. Attractive Display In the doubles with Edwards, who seemed more at homo than iri his match against Angas, Howe was always worth watching. Manj r of the men's pairs -at the present championships have , approached their match against the Australians with some obvious trepidation, but Howe and Edwards gave the impression that they thought more of-the game than of the result. •>: Misses N. and M. Beverley (Waikato) would have taken Misses "Wynne and Coyne to at least three sets if tliey could have concentrated more. Instead they played as if overawed by their opponents' reputations: Miss Wynne showed herself to be the hardest hitter among the women at the present tournament. Apart from her serving, Miss Wynne got home many smashes that gave no chance of their being played back. Mrs. I. Hatherley and Miss T.Poole (Canterbury) were not_in the same class as Mrs. Gallagher (Wellington) and Miss M. Hardcastle (Australia), and could not cope with the superior game of the winners. Miss M. Beverley, with R. Howe, was brilliant in the quarter-finals of the combined doubles. Howe's work at the net added to the spectacular nature of this match. The good combined play of Miss P. 'Cooke (Auckland) and R. Barnes prevailed against Mrs. Hatherley and N. V. Edwards, both of whom wore too erratic and lacked the necessary co-ordination. Details of Results Following are the results of to-day's play:_ MEN'S SINGLES Quarter-finals.— 3. Bromwich '. (Australia) beat N. G. Start (Auckland), 6—-2, 6—l. 6 3- B. Howe (Wellington). beat R. ,G. Pattinson (Canterbury), 5—7, 6—4. 6—3, 6—l; G. Angas (Canterbury) beat N. V. Edwards ("Wellington), 6—l, 4—6. 6—4, 6—o: J. H. Crawford (Australia) beat R. Barnes (Australia), 1-r—6, 6 —2, 6—4, 6-r—' l. MEN'S DOUBLES Semi-finals. —J. Bromwich -and J. H. Crawford (Australia) beat N. V. Edwards and R- Howe (Wellington), 6 —l, 6—3, 6—S. The Australians meet the winners between N. G. Sturt (Auckland) and D. 6. France (Wellington) and A. D. Brown and C. Angas (Canterbury) in the-final. LADIES' DOUBLES Semi-finals. —Mies M. Hardcastle (Australia) and Mrs. Gs.llagher (Wellington) beat Mrs. I. Hatherley and. Miss T. Poole (Canterbury), 6 —l; Misses N. Wynne and T. Coyne (Australia) < beat Misses N. and M. Beverley (Waikato), 6 —l, 6—2. COMBINED DOUBLES . Quarter-finals. —R. Howe (Wellington) and Miss M. Beverley (Waikato) beat R. Robb and Miss Douthett (Wellington), 6—4, 6—4; R. Barnes (New South Wales) and Miss-'P. Cooke (Auckland) ■ beat N. V. Edwards (Wellington) and Mrs. I. Hatherley (Canterbury), 6—2, 7—5. I VETERANS' DOUBLES Semi-finals.—R. V. .Hooker and M. L. Lampe boat J. A. McGill and W. P. Walker, 6 —3, G —l; R. Browning and D. F. Glanville beat W. J. Melody and H. J- Thompson. 6 —3, S —6.