LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23880, 3 February 1941, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS

AUCKLAND TOURNEY THREE WINS FOR J. ROACH MISS P. COOKE SUCCESSFUL Tlio Auckland Lawn Tennis Association's annual championship tournament was completed at the Stanley Street courts on Saturday in brilliantly line weather. .J. Roach retained his leadership in the men's singles event by beating N. F. Bedford in four sets, and Miss P. Cooke won the ladies' singles title by defeating Miss B. Potter in straight sets. J. Roach was also successful in the men's doubles, with D. B Livingstone, after a five-set match with J. 0. Charters and L. Roach, and in the combined doubles with Miss M. Beverley. None of tlie titles in the men's events was at stake. Bedford showed no confidence during (he first two sets of (lie men's final, repeatedly netting easy volleys, and lobbing short to give Roach many points. At the commencement of the third set Bedford attempted to slow down the game, but Roach was the steadier and gained a :i—O lead. Bedford then changed his game again, found a better length with his lobs, and evened Ihe set at -i-all. Playing his best tennis of the tournament. Bedford stormed the net, and with two perfect volleys secured the tenth tea me for t he set. After t fie interval, however, Roach regained the initiative, forced his opponent into errors, and took the set and match with the loss of only two games. Miss P. Cooke, stroking perfectly, took four games in the final against Miss B. Potter before (lie latter found touch and, serving very well, Miss Potter won the fifth game. The remaining two games of the set were won by Miss Cooke, although keenly and closely contested point by point. At the beginning of the second set Miss Potter developed a strong attack on Miss Cooke's backhand, and scored from the returns with brilliant forehand cross-court drives. Miss Cooke's volleys were falling short and offering scoring opportunities of which her opponent took full advantage. Miss Potter established a .'i —0 lead, which she maintained to s—'J. At this stage, Miss Potter had a set, point which Miss Cooke saved with a perfect fore-hand drive that clipped the line. Miss Cooke continued to play with great courage, and brilliant rallies followed, both players placing their shots within inches of the lines. Miss Potter had a further set point at f>—l on her service, but again Miss Cooke rose to the occasion with a cross-court back.hand drive which gave Miss Potter no chance. The games see-sawed to (J-all, when Miss Cooke again broke through her opponent's service and won her own for set and match. The men's doubles final was marked by fiucluating fortunes. J. Roach and Livingstone, the title-holders, started shakily, and the first two sets found their opponents decisively superior. Charters was outstanding' during these sets, displaying great generalship, and fine anticipation. The third set saw the initiative gradually pass from the challengers to the champions, as the latter gained in accuracy and severity. In the fourth and fifth sets Roach and Livingstone had sufficient command to exploit the weakness of their opponents' formation. Both sides did some splendid retrieving in the later stages. The intermediate and junior events were also productive of some very good tennis. B. Broun plaved very well in the final of the intermediate singles to defeat J. B. Smith. A ver.v high standard of tennis was seen in the semi-final of the intermediate girls' singles between Miss B. Potter and Miss M. Hodges. In Ihe concluding stages Miss Potter made use of a sliced drop-shot, which sufficiently tilted the scales in her favour. Iler final against Miss R. Hodges, who had already won the girls' championship somewhat easily, was an anti-climax. Miss Potter showed the effects of her two earlier matches, making frequent errors, while Miss Hodges played slrongly Mid | confidently, and with great judgment, taking the match in straight sets. The final of Ihe boys' doubles was won bv the Smith brothers, of Ivaikohe, who oulplayed Inder and Wallace. Misses M. and R. I had an even easier win in the girls']

doubles final, in which they lost only two games to Misses Syrnes and Smith. Broun and Miss Symes were equally superior to J. Smith and Miss Smith in the final of the combined doubles. P. Smith. New Zealand junior chamchampion. reversed the result of his intermediate match with D. Kelly when he met Kelly in the final of the junior boys' singles and won in straight sets. The results were as follows: Men's Singles.—Final: J. Roach beat K. F. Bedford, <i—2, (i —!i, I —ft, <>-—2. Ladies' Singles.—Final: Miss Pi Cooke beat Miss B. Potter, ft—l. s—G. Men's Doubles.—Final: J. Roach and I). B. Livingstone beat .J. C. Charters and L. Roach. 3—ft. I —ft. ij—:s, (>—'2, (I —-I. Intermediate Boys' Singles.—Final: B. Broun beat J. B. Smith, ft- —1, 5 —7. ft—2. Intermediate <; iris' Singles.—Semi-final: Miss B. Potter beat Miss M. Hodges, 7—r>, 2—ft, B—ft. Final: Miss R. Hodges beat Miss 13. Potter, <>—:{. ft — Intermediate Boys' Doubles. —Final: J. B. and P. Smith beat X. T. Inder and X. McL. Wallace, , —5, ft —2. Intermediate Girls' Doubles. Semi-final: Misses X. Symes and W. Smith won from Misses B. Potter and J. McL. Wallace by default. Final: Misses M. and R. Hodges beat Misses X. Symes and W. Smith. ft—2, ft—(l. Intermediate Combined Doubles. Semifinal: J. B. Smith and Miss W. Smith beat R. V. Trot man and Miss J. McL. Wallace, II —!», ft—:i. Final: B. Broun and Miss X. Symes beat .1. B. Smith and Miss W. Smith, ft—O, ft—,'t. Junior Boys' Singles.—Final: P. Smith beat D. Kelly, 6—l, <l—3. Junior Girls' Singles.—Final: Miss li. Hodges beat Miss S. Barley, o—2,0 —2, 6—o. PASCOE CUP COMPETITION The annual tennis competition for the Pascoe Cup will commence at the Clive Road courts Ibis evening, the draw for the firs! round being:—To-night: Smith and (Siiiith (Grey Lynn) v. City Abattoirs. Alex Harvey Xo. 1 v Frank Wiseman. Limited, 1 Oth Heavy Regiment v. A. H. Xatlian, Land and Deeds v. National Distributors. To-morrow night: Farmers' Trading No. I v. Auckland Savings Bonk Xo. 2, State Advances Xo, 2 v. P. Hcnelian. SHIELD AND CASKET GAMES [bv teleghaph —muss association] CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday Canterbury tennis players retained the Wilding Shield, but lost the Xunneley Casket when challenge malches by Wellington teams were played at Wilding Park yesterday. With six wins in the Wilding Shield matches on Friday, Canterbury was in a strong position and yesterday the men won three of four singles. The fate of the Xunneley Casket was more doubtful. On Friday the Wellington ladies scored four wins to Canterbury's two, and yesterday afternoon, after (be singles of five matches all, Wellington led by 11 sets to 10. The first doubles settled the issue and the casket, which has been in Canterbury since K>34, will go to Wellington. Results were. Canterbury names first:— Wilding Shield.—Singles: A. D. Brown beat, X. V. Edwards, 7 —5, 4 —6, 7 —5; C. Aligns heat. R. A. Howe, (!—2, 7—o, <l—4; H. A. Harriett lost to R. McKenzic, ft —1, ft—l; R. G. Pattinson beat R. McL. Fcrkins. 7—o, o—l, o—7. Doubles: Brown and Barnelt heat McKenzie and Fcrkins, <l—3, 2—6, ft—l; Angas and Pattinson won a set, 11—0. and 'Edwards and Howe won a set, o—7, the match not being finished. Xunneley Casket.—Singles: Miss J. Senior beat Miss Beban, ft—3, 6—l; Miss C. Chester lost to Miss F. Fernie, I—ft,1 —ft, I—ft;1 —ft; Miss T. Poole beat Mrs. R. V. Robb, 6—3, ft—4,- Miss K. Armstrong beat Mrs. M. Green, ft—3, 7—5. Doubles: Misses Armstrong and Senior lost lo Misses Beban and Fernie, -I—ft, 4—ft; Misses Poole and Chester lost, to Mesdames Robb and Green, ft—3, I—6, 5—7.