LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11736, 25 January 1924, Page 11

LAWN TENNIS

PROVINCIAL TOURNEY CLOSING BOUNDS PLAYED UNDER ■WRETCHED CONDITIONS. DIFFICULT GOING. (By Telegraph.—Spacial to ' Times.”) MASTERTON, January 24. The Wellingon provincial tourney, alter being postponed for a day, was resumed to-day under most unfavourable conditiono. Intermittent showers fell throughout the day, and the air was keen. A late start was made, and the first players to take the courts were attired in some queer garbs, oilskins, footl.all jerseys, and shorts being numerous owing to the failing light and the state o>' the ground. The combined doubles final and. the ■adies" handicap final will he played in the morning. In the handicaps, where iocaL players are ' the finalists, the matches have beon held over. BAD BEGINNING. Peach-Miss Wellwood started off badly in the fourth round of the combined doubles. The Australian'* inabin-y to manipulate his steel racquet cost him the first three games. Miss Wellwood wa3 uot up to her usual form, while Miss McLaren played strongly througnout. After losing the first set, 3—6, Peach found his overhead, and Miss Wellwood drove splendidly, keeping Andrews on t ho defence and winning the set, 6—l. Andrew’s came to the net in the third set, while Miss McLaren triumphed at the back of the court. Bright rallies were the order of play, but Andrews profited much by Peach going for a winner on many occasions when a steady shot would probably have won the point. The final of the ladies’ singles between Miss Wellwood (Hastings) and MissMacfarlane (Auckland) showed steady, welldesigned play. Miss Wellwood opened v eil with vigorous attacks which found the Aucklander wanting. The Hastings lady took the first three games, but the Aucklander, with well-placed base-line itrokes, evened the score, enly to see her opponent carry the score to 5—3. Miss Macfarlane took the next game after deuces, but lost the last to fifteen. TABLES TURNED. The second set was the reverse of the first. Miss Macfarlane assuming command. She drove deep, with consistent precision. Miss Wellwood could not recover her game, and went under in a love set. The opening stages of the third set were evenly contested, each -aking her service till 2-all, when Miss Macfarlane took her own service on the ifth game, and Mies Wellwood’s on tba lixth, mainly by the latter outing her lrives. The Auckland lady took tho eventh game with clever placing. Miss J iVellwood's forehand drive prevailed in;he eighth game, but Miss Macfarlane, smashing well in the ninth game, led to—ls. Miss Wellwood fought to the last, making it deuce, but the little Auckland lady outplaced her for the last two points, winning the title, 4r—B, 6 —0,1 6-3. Miss Macfarlane-Payton beat Mrs Mc-l Master-Howe in the semi-final of tho ' ladies’ donbles, the win being mainly; due to the losers failing to settle down ; in the mud. The latter pair made a bold j effort afte.r losing the first two games,; and succeeded in assuming the lead at 3 —2. The other pair won the next two games and lost the eighth, making the. score 4-all. Miss Macfarlane won her i service and took the set off Miss Howe | in the next game for 6—4. Miss Mao-1 farlane-Payton led, 4—2 in the next set. Mies Payton’s backhand scoring many points, while Mies Macfarlane was safe- j MISS HOWE BEATEN. | Hits Howe (holder) and Miss Wellwood, the final contestants for the title last year, met in the semi-final of the ladies’ singles. The holder did not get set, and confined her play to the back of the court, while Miss Wellwood repeatedly tossed up short stuff that Miss Howe failed to reach. Miss Wellwood played a varied aftaok, while Miss Howe's defensive backhand seemed to fail her at critical stages. Wilson-Miss Howe raja Cowjjer-Mrs Maddison to three sets in the third round of the combined doubles. The latter pair took the first five games straight before the younger players .-nitled down to work in the mud. The second 6et went to advantage, the games being shared till 6 all, when Miss Howe won her service and Mrs Maddison failed with hers. The third set was evenly contested. Cowpor's net TEOrk running him out a winner at 6—4. 1 In the semi-final of the men’s angles Walker had little difficulty in disposing of Pike, who could not adapt himself to the muddy conditions and his steel racquet. The Australian battled gamely from the back line, but invariably lost his balance when attempting to retrieve Walker’s' side line placements. MEN’S DOUBLES FINAL. _ Waxker-Oowper started off badly in tho anal of The men’s doubles, in which they aero defending their title. The holders immediately adopted, hard hitting tactics, which cost them many points. Barkman : was uneasy for the first few games with a steel racquet, but soon settled down and played excellent wet weather tennis. The holders took tho first game on their : service, but Goodman evened with side line driving, and took the next through : Walker’s mistakes at the net. Walker took the fourth game. Goodman finding : some trouble in lifting Cowper’s returns, and losing after two deuces. Goodman ' carried tho score to 4—2 with sound placements. Walker winning the next on precise smashes from all angles. GoodmanRarkman now- prevailed, taking the next two games. The holders asserted themselves in the . opening stages of the second set, and by ■ hard driving forced tho Challengers, Cow- ' per making capital of any short tosses. • Down 2—5. Goodman-Barkman strove to reduce their opponents’ lead, but the , holders ran out easy winners at 6 —2. The ■ third set also fell easily to the holders, ' the games being short-lived, with crisp cutting off at the net. Barkman won the first game, but tho next six went to the holders who were adapting themselves to the circumstances better than the 1 other pair A GOOD MATCH. j Uuspito tho conditions, the final of the ] ladies** championship doubles provided ex- ] cellent and btubbornly-loughtt tennis, in ( which tho (strategy of the New Zealand j champions 'prevailed, .The condition ol' tho ground called <or extrei.no physical i exertion, tho winner;* lasting better than the Auckland ladie«. The defeated pair led o —o iu the first set, but tho champions won tho next two through combine . u»K nicely. T'ho northerners assumed the aggressive again, maiuiv ) m v jai.v* *;*.>• ton's base-line driving, which was of splendid length, the Aucklanders winning out 6—J and taking the first set which 1 the New Zealand champions have lost this season- . ilrs Melody signalled the opening of the second set with beautiful placements and led 2—lt Miss McLaren adding two more games to the total by her volleying. Miss Macfarlane excelled iu long driving. In tho next game, which went to the Aucklanders. Miss McLaren took her eer- . vice to h; teen in the next game through Mtb Melody toesing to an excellent depth and forcing tho Aucklanders to take e clances. -Miss Payton lost her service after two deuces for set at U —2. j THE FINAL SET. [l There wn<s even play, marked with long, ft stubborn rali.Ds, in the third set, till trail was r-,a died, Mrs Melody taking her service to on tho filth game. Mias McF'arlauo lost her service in tho sixth • f game, failing to bo up to the short chops I 1 of Mrs Melody, who was playing witn t K r eat precision and confidence. The _ Aucklanders were down 15- —44) in the next game, but reached even points mainly , through tho agency of Miss McFarlane, who was placing well for Mien Payton, at t tho net. TLo N«w Zealand champions i

took tho next tivo points on placements. Miss Payton losing her servioe to love in the eighth game for set 2—6 and matoh. HANDICAP EVENTS. Powdrell-Lampo won through to the final of the men’s handicap doubles by defeating Martin-Martin, which pair weathered the dement® attired in football togs. Tho final was contested between the former pair and Goodman-Barkman, tho match, though being an excellent bad weather game, proving a rather easy win for the Wanganui men. who won out 60—37. The final men’s handicap doubles produced a splendid contest between LampePowdrell and Wallaco-Diokie; each player giving a bright display throughout. Wallace, who servos and comes in fast to | volley, was handicapped' by the colours of the sodden balls, his fast volleying lacking its usual precision. Lampe play|ed a perfect overhead game, but Powdrell’B driving was not so forceful as usual. Lampe-Powdrell took the first set, 6—5, but lost the second. 2 —6. In the third set Wallacc-Dickie led 5—2 and 40—30, but failed on his next service, the Wanganui men running the set to advantage points to win at B—6. GREAT RECOVERY. Cowper-Mxs Maddison made a great recovery in beating Lampo-Mrs McMastor in the fourth round of the combined doubles. Mrs Maddison played on outstanding game. Both men excelled overhead, while their partners were sound in ground strokes. After set-all Lampe led 4—o in the third set, and had he been content to leave bis partner her share of tho work they would undoubtedly have won, instead Cowper profited by Lampe’s errors of judgment, ani after levelling the scores eventually ran out a winner at 8-6. Cowper-Mre Maddison could not continue in the winning vein when they met Walker-Miss Macfarlane in the semi-final. Walker was quite at home in tho mud, and played a steady game, whereas his opponents found it hard to keep their feet. The final of the handicap combines was won easily by Andrews-Miss McLaren. The game was rather a joke than a match, the final being played in semidarkness, with mud up to the boot tops.