FOR THE TENNIS TITLES

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12643, 31 December 1926, Page 9

FOR THE TENNIS TITLES

AUSTRALIANS HAEGE AND NORTH ENTER SEMI-FINAL - WITH BARTLEET AND ANDREWS HAEGE AND MALFRQY BEAT SEAY AND ANDREWS IN DOUBLES SEMI-FINALISTS Men.—North (N.S.W.), Haege (Vic.), Bartleet (Auckland), An-drews-(Palmerston North).. Women.—Miss Watson (N.S.W.), Mrs Melody (Wellington), Miss Speirs (Canterbury), Miss Howe (Wellington),

With the last eight players in the men’s singles fighting' for the right to enter the semi-final round; some spectacular matches were witnessed at the Stanley street courts to-day. The Taranaki veteran. Wallace, who has been showing fine'form throughout the tournament, went down in straight sets to North. The New South Wales player had the advantage . of years and mobility, and was not seriously troubled. WILSON EXTENDS ANDREWS’. - Wilson surprised and pleased the experts by leading Andrews by 2 sets to 1. After losing the first set he ran away with the next two. playing sound, forcing tennis that apparently took Andrews by surprise. He made a hid for the third set, too. but was not quite- able to win it. Andrews , was fully alive to his danger, and threw everything into saving the set, and when he had done so pressed on . more strongly and added the fifth at €—l. Wilson being very tired. Sims and Bartleet, the two leading Auckland players, had a very even • natch, Bartleet getting home bv 3 lets to 2. The rallies were long, both Mayers keeping a steadv pace on their ■hots. Bartleet occasionally flashed ,»Ut with t speedy. drives, but' these did pot worry Sims unduly, and Bartleet had to coma back to medium-paced shots. There, was little between the players. Toward the end the gruellin K rallies began to have their effect an both players. Bartleet finished the stronger of the two, and won a welldeaorved victory. McCAUSLAND GOES DOWN. Haege proved .too strong for M«and*won’- in three straight sets. The Victorian played well, mix. >ng steadiness 'with aggression, and was clearly on top throughout. His ,™ particularly sound. nnd it Was due fly due to his judicious, -ad-. Vances to the net, where be'cut off McCausland’s best drives,-- .dibat' he ■cored his victory. - Aliss B. Knight, Auckland’s hope in -JS? ladies’ singles, went down to Miss .Watson, the Victorian. Miss Knight was brilliant, and brought off some wonderful volleys, both forehand and backhand, but she could not penetrate the rock-like steadiness of the visitor. MRS MELODY’S VICTORY. Mrs Melody had a straight-set win over Misa Witherow.' The-young-Re-rnuera player fought pluckily, and went down with colours flying. She gave Mrs Melody quite a lot of running to do, hut (n the end the chop k®* «w» so many others. Mrs Melody now meets Miss Howe, and Miss Spiers meets Misa Watson. H«ege and Malfroy set the stands rocking with applause in their match with Andrews and Seay. Haege was the best of the four.. and whether it was brilliance or solid defence thatwas required he was always where he was most wanted. Malfroy bore the brunt of the attack, and caine through the ordeal well. Andrews was not as accurate aa usual overhead, and seemed to lose confidence. TITLE-HOLDERS BEATEN.

Peacock' and Wilson, the holders of the doubles title, were defeated by North and McCausland after a long fivte-set match of varying - fortunes. The Wellington pair started oft well, and led at 8 sets to 1 and 5 all. With Wilson .serving the young Wellington player put his side ahead at 7—6, but MoGansland won his delivery to love, and Peacoak was broken through in the. next game. Good service returns by New South Wales players and netted volleys being his downfall. North went to 4Cb—ls on his service. Wilson won with a fine forehand drive off a rising ball, but. the next point he went for a high ball that was going out, tried to withdraw his racquet, and just touched it. Two sets all. In the final set North and McCausland were on top right through, and won -with the loss of only one game. PEACH BROTHERS WIN THROUGH. The Peach Brothers played-a long five-set match with France and Lampe. It was a rather disappointing match, in which errors abounded. When France and Lampe led at 4—2 in the deciding set they appeared to have the match in hand, but the Peach brothers were to o. good a pair to be held. Ugbtly, and they took the next four games for the set—a vastly relieved pair, as well as just a little lucky.' The defeat of Mrs Melody and Miss Spiers by Misses Knight and Colebrook came as a surprise, but the winners combined better, and Miss Knight’s brilliance at the net won the

day for Auckland, Mrs Melody’s chops, deadly..in their .accuracy in a single, are a • weakness l in a double, especially against two good volleyers like Misses Knight and Colebrook. The Auckland pair -were on top alt; the way in the first set, but had’ to ‘ fight for their lives ,in the second; RAIN STOPS PLAY Per Press Association. An exceptionally heavy downpour at , five o’clock brought the day’s plav .’to a. sudden end, . and portions of the courts werb covered with - pools of water, making it extremely doubtful whether play will be possible to-mor-row. . : . MATCHES WSCORES MEN’S "SINGLES. Fourth Round. t A. L. North (N.S.W.) beat A* G. Wallace (Taranaki), 6—3, 6—3, 6—l. P. Haege (Vic.) beat J. McCausland (N.S.W.), 63, 6—4, 6—l. E. L. Bartleet (Auckland) beat A W. Sims (Auckland), 4—6, 6—l,- 6—2, 2—6, 6—3. E. D. Andrews (Palmerston North) beat N. R. C.' Wilson (Wellington), 6—3, 3—6, I—6, 9—7, 6—l. LADIES’ SINGLES. Third Round. Mis? J. Watson (N.S.W.) beat Miss B. Knight (Auckland), 6—2, 6—3. Mrs W. J. Melody (Wellington) Best Miss B) Witherow (Auckland), 6—l, MEN’S DOUBLES. •'< Second -Round.

P. Haege (Vic.), and C. E. Malfrov beat I. A. Seay (Canterbury) and E* A. Andrews (Palmerston North), 6—4, B—4, .1 —6, 7—5. Third Round. .A- L. North and J. McCausland (N.S.W.) beat J. C, Peacock and N. R. C. Wilson (Wellington), B—lo, 6—2, 2—6, B—6. 6-0, •; E. L. Bartleet and H. L. Robson . (Auckland) beat'V, R, Johns .and A. C. Johns (Auckland), 2—6, 6—4, 6—l, F. Peach and N. Peach (NjS.W.) bertt M. L .Lampe (Wanganui) and D. G. France (Wellington), 3—6, 6—9, 3—6, 6—l, 6—4 LADIES’ DOUBLES. Third Round. Misses N. Llovd and J. Watson (N.S.W.) beat Misses A. Howe (Wellington) and J. Ramsay (Auckland), 6 I, 6—4. Misses’B. Knight and M. Colebrook ; (Auckland) beat Mrs W. J. Melody' (Wellington) and Miss Mi Speirs (Canterbury), 6—3, B—6. / ; 1 MIXED DOUBLES. First Round. Speirs (Canterbury) and JL GL France (Wellington) beat Mias M. Colebrook and J, A. F. Watson (Auckland), 6—3, 6—3. B—6. „ Mrs W. J. Melody (Wellington) and M. L. Lampe (Wanganui) beat Misa and S. Lamb (Auckland), Miss M. Myera (Wanganui) and J.McCausland (N.S.W.) boat Miss ■ P Rukutai and W. Turei (Auckland)', q— o t 6—o. Miss B. Witherow (Auckland) and C. Brewster (N.S.W.) beat Miss M W Smeeton and V. R. Johns (Auckland)’ 7 2—6, B—6.

Second Round. Miss N. Lloyd (N;S.W.) and A- G. Wallace (Taranaki) beat Miss A. Howe »nd R. MoL. Ferkins (Wellington), 6— »2, Mrs Scott-Watson and H. Brinsden (Auckland) beat Miss N. Whitelaw and A. K. Turner (Auckland), 6—4, 4—6, 6—4. Miss Speirs and France beat Miss M. Stevens and J. C. Charters (Whangarei), 6—2, 6—3'. Miss Witherow and Brewster beat Mias A. Francis (Auckland) and. W. Pearse (Temuka), 6—3, 6—4. /A Mi ,l Knight and A. W. Sims (Auckland) beat Mise A. Arneil and L. T. Pickmere (Whangarei), B—6, 6 —-I.* * Miss J. Watson and A. L. North (N.H.W.) beat Miss M. Macfarlane (Auckland) and 1. A. Seay (Canterbury), 6—3, 7—5. BOYS’ SINGLES. First ■ Round. _E- H. K. Turner (Auckland) beat W. R. White (Waikato), 6—3, 6—2. M. Ferkins (Wellington) beat A. R. Walton (Auckland), 6r-5, 6—4. D. Peart (Auckland) beat J. L. Gregory (Auckland), 3—6 6—5. 6—4. L. Floyd (Auckland) won from W. Turei Auckland) by/default. V C.E. Malfroy (Wellington) beat R'. K. G. Macindoe (Auckland), 6 I, 6 — l. Second Round. Malfroy beat Floyd, 6—l, 6—l. ' C. G. Bowen (Auckland) won from H. R. Tawhiri (Poverty Bay) by default.