LAWN TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21537, 8 January 1932, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS

VISIT OF AUSTRALIAN LADIES AN OUTSTANDING DISPLAY MRS DYKES BEATS MISS VALKENBURG (Pee United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 7, The defeat of Mrs M. Molesworth and Miss U. Valkenburg, fii-st and second players in the Australian women’s team, was the outstanding feature of the first day’s play in the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s invitation tournament which began at Wilding Park to-day. Mrs Molesworth was beaten by her teammate, Miss N. Hall, while Miss Valkenburg went down to Mrs H. M. Dykes, the New Zealand champion. In the semifinals, which will be played to-morrow, Miss Hall will meet Miss D. Nicholls, New Zealand champion in 1929, while Mrs Dykes will be opposed to Miss J. Hartigan, the youngest member of the visiting team, who showed splendid form to-day.

Excellent weather favoured the players and spectators, and the grass courts at Wilding Park played fast and very true. The largo “ gallery ” was entertained with some of the best women’s lawn tennis seen in Christchurch for many years. The New South Wales players proved extremely interesting, exploiting a variety of shots that few New Zealanders include in their repertoire. Miss Hall’s win over Mrs Molesworth, the third player in Australia, confirmed the opinion held in her own country that she is a fast improving and very promising player. It was fairly evident, however, that New Zealand must wait a little while before Mrs Molesworth is seen at her best. The consistency with which she missed her heavily-chopped drop shots showed that her favourite and most effective stroke was not functioning as it does when she is at her best. Apart from this, Mrs Molesworth impressed with her excellently-controlled service, sound forehand, and brilliant backhand drive. Miss Hall’s game disclosed no weakness. Both her forehand and backhand are hit cleanly and accurately, and she showed exceptional ability in covering the court. Miss Hartigan’s forehand has been described as the best shot possessed by a woman player in\ Australia, and she showed in her match against Miss Wake that the description cannot be far astray. Hitting with the full strength of her arm and taking the ball on the rise, she obtained exceptional pace from the stroke. Her service was very nearly ns powerful a weapon of attack and her backhand was safe and accurate.

The Australians appeared to be. superior to the New Zealanders taking part in the tournament with one exception. That exception was Airs H. AI, Dykes (nee Aliss Alay Speirs), who produced the most brilliant tennis that she has ever played at Wilding Park. In beating Miss Valkenburg, Mrs Dykes gave a display that thrilled the gallery. Actually, her strokes seemed like those of a man so severe were the drives on both forehand and backhand that she rained into her opponent’s corners. Like a man, too, she came to the net not only to finish a rally, but to make play from that position. For a great part of the game Airs Dykes actually followed iu her service to the net, a procedure which no other player in New Zealand would dare to adopt, particularly against a player of the calibre of Miss Valkenburg, Once there it required a very good shot to pierce her defence, and her smashing and volleying were remarkable for their accuracy and decisiveness.

Aliss Dulcie Nicholls did not produce anything like the form of which- she is capable, and like Airs W. A. Scott, she may bo expected to produce better teunia to-morrow.

Only one of the Australian pairs was seen in action in the Doubles, of which event the first round could not be completed. Airs Alolesworth and Aliss Hall had an easy task against the Canterbury pair, Alisses S. Goss and E. Rudkin, but showed that their grasp of the doubles game will make them a formidable,, combination. The manner in which they worked for openings and then killed with unerring certainty at the net _ stamped them as doubles players of a high class. Airs Dykes and Aliss Nicholls will offer the Australians the hardest game in tire event.

Mrs Alolesworth and C. Angas, who are favoured as the ultimate winners of the mixed event, had a fairly easy task in the first round and combined moderately well.

Miss Hall and Sheppard wore the only pair to play two matches in . this event, and - they were fully pressed in the second round by Aliss E. Johnston and R. H. Tait. This game was the outstanding one in the event, and lasted for nearly two hours. Aliss Hall was cool and accurate, returning the hardest shots, and seldom missing an opening for a winning volley or drive.

Miss Valkenburg and T. W. Patterson and Miss Hartigan and Glanville each had an easy win. The results were as follow: — SINGLES.

Mrs M. Molesworth (Aust.) beat Miss M. Sherrie (C.), C—o, 6—2. Miss N. Hall (Aust.) beat Miss M. Gibson (S.C.). 6-3, 6—l. Mrs W. A. Scott (S.C.) beat Miss N. Lloyd (Aust,), I—6, 6—l, 6—2. Miss D. Nieholls (W.) beat Miss T. Poole (C.), o—o, 6—l. Miss J. Hartigan (Aust) beat Miss E. Johnson (C.), 2—6, 6—4, 7—5. Miss M. Wake (C.) beat Miss I. Morrison (C.), 6—o, 6—l. Miss U. Valkenburg (Australia) beat Miss M. Andrew (C.), o—2,0 —2, 6—4. Mrs H. M. Dykes (W.) beat Miss E. Rudkin (C.), 6—4, 0-4. • Second Round. Miss Hall beat Mrs Molesworth, 3—6, 6—l, 6—4. Miss Nieholls heat Mrs Scott, 6—2. 2—o, G—3. Miss Hartigan heat Miss Wake, 7—5, 6—4. Mrs Dykes heat Miss Valkenburg, 6—3, 5 o—l. DOUBLES. Mrs M. Molesworth and Miss N. Hall (Australia) beat Misses S. Goss and E. Rudkin (C.) 6 —l, 6 —l. Misses B. Gould (C.) and M. Gibson (S.C.) beat. Mrs M. A. Stedman and Miss M. Saunders (C.), 7 —5, 6—3. Misses E. Johnston and M. Sherris (C.) beat Mrs H S. Fox and N. Bishop (C.I, 6 o—4. Misses M, Wake and M. Andrew (C.) beat Mrs E. L. Crawshaw and Miss J. Rankin (C.),.6—2, B—6. Mrs H, M. Dykes and Miss D. Nieholls (IV.) heat Mrs V. G. Browne and Miss L. Berghan (C.l, 6—o, 6—l. Misses T. Poole and N. Dick (C.) heat Mrs B. A. Miles and Miss V. Bloor (C.), 6—3, 6—4. MIXED DOUBLES. Miss M. Andrew and P, G. Greenwood heat Miss Morrison arid N. S. Anderson. o—o, 5—7, o—2. Miss Johnston and R. 11. Tait beat Mrs Miles and N. G. Munns, o—4, o—3. Miss Hall ami J. H. W. Sheppard heat Miss Rudkin and J. G. A’Court, o—2, o—3, Miss Nieholls and T. Rhodes-Williams heat Mrs Crawshaw and K. H. Orholl. o—3, 7—o. Mrs Dykes and H. Al. Dykes beat Miss Sherris and W. S. Somerville, o—3, 6—l. Miss Hartigan and Glanville heat Miss Gibson and J. H. Holford, 6-4, 6-3.

Second Round. Mrs Molesworth and C. Auga« beat Miss Rankin and H. Dymond, 6—2, 6—3, Mrs Scott and B. B. Loughnan beat Miss Gould and J. R. Johnston, 6—o, 6—3. Miss Wake and 11, A. Barnett beat Mrs Stcdinan and W. R. Robinson, 6 —3, 6-0. { Miss Valkenburg and T. W. Patterson beat Miss T. Poole and J. Mercer, o—3,0 —3, o—l. Miss Hall and Sheppard beat Miss Johnston and Tait, 7 —9, 6 —3, G —3. NORTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS R. A. COURT WINS THE SINGLES. (Per United Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., January 7. The North Island tournament was concluded to-day, with the exception of the Mixed Doubles final. R. A. Court, who defeated E. L. Bartleet in the semi-final of the Singles, won this event by beating R. M’L. Perkins, of Wellington. The results were as follow: — MEN’S SINGLES. Semi-finals. R. A. Court (Hastings) beat E. L. Bartleet (Auckland), 6—3, I—6, 6—2. R. M‘L. Perkihs (Wellington) beat S. Robinson (Auckland), 3—6, B—6,8 —6, G—l. Final. Court beat Robinson, 2—6. 6 —o, 7 —5, 6—l. MEN’S DOUBLES. E. L. Bartleet and S. Robinson (Auckland) beat M. L. Lampe and J. Macfarlane (Wanganui), G —l, 6 —l, B—6.8 —6. LADIES’ SINGLES. Semi-final. Miss X J urcell (Wanganui) beat Miss Rutherford (Feilding), 6 —4, 2—6, 6—l. Final. Miss M. Whyte (Wellington) beat Miss Purcell. 3—6, 7—5, B—6. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Semi-final. Misses Whyte and Todd (Wellington) beat Misses Astel and Cummerfield (Palmerston North), 6 —3, 7—5. Mrs Beattie and Miss Rutherford boat Misses Purcell (Wanganui) and Howell (Hawke's Bay), 6—l, 6—3. Pinal. Misses Whyte and Todd beat Mrs Beattie and Miss Rutherford, 6 —3, 6 —4. MIXED DOUBLES. Semi-final. L. Boddy and Miss Cummerfield (Feilding) beat E. L. Bartleet (Auckland) and Miss Cameron (Masterton), 7—5, 6—4.

E. A. Court, who won the Singles Cham* piouship, is well known in Otago, where he spent one or two seasons. He lived m the Roxburgh district during the 1030 season and played in the Easter tournament at Logan Park in April of that year. He was beaten in the first round of the Singles by A. J. Deaker, but gave a much more impressive display in the Doubles and Mixed Doubles. In the Men’s Doubles he was partnered by Pollock, and they reached the fourth round, in which they were defeated by Black and M'Dougall, 4—6, 6—2, 12—10. Court and Miss Barton gave a good account of themselves in the Mixed Doubles, reaching the fourth round, in which they were beaten by Guy and Miss Partridge, 6—3, 6—4. In the Plate event at the same tournament, for players defeated in the first round of the Singles, Court and Jensen fought out a veritable marathon, Jensen winning 4—6, 6—3, 13—11, after his opponent had led 7—6 in the third set. While in Dunedin, Court, who is a former junior champion of England, was regarded as a better exponent of doubles than singles, and he must have strengthened his game very materially since going to Hawke’s Bay, for his defeat of Bartleet and Robinson was an outstanding performance. He is a very attractive player, who drives well on both hands and volleys effectively. He smashes with good direction', but not with exceptional severity.