LAWN TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 15

LAWN TENNIS

I WELLINGTON CHAMPIONSHIPS UNFAVOURABLE CONDITIONS J (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Dec. 26. The Wellington lawn tennis season i continues to be severely handicapped by bad weather. The strong northerly I wind encountered on Saturday for the first day of the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association's championship and handicap tournament gave way on Sunday night and this morning to rain from the south. Though the weather this afternoon was fine a strong southerly with a "bite" in it I made things far from comfortable for players and spectators alike. Entries for the events, though disappointing in point of numbers, were satisfactory as to standard. Additional interest is given to the women's events by the fact that two Australians. Misses Hardcastle and Rice, are competing. Miss Hardcastle has a somewhat stiff action in serving and a long back-swing in her ground strokes, but there is no gainsaying their efficiency. She has perfect control over the ball, which she watches intently. Her accurate placements to sidelines or corners enable her to go to the net, where her volleying and smashing are decisive. Her service is accurately placed, causing her opponent to move to take the ball, often forcing a weak return and sometimes no return at all. She often puts "work" on the ball in her forehand drive, causing it to whin so quickly off the court as to be difficult to return. Miss Rice was more affected by the I wind than Miss Hardcastle, but she t showed that she has strokes that are dangerous to even the best players. She imparts a. slice to nearly all her ground strokes, backhand and forehand, and is very accurate. Though short in stature (Miss Hardcastle is much the taller), Miss Rice uses every inch of her height when serving and controls the direction of the ball admirably, but hers is not a difficult I service to handle. She is quick about j the court, and, like Miss Hardcastle, I delights to go to the net to volley or I smash. She puts plenty of power into l her drives, and hits with freer action than does Miss Hardcastle. The following are the results of the matches so far completed:— MEN'S SINGLES First Round N. G. Sturt beat H. Ashby 6—o, 6—3; N. A. Morrison beat S. S. Hooper 6—l, 7—5; D. Ward beat S. Dickens 4—6, 6-»-2 6—2; E. A. -Roussell beat C. T. Macarthur 6—4, 6—l; R. V. Robb beat D. Wiggins 6-0 6-4; T Lyons beat J. E. Hamilton 10-8, 6-4; N. V Edwards beat P. Jacobsen 6—4, 6—l; S. Painter beat K. W. Dyer 6—3, 6—4; D. G. France beat D. P. Pomton 6—3, 6—l; J. W. Neale beat H. N. Burns 3—6, 6—2, 6—l. Second Round D. Ward beat J. E. Walker 7—5, 6—4; N. Sturt beat N. A., Morrison 5—7, 6—4 6—o; E. A. Roussell beat R. U. Robb 3—6, 6—3, 6—o; S. Painter beat E. G. Nevitt 6—2, 6—o. MEN'S DOUBLES First Round Morrison and Renouf beat Bedford and Latham 6—o, 6—l; Dyer and Edwards beat Rose and Boyd 6—l, o—B, 7—5; Sturt and France beat Edwards and Jacobsen 6 — 2, 6 —3. WOMEN'S SINGLES First Round Miss T. Rice beat Miss B. McCaskey 6—l, 6—l. Second Round Miss M. Hardcastle beat Miss J. Nicholls 6—2, 6—2; Miss J. Burns beat Miss Z. Castle 6—B, 6—l, ,6—3; Miss E. Plummer beat Miss L. Aleel 6—l, 6—2; Miss J. Bedford beat Miss E. Maclean 6—4, 6—l; Miss J. Forrester beat Miss N. Marshall 6—l, 6—4; Miss J. Douthett beat Miss L. Berry 6—l, 6—2; Mrs N. Edwards beat Miss N. Huse 6—2, 6—3. _ „ Miss T. Rice beat Mrs D. G. France by default. Third Round Miss J. Douthett beat Mrs N. V. Edwards 6 —l. 6 —l. WOMEN'S DOUBLES First Round Misses Z. Castle and J. Nichollsbeat Misses J. Bedford and Maclean 6—l, 6—3. MIXED DOUBLES First Round Sturt and Miss Hardcastle beat Ward and Miss Berry 6—l, 6—o; Renouf and Miss Akel beat Hamilton and Miss Macaskey 6—4. 6—3. Second Round E. A. Roussell and Miss T. Rice beat S. Painter and Miss E. Plummer 6—4, 2—6, 7—5; Sturt and Miss Hardcastle beat G. Nevitt and Miss White 6—o, 6—l. CANTERBURY TOURNAMENT THE OPENING MATCHES (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 26. Wilding Park came into its own again as the focal point of big tennis in the Dominion on Saturday, when a start was made with the Canterbury championships, which will serve as an admirable preparation for the national championships. The entry was an excellent one, including all the Dominion title holders with the exception of E. Roussell and R. McL. Ferkins, the Men's Doubles champions. The courts were in excellent order. Results: — MEN'S SINGLES ' First Round A. R. Cant beat J. C. Robertson 6—4, B—6- t. W. Patterson beat W. J. Shanks 6—l, 7—5; J. W. Arnold beat T. D. C. Childs 6—l, 6—B, 6—2; C. B. Beatson beat F. O. Schmidt 6—2. 6—o. Second Round C. F. Penfold beat W. Smith 6—2, 6—4; A. D. Brown beat B. E. Souter 6—l. 6—l; R. G. Pattinson beat E. L. Prebble 6—l. 6—2; M. J. Corich beat E. L. C00k,6—2, 6—2. WOMEN'S SINGLES Second Round Miss D. Miller beat Miss M. Wake 6—l, 6—4; Mrs C. B. Beatson beat Miss B. L. Bishop 6—3, B—6; Miss N. Beverley beat Miss S. Anderson 6—4, 6—2. MIXED DOUBLES First Round J. W. Gunn and Miss M. Beverley beat J. A. Strong and Miss M. Murray 6—o, 6—4.