LAWN TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23717, 26 January 1939, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS

By Smash

EASTER DATES Auckland Association, Auckland. Otago Association, Dunedin. Wellington Association, Wellington. Canterbury Association, Christchurch (South Island championships). Tuaueka Association. Roxburgh. A GRADE MATCHES Otago's position at the head of the A Grade competition was not disturbed by the results of Saturday’s matches. Otago is at present two points ahead of St. Clair, with Roslyn and University each two points further away. The oresent indications are that Otago has every chance of remaining at the top. Kaituna failed to secure a set against Roslyn on Saturday. Sincock was down I—4 in the first set of his match against Laidlaw, but he then took five games in a row to secure the set. maintaining the pace to win the second G—3. Bryan and Sheriff had a good match, but the former was too severe, especially on the forehand. Macdonald made better use of the wind to defeat Phillips, as also did Steven in his match against Stewart. The first Doubles was an even contest. Sincock arid Bryan winning from Sheriff and Phillips 6-^-4. 6—5. The second Doubles, in which Macdonald and Steven defeated Laidlaw and Stewart, was also won in straight sets. Otago had an easy victory m the match against Mornington. the latter team taking only one set. Robertson had a narrow win over Paterson, whom he defeated 6—5, 6—5, and Kaye’s winning margin against Sutherland was 6—5. 6—3. Gibson took B. MacAvoy to three sets, but P. MacAvoy had a comparatively easy passage in his match against Johnston. Both the Otago pairs were too strong for the Mornington players.

St. Clair and Cosy Dell had an interesting 'match. Falconer took the first Singles from Lawrence, the match going to three sets. The other three Singles were won by St. Clair players, giving them a substantial lead. Lawrence accounted for Cameron 6 6, 6—o; Barclay beat Clarke 6—2. 6—l; and Yeoman beat Shand 6—5. 6—-2, after a closely-fought first set. The Doubles were evenly divided. Again the first match was lost by St. Clair, Swallow and Lawrence going down to Falconer and Cameron. The Otago pair won the first set 6 —2, but the St. Clair players evened with a 6—4 victory in the second. The third was closely fought. Falconer and Cameron clinching the match 6 —4. In the other Doubles Barclay and Yeoman, of _ St. Clair, secured a narrow win against Clarke and Shand 6—5, 6 —5

DOMINION JUNIOR TOURNAMENT R, Stevens, the Clyde youngster, was responsible for a fine performance at the New Zealand Junior Championships at Wanganui last week He reached the quarter-finals, where he was eliminated by A. Burns (Auckland) 6 —o, 6—4. Burns, it should be mentioned, went on to win the title, defeating R. McKenzie (Wellington) in the final 6—o, 6—o. Stevens gives promise of reaching top class. Stevens did not fare so well m the other events. Partnered by S. McDonald of the Roslyn Club, he was eliminated in the second round of the Doubles, and partnered by Miss J. Wilson (Wellington) he went out in the first round of the Mixed Doubles Miss M. Spackman, of_ Otago Club, was unfortunate in that in the second round of the Girls’ jingles she was opposed by Miss B. Potter (Auckland), who defeated her 6 —2, 6—2. Miss Potter went on to the final, in which she defeated Miss D Elsom (Canterbury) 6—l, 6—2. In view of this fact. Miss Spackman’s performance, must be considered at least a very creditable one. In the Girls Doubles, partnered by Miss C. Jacobs (Manawatu), Miss Spackman reached the quarter-finals. In the Mixed Doubles, however, she and McDonald were defeated in the second round INJURY TO A. D. BROWN Unusual Situation in Wilding Shield Match The situation arising from A. D. Brown’s injury in a vital Singles match on the second day of the Wilding Shield contest at Auckland created much discussion among spectators and officials. Brown was well 911 the way to winning his match against J. T. Mayson whei he slipped on the court and dislocated his shoulder. He immediately called for a doctor. As .t happened, a medical man was acting as line umpire in that particular match. He put the shoulder back into position, and .hen Brown left the grounds to have his shoulder and arm strapped up by a masseur He returned over an hour later. The question of his absence from the court created much discussion, According to the rule T is at the discretion of the umpire to say whether a player is fit to continue, or whether a match should g< by defaul’ when anything unforseen happens. In this instance the umpire was a well-known Auckland ennis player, although not a participant in the Wilding Shield matches. He consulted the Auckland captain. N. G. Sturt, and the referee, Mr S. Lamb president of the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association, and both sportingly agreed that, if Brown was able to play again upon his return, the Singles match with Mayson should be continued. This gesture was greatly appreciated by the Canterbury manager, IV J. H. W Sheppard, and members of the team, more especially as it probably meant the retention or losing of the shield Brown went on and won the match, making the score 6 —4 in favour of Canterbury. A wi- in the first Doubles then clinched the issue for the challengers.

BUDGE’S “WORLD’S TEN” Donald Budge has listed John Bromwich (Australia) second to “Bunny” Austin (Great Britain) in his ranking of the world’s 10 leading amateurs in 1938. When the pair last met at Wimbledon in 1937 Austin beat Bromwich in the third round of the Singles 6—2, 4—6, 6—o, B—6, Budge’s other rankings are: Riggs (U.S.A.) 3, Menzel (Czechoslokavia) 4, S B. Wood (U.S.A.) 5. Mako (U.S.A.) 6, Cejnar (Hungary) 7, Quist (Australia) 8, Henkel (Germany) 9. Grant (U.S.A.) 10. Budge is a magnificent lawn tennis player, but there will be many who will aver that as a critic he does not rank so highly. NOTES Henri Cochet has acquired a new distinction —he is now a “ professor.’*According to a report from France, he recently passed the examination requirements for a sports professor’s licence —whatever the requirements may be —and has now taken up his new duties of teaching Paris youngsters just how to play lawn tennis. One of France’s famous four “Tennis Musketeers ’’—the others were Borotra, Brugnon, and Lacoste —Cochet is now in his thirty-eighth year Notification of the following ranking matches has been received: —W. J. Smith defeated E. G. Boddy 6—2, 6—l, J. C. Robertson defeated Boddy 6—l, B—6; G. H. Jolly defeated G. R. law 6 —5, 6 —o. The North-East Valley and St. Clair Clubs will hold a dance at the Garden Kiosk on Saturday night. To have suffered only one defeat in Wilding Shield Singles matches and that in the thirteenth year of competition is the record of C. Angas, of Canterbury. J, W, Gunn, the Auckland player, broke his winning run during the course of the recent shield contest, but he did so only after a most trying match. Angas, as a northern writer commented after the match, fought determinedly and went down

gallantly. In all the 16 Wilding Shield Singles matches which Angas had won prior to his defeat by Gunn, he had lost only two sets, and that lost to J. T. Mayson on the first day of the recent shield contest was the second. The best umpire at the New Zealand tennis championships at Christchurch was undoubtedly Mr G. Ollivier, the former champion, says a Wellington writer. His calls were quick and usually accurate, and they could be heard in all of the stands surrounding the stadium court without difficulty. There was a touch of the wise head, too, about his insistence that ball boys should be smart and efficient. According to a Wellington critic the best volleyer among the competitors in the New Zealand ladies’ lawn tennis championship at Christchurch was Miss Berenice Bishop, of Auckland. This is great praise, especially when it is remembered that the final was contested by two Australians—Miss M Hardcastle, the winner, and Miss T Rice. The writer says that Miss Bishop’s net strokes had the punch and precision of the true volleyer. LEADING ENGLISH PLAYERS Two players, both aged 17, have been included in the British lawn tennis ranking list (writes Mr Stanley N. Doust). They are Miss Rosemary Thomas, ranked No. 10, and Miss Gem Hoahing. who is placed at No. 11. These are the two youngest players ever to have been included in a British ranking list. Miss Hoahing is a Chinese player born in Hongkong. She lives in England, and won the British junior championship in 1936. Miss Thomas was the British junior champion last year Neither player defended her title. Miss M. Scriven takes the place of Mrs Little (Miss Dorothy Round) as No. 1. while Miss M. Lumb jumps from No. 11 to second place and Miss M. Hardwick is No. 3.

H. W. Austin remains at No. 1 in the men’s ranking list, with C. E. Hare No. 2. The list of men was as follows:—! H. W. Austin. 2 C. E. Hare. 3 R. A. Shayes. 4 D. W. Butlei 4 . 5 C. M. Jones, 6 M. D. Deloford. 7 J. S. Oliff. 8 H. G. N. Lee. 9 E. J. Filby. 10 D. MacPhail. 11 N. Sharpe. 12 H. Billington. The women were ranked as follows:—1 Miss M. C. Scriven, 2 Miss M E. Lumb, 3 Miss R. M. Hardwick. 4 Miss K. E. Stammers, 5 Mrs S. H. Hammersley (nee James). 6 Mrs M. R. King, 7 Miss V. E. Scott. 8 Miss J. Saunders. 9 Miss B. Nuthall. 10 Miss R. Thomas, 11 Miss G. C. Hoahing. 12 Miss R. D. McKelvie. LAWN TENNIS UNION In the C Grade Competition on Saturday, Glenavon showed promising form in securing its second success, defeating North-East Valley Baptist by 10 sets to 6. This was chiefly due to the fine display by the Misses M. and G. Beaton and G. Harding, each of whom secured three wins. Hanly and Breen also played well for th.> winners. For North-East Valley, Stewart and McLay showed good form to win their Singles matches. Recent Ladder Results.—Mesdames Hoare and Robertso 1 defeated Misses Bullen and JarvL 9- 6, Mesdames Hoare and Rpbertson defeated Mrs Lawry and Miss Can 9—4. Ladder Placings.—Men’s Singles: l Callander, 2 Taylor, 3 H. Facer, 4 B. Gibson, 5 Ross. 6 R. Facer, 7 Donovan. 8 Jackson. 9 Luke. 10 Dickey. 11 Copland. „ Men’s Doubles.—l Taylor and Callander. 2 Gillions and Craig, 3 Sims and Gibson, 4 Facer and Facer, 5 R. and J McVie, 6 Brown and Ross, 7 Ma.--.on and Hanning, 8 Meinung andDonovan, 9 Hey and Nevin, 10 -.uke and Dickey, 11 Hoare and Robertson. Women’s Singles—l Miss Bullen, 2 Mrs Hoare, 3 Miss Sparrow, 4 Miss Ballantyne, 5 Miss Brown, 6 Miss Wilson, 7 Miss Stevens, 8 Miss D, Facer. Women’s Doubles. —1 Mesdames Hoare and Robertson, 2 Mrs Lawry

and Miss Carr, 3 Misses Bullen and Jarvis, 4 Misses Sparrow and Brown, 5 Misses Ballantyue and Ross. 6 Mrs Craig and Miss Stevens, 7 Misses Facer and Connor, 8 Misses Stewart and Connor, 9 Misses McKinlay and Hughes, 10 Misses L. and T. Colquhuon, 11 Mrs Pearce and Miss Divers. Various clubs are now holding tournaments. The Holy Cross Club held two tournaments last Saturday, Men’s and Women’s Doubles. The men’s competition wa very keen. The winners J. Alexander and A. Rogers, who were heavily handicapped, played fine tennis to win from L. Belcher and R, McKissock. The women’s event was very even. Misses Hutchings and Coates w n from Misses McKenzie and Lennox. Miss Coates, who is only 12 years old, shows promise. Miss B. Alexander also gave an enterprising display. Wbitcombes for Tennis*