SWAINSON IN FINAL.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12559, 29 January 1934, Page 5

SWAINSON IN FINAL.

MANAWATU TENNIS TOURNEY. PAHIATUA SUCCESSES. The weather was favourable for -the continuation of the Manawatu Tennis Association’s district tournament at the L/inton street (Palmerston North) courts on Saturday. As a, result of the games played', the men’s doubles have been completed, while the championship and handicap singles have progressed to the finals.

The doubles championship was won by Robertson and Weipeihana, of the Palmerston Club, who defeated the Pahiatua pair, Swainson and Bush, m a three-set final. The finalists in the championship singles are W. Boddy (Feilding) and Swainson, who eliminated Robertson, and th e final of the handicap singles will be contested by Bush (Pahiatua) and Bennett (Palmerston). Results of Saturday’s games are as under:—

MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES Semi-final. J. G. Swainson (Pahiatua) beat 11. I. Robertson (Palmerston), 2—6, €—s, 7—5. Swainson meets Proddy (Feilding)

In the final. MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES Final. Robertson and Weipeihana (Palmerston) beat Swainson and Bush (Pahiatua), 5—6, 6 4, 6—l. MEN’S HANDICAP SINGLES. Qua rter-finals. Bush heat Hankin, 11—9. Ralfe beat O’Brien, 9—7. Gavin beat Worsfold, 14—12. Barnett beat Macpherson by default. Semi-finals. Bush heat Ralfe. 9—5. Barnett beat Gavin by default. COMMENT ON THE PLAY. The first match to be played was the championship singles to" decide whether Robertson or J. G Swainson was to have the honour of meeting W. Boddy in the final. It proved to be a three-set match, and Swainson won after Robertson bad won the first set by a decisive margin. Robertson has not played much tennis this summer but against Swainson he was not much below bis best form. Swainson collared the opening games but after that Robertsou, who bad got the pace of the court, took charge and six games in a row gave him the set. The run of the play suggested that Robertson would win in straight sets. Swainson, however, is never so- dangerous as when required to fight an uphill battle, and he played a characteristic game to take the second set. Robertson ran to a 4—l lead in the third and deciding set, but Swainso-n tightened his belt a notch, drew level, and went on to win the set and match despite a burst racquet. It was a delightful game to watch and no one was more pleased with the- result than Robertson, who had nothing but praise for the veteran’s plar. THE GAME.

Swainson served first and when Robertson passed him three times, it looked like a game to the Palmerston North man. Swainson hit the band with the next, and the ball, luckily, went over. The Pahiatua man took the next four points and the game. Robertson was taking time to settle down and Swainson broke through his service and Jed 40—love in the next. Robertson, with solid driving drew level and took the next two points and tin* game, the score, being 2—l in Swamson’s favour. Robertson won his service after deuce Ihad been called. Swainson being forced into errors. They were driving particularly well but excursions to the net were badly timed and usually expensive. Robertson was playing steadily and with drives to the corners, he collared Swainsoff’s service to lead 3—2. He continued the good work, varying his pace and length to take the next three games and. the set 6—2.

Robertson broke through Swainson’s service at the opening of the second set. Swainson retaliated by taking the next- and he won his own service to 15, Robertson being forced into- errors by the pace and variety o) Swainson attack. Robertson led 30—love in the next. He then netted a couple of drives. He won the next point with a sharply angled drive hut followed with a double fault. Deuce was called five times before Robertson won the game, and the score was 2 all. Swainson was aggressive in the next game. "With drives deep to the corners lie won the- first three points, he dropped xhe next when he outed a volley but he took the game to load 3—2. Robertson served well to take the next game to 30. Swainson won his to 30 but Robertson made it 4 all in a game remarkable for some fierce ’driving by both men. Swainson trailed his man in the next game but with a well placed serve and accurate volley ing, he regained control to lead 5—4, dropping one point off his own service. Swainson led 40—30 in the next game, but Robertson put one* across (01114- and volleyed the return for a winner. Swainson took the next two* points, the game and the set, the winning point coming when he drove Robertson behind the back line and volleyed the hard return to the | corner, Robertson making a valiant but ineffective effort to get the ball ! up. Robertson trailed 15—40 in the next game but drew level with a couple of aces and lie took the game. Swainson kept him well back in the next, and took it to love, the score, "being I all. Robertson won the next two games without much trouble to establish the commanding lead of Jarly well and the next game increased his lead. Swainson took his service to 15, waiting for Robertson to make tin* mistakes. Swainson then made* one or two excursions to the net and he broke through Robertson’s service, the score being 4—3 in Palin- -rston’s favour. He oul drove Robertson in the next game and they were 1 all. ,S vain son’s racquet had

gone by this time, two strings down the centre; being broken. Robertson took the next game, but Swainson, who was going well, took the following two and led 6—5. Swainson, serving, led 40—15 in the next game. He went to the net to- volley for the point that would have given him the match but he netted, and Robertson drew level. Swainson took the next two points and the match, 26, 6—5, 7—5. IHE DOUBLES. The finalists in the doubles were Robertson and Weipeihana and Swainson and Bush. and a bardfought match resulted, the Palmerston pair winning after losing the first set. Hie first three games went against the service. Swainson won his to break the sequence. Pahiatua leading 31. Robertson won his service to love, the Pahiatua men outing the returns. Bush \\Vs volleying well in the next game which She won to love. Weipeihana, however, started well in the. next and his pace forced the opposition into errors. Palmerston won the game and the. score was 3- 4 against them. There were some great volleying duels in the next game which was clinched by Palmerston when Robertson scored with a winner down the side line and Weipeihana with a sharply angled volley. The tally was 4 all. Robertson won his service to 30 and Palmerston led 5—4. Bush then won his service after dropping the first two points, the score being 5 all Palhiatna bioke through Weipeihana’s service to 15 to take the first set 6—5.

The first three games went, with the service in the second -sot. In the third, Bush serving,, Pahiatua collared the net and although they smashed repeatedly, Palmerston made some great recoveries and there were exciting rallies before Bush clinched the argument. Weipeihana won his service after deuce, bad been called, Robertson doing effective, work at the net. The score was 2 all. Swainson and Robertson won their services and it was 3 all. There were some splendid rallies in the next game with Pabiatua at the net and Palmerston going hammer and tongs along the back line. Palmerston broke through the service- t,o lead I —3 at what proved to he the vital stage of the match. Weipeihana then dropped his service and Palmerston made desperate efforts to get the next game. Pahiatua tried equally | hard to save it. They fought for every point. Palmerston taking the game alter deuce had twice been, called. Roliert.son led 5—4 and he took his service to 15 and the set 6--4. The Palmerston men were going along steadily now and they were making the most of every opportunity to kill. They broke through Bush’s service and when Robertson won his to 15, they led 2—love in the third sot. Swainson dropped his service after deuce had been called and Weipeihana won his, Palmerston leading 4—love. Bush stopped the rot, winning his service to 15 but Palmerston were not to be denied and Robertson and Weipeihana took the next two games, the set 61. and the match.