TENNIS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17174, 3 February 1930, Page 4

TENNIS

N.Z. TOURNAMENT ANGAS SINGLES CHAMPION BRILLIANT FINAL GAMES (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. C. Angas is the new singles tennis champion of New Zealand, crowning a groat season's record with a meritorious win over that most aggressive and hard-hitting player Don France. Fourteen hundred people saw Franco miss the ball which gave Angas his first national title in a match in which France trailed all the way, and gave a great fighting display. The N.Z. championship concluded on Saturday in unpleasant conditions, a light southerly quickening, into a strong wind, and, curiously enough, it was Wellington's weather which gave Angas the championship. Franco was a strong favorite, and few gave Angas a hope against him. The conditions, however, 'made it impossible to play a consistent hitting game, and against it Franco had to lift balls which were easy to Angas, who consistently took the net. , With the wind at his back, and a game or two in hand, France did the attacking from the outset, Angas being on the defensive all the way, save for net raids from the southerly side, but France's tactics cost him. batches of '' outs.'' BRILLIANT FORM The Wellington man played with greater care in the second set, in which his brilliant form at tho net recalled that of the previous day! against Seay. France led 4 —l and took the set; 6—3, raining ace shots all over the .court, and Angas led 2—o in the third set through France netting winners. A net cord shot by Angas gave him a break in the second game, and France had a chance to even at 2—all, when he forced Angas into errors, but lost it on a foolish net raid. The sixth game was a great contest, both players accing shot after shot, often from apparent winners .by the other. France took it, and here reached his best form of the match,,.''.—all. Winners which missed cost. France the critical seventh game, witli Angas' service to follow, and the Christ church man rushed the net to put, away France's drives for earned points, and led 5—.".. France made an error in the next game, when he let a ball go, which fell squarely on the baseline, but took the game by dazzling, though reckless play at, the net. Angas was rocklike in steadiness though, and took the set with a great passing shot down the left-hand line. After being 40—15 in the fourth set France tried to forco tho pace, and was almost constantly at the net, but Angas set the seal on his win in this set by discovering that he coulo make fauitless tosses into the teeth of the wind. France was dislodged time after time, and had to scamper back and make a defensive shot, Angas led from tho start, and after I—all, piled up game after game with lobbing, volleying and passing shots His tennis was not as forceful as Franco's, but tho Wellington man was taking net behind shots, which were not good enough to warrant net advance, and he paid the penalty. Angas 's luck held to the last, for France was down I—s and 15 30 when he hit another winner, which ran along the net rim, and fell outside the sideline, and the next moment a beautiful passing shot hart fallen inches inside the line, and gave Angas his first New Zealand championship. COVERED WITH GLORY Noel Wilson covered himself with glory in his doubles play. With Stedman he, pushed Don France and Maifroy to the limit in the doubles final, and but for Stcdman's slight nervousness at his first appearance in a national final, might hayc won. Wilson was everywhere, smashing and volleying with precision, and covering Sted man's lobs as well. That last fact proved their undoing, for had Stcdman been left to take his own smashes in the fourth set the match would have gone thefull distance. The combination of the losers was better than that of- their opponents, but it was a case of suroness of stroke against positional play. .When Wilson and Stcdman were going well they were obviously a better pair, but they mado more errors off easy balls, in addition to making more placements, than the opposition. France, apart from ono or two lapses, was in great form at the net, and Malfroy, who was an uncertain factor in the winners' play—ho double-faulted for the game to be down 2—4 in the fourth set, which might have cost them the match—played an improved game all round. Wilson was doing two-thirds of the work, and he could not continue to do it against such accurate opposition. The wind, which had moderated, allowed France and Malfroy to make some good losses, ami that turned the scale in their favor. A GREAT DISPLAY Wilson went straight on to play two more matches in >the mixed doubles, winning the semi-final against Wallace and Mrs. scott with ease, and giving a great display in the final, where he and Mrs. Thomson heat Sandrall and Miss Marjorio Macfar-lane. Sandrall played a dangerous game, but had his partner puzzled by the manner in which he cut in at some times and not at others. Tin; Wilson-Mrs. Thomson combination told, and they broke through Miss Macfarhme's service each time for the set. Fine recoveries at sharp angles and powerful smashes abounded. In a most interesting match in tho ladies' singles final, two Wellington ladies met, .Miss D. 'Nicholls winning from Mrs. \V. J. Melody in a match which saw .Miss Nicholls start nervously, find her feet and run Mrs. Melody round for two sets in a hopeless effort. Misfl Nicholls played much hotter, and

I was not. at all troubled by Mrs, Melody's spin, which she treated with little courtesy. It was one more instance of a player failing to make Miss Nicholls move and doing all the running against her. W. (L Robertson (South Canterbury) had n meritorious win in the boy's' final against R. If. Lees (Auckland). Lees stroked better and placed very well in the opening set, which he took fairly comfortably, but Robertson's greater physique and stout net attack throughout the next two sets finally won through. Lees was never at home, and found the wind ;i trial once Robertson commenced to hit out. In the boys' doubles, Robertson and 'Ferkins beat the Lees brothers, the latter never finding their game, though they reached s—all5 —all from 0—:"> by rash tactics on 'the part of (Ferkins in the first'.set. The second set was a walkover for the winners. --.Men's Singles— Final-: C. -Angas (Canterbury) beat D G. France (Wellington), 6—l, 3-1-6. 6-4, 6—l. _. .Men's DoublesFinal': D: 'O: ' France and C. Mat froy (Wellington) beat N. R. ('. Wilson (Wellington) and A. Stcdman (Auckland). 0-6. 7-5. 3-6; 7-5. -Ladies' Singles— Final: Miss N. Nicholls (Wellington) beat Mrs. W. J- Melody (Wellington). 3—6, 6—3. 6—L —Mixed Doubles— Semi-finals:, Wilson and Mrs. Thomson beat Wallace (Taranaki) and Mrs. Scott (South Canterbury). 6—o. 6—3. Final: Wilson and "Mrs. Thomson beat Sandrall and Miss MacFarlane, 7—5, 6—3. —Junior Mixed DoublesFinal : Heenan (miff-Canterbury) and Miss Isobel-Morrison (Canterbury) beat W. G. Robertson and Miss Madeline Eliot (South Canterbury), 4—6, 6—l. 7—5.