LAWN TENNIS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17453, 30 December 1930, Page 11

LAWN TENNIS

WATSON EE TAINS TITLE WINS IN STRAIGHT SETS DISTRICT TOt'RNEV CLOSING Playing a strong game without any track of the erratic streak that evidenced itself earlier in the . tournament, P. Watson to-day beat N. IT. Bull in the final of the men’s singles championship division of the Poverty Bay arid, East Coast Lawn Tennis Association’s tournament. The Match-was watched with the keenest interest by a.large gallery, and the form of the winder was warmly commended. Watson won in straight sets. Bull flaying a game ,that,coiitrasled strongly with’ bis form in previous years. The list of championships in which decisions haVe been r'eaehod, is as under: .Men’s singles.—P. Watson. TTndios singles.--Miss P. Hopkinson, . Men’s doubles.—P. Watson and M. Mitchell. Ladies’ doubles.—Misses P. and J. Hopkinson. In the handicap. section, the decided divisions brought out the following winlion’s singles.— J, «full, Wellington. Ladies’ singles.—Miss, ft. Denton. Men’s doubles. —.Tull and Toogtood, Wellington, Ladies’ doubles.—Mrs. Woodrow and Miss Ei. MaXwell.

The junior championship section was. not strongly patronised, there lieing.no entiles whatever in the girls’ division, whiio in the youths’ division, R. Coop heat Hopkinson in the final of a disappointing competition. . WATSON’S INITIATIVE Almost throughput the final of the men’s singles championship the.initiative lay with Watson, whose stroking was sound both on the fore and backhand, and who repeatedly drew his opponent out of position to leave the way open for an impossible passing shot or, smash. What impressed spectators who are familiar with the play of both finalists Was that Bull seldom attempted to jjto up to the njit, -contenting himself with, a defensive 'policy (pule foreign to his usuiil style of play. In ,the . past, the,, veteran player lias owed his success, mainly to taking the offensive, fallowing up his drives and scoring from the neighborhood of the net,,but to-day. he clung.obstinately to the back, lir\e, and played with aii uncertainty which sur-; prised everybody. Watson ,was .palpably; the better of the two on the- day, and lie ran out, llie winner in straight sets, the score being 6 —2, 6—2, 6—1,. His work was superior to anything Re has shown in previous tournaments, "the.confidence with wlfiich he took Ris shots •ft’Qih any part of the court being paralleled by hit strong, sense of anticipation. Results of matches played to-day were: Men’s champion singles.—Final; P. Watson d. N. H. Bull, 6—2, 6—i. Ladies’ champion doubles.—Pinal:; Misses I*, and J, Hopkinson d. Mrs. Neal and Miss Bull, 6 —2, 6—l. Combined champion doubles.—Semifinal : N. H. Bull and Miss Bull d. (i. H.. Seddon and Mrs. Neal, 3—6, 6r—3> 6—4. Men’s handicap, -singles.—Final: .J. dull (rec. 6) d. A. Wilson (rec. 5), 50—38.

Men’s handicap doubles. —Final: Jull and Toogood (rec, 15) d. Mackie and Maclcie (fee. 20), 50—47. . Combined handicap doubles.—Semifinal : SteVferisoh and Miss Wilsoh (rec.. 10) d. Lancaster and Miss Ormond (rec. 5), 50—22; Jdll ajid Miss Rlair (rec. .10) d. Mackie and Miss Lybfts (lee. 15), 50-38. MILLER CHALLENGE STARS first AWARD Made The committee of the Poverty Bay and East Coast lAwii Tennis Association has Awarded the Miller, ChaHeiigk Stars to HutchihSon and Wellborne, of the Whataiipoko club, as the first holders, amt a match will take place shortly in comforniity with a challenge entered by, ft. G. Sharp and Stevenson, of Te Hapara club. The trophies were provided toy pieans of a grant from the Miller Trust ftund, and are designed to encourage inter-club play in the association’s district. The competition is to be on a handicap basis, this stipulation having been made in order to counteract any tendency to a stalemate, which might occur if the stars were competed' for on a championship basis. Should any club bold the trophies for an extended period, the executive will be in a position to effect an improvement in the chalices of possible cliallehgers, and thus encourage the competition. The challenge wilL be decided on a points scoring System, in single's aiuß cUmbles play.