HIGH STANDARD OF PLAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19827, 3 January 1939, Page 11

HIGH STANDARD OF PLAY

N.Z. TENNIS TITLE'

PLAY AT CHRISTCHURCH FEW EARLY SURPRISES MISS X. BEVERLEY BEATEN NEW BLOOD AMONG MKN (TVr Vri'ss Association.) CHRISTCHURCH; this day. Twi full days of perfect weather on Saturday and yesterday enabled the forty-ninth annual New ".calanct lawn tennis championships at W tiding Park to be advanced well toward the final rounds. The standard of D'lay was uniformly high alio there were some brilliant individual matches.

So far there have been few major surprises, the most notable being the defeat of Miss N. Beverley, third ranking player of New Zealand, by the young Canterbury player, Miss Heather Elscrn. An unfortunate feature of the tournament was the withdrawal from all events of the holder of three women's titles. Miss Margaret Beverley, of Waikato, who was injured in a motor accident during the week-end. Her defection is specially to be regretted as she, misre than any other home player, had a chance o< extending the visiting Australians. Miss M. Hardcastle Queensland, and Miss T. Rice, New South Wales. The visitors obviously have much to teacr New Zealand's best players, but it is bv no means certain that they will dominate completely the women';, events. In a very fine doubles match yesterday, they were extended to the utmost by the Wellington pair, Misser E. Plummer and J. Douthett.

Four players have reached the quarter finals of the men's singles. Eight others will do battle to-day for tb« remaining four rjlaoes. The men 'Who have reached the last eight are the defending champion.. A. D. Brown (Canterbury), N. V. Edwards (Wellington). Who defeated N. F. N. Bedford (Auckland), eighth seeded player, N. G. Sturt (Auckland), and C Angas (Canterbury). Brown had no great difficulty ir beating C. B. Beatso.n' (Nelson), and W. J. Smith (Otag'o), each ir, straight sets. The latter performance was particularly meritorious, for Smith, a young plaver with fine stroke equipment, has worked intr ?ood form and-outplayed Canterbury': third ranked ulayer, H. Dymord. in his first match.

Edwards, whose polished stroke clay created very favourable comment, first heat R.'.T. Donkih. a former Canterbury junior champion. Hir win over Bedford v-as well deserved The latter, as usual, mixed brillian' strokes and fine coups with the' mos' elementary mistakes. Sturt had no difficulty in h"ntfn<twf Canterbury players, J. R. Craw-s-haw and S. Watson, the latter bavin' gained a food win in the first, roum' over N. A. Morrison, a Wellington ranked man.

Angas wa«! too steady for B. J Kelly, a Wellington junior, who played some fine shots, but he was i>danger cf defeat in his next match when he "caught a Tartar" in M. J Souter.

R. G. Pattinson. runner-up to A T). Brown last year, and fifth seeded player in the present tournament met a strong ooponent in R. McL Ferkins (Wellington), in the first round. The young Canterbury player drooped the first set, but with a bntterv of stinging drives and defvolley he swept through the last thre" sots quite convincingly. Pattinscn had an oven harder match in the second round when lie met and defeated, after a great struggle, S Painter (Wellington). the present New Zealand junior chamrjion. Painter has thoroughly justified his early promise. He had. indeed, a great chance of beating Pattinson for. in a close fifth set. he broke through Pnttinson's service for a 4—3 lead. ?nlv to drop his own delivery in the next game. Anart from Brown, who has not vet been fully tested, the most impressive tjlay came from J. T. Mavson. the voung Auckland player wlv recently won the Canterbury single and doubles titles. Mayson dropped a set to the sound Canterbury mar L. Morris, in the first round, and although he was taken to five sets by E A. Roussell. the experienced Wellington plaver, he played so confidently and efficiently in the first, third, rind fifth sets of this match that he did not at any time seem likely to be beaten. Mavson, covering the court very quickly, was able to reach nearly all " Roussell's best shots, and he usually had his opponent 'in difficulty with his returns.

There appeared to be possibilities of an upset when 1. J. Conch, of Canterbury, took the first to love against Housed in his opening match. His volleying and smashing in this set. were really brilliant, but Roussell's steadiness and retrieving ability wore him down.

A, R. Cant, Canterbury's fourth ranked man, was taken to five sets by M. Ferkins, of Wellington, who is almost as steady, but not as sound a stroke player as his brother. ,f. Roach, first man for Waikato, had a long game against the hardhitting R. Howe, a former Wellington man now living in Southland. tie played J. W. Gunn, the sixth seeded player, in the next round and went down after a match of long rallies and good strokes. One of the outstanding games of the first day was that between K. W. })ytr (Wellington) and C. F. Penfold (Canterbury), first set of 2G games taking almost 90 minutes to play. Dyer is a left-hander with a delightful range of attacking shots, all of which are hit without any spin whatever. On this occasion lie controlled these shots exceedingly well, and peniohl had a great deal of hard do tensive work Io do. The Aialcli might have taken a different course had the young Canterbury player seized his chance In the first set when he led II—r» and 40—love. The women's singles event has been reduced to eight competitors, and two seeded players apart from Miss Margaret Beverley have been eliminated. The defeat of Miss Nessie Beverley yesterday afternoon by Miss 11. Blsom was the biggest surprise of the tournament to 'kite. Some indication of the possibilities of the latter player might have been gained from their match in the Canterbury championship, when Miss Elsom took a set from Miss Beverley with just the same forceful play that won for her

yesterday. Again she lost, the first set and won the second, hut this time she refused to surrender the initiative in tin- final session. Instead, .she kept, on shooting stinging forehand drives into the corners. Miss Beverley was forced on to the defensive role in whieh she is never happy and her shots lost their soreness under this relentless barrage of drives. Miss El.som, In fact, was a much sounder player when it came to defence, and she had her full share of defensive work to do.

Great interest, was taken in the appear;]nee of the Australian players. Miss Hardcastle, the only player with a bye in the first round, made a most. impressive debut in the second, when she beat -Miss it. Gould (Canterbury) without the loss of a game. That speaks highly for the quality of her play, for Miss Gould has as severe

and reliable an euuipmeni of ground strokes as any player in New Zealand.

Miss T. Rice, smaller in stature but no less active on the court, beat two sound opponents in Miss Mavis Howe (Wellington), and Miss K. Armstrong (Canterbury). She is less severe in her shots than Miss Hardcastle, but is more subtle in her methods. She used the drop-shot with skill and effect, and changes of pace and length were also brought into use to the undoing of her opponents. Miss Annstrong had a good chance of winning the second sei but her driving just lacked the necessary accuracy to take advantage of some promising openings.

The defection of Miss M. Beverley has given Miss Rebe Wilson, a promising young Southland player, an easy passage to the quarter final. Miss Wilson was more at home on the courts, which had increased in speed since the Canterbury championships, but it was mainly her steadiness ana some good retrieving wnieh enabled ner to meat Miss J. Senior, a player who is well up in the Canterbury ranking list. Miss Wilson appeared co have difficulty in timing her shots.

One of the best women's matches yesterday was that between the two Wellington Nunneley CasKex representatives. Miss E. Plummer and Miss .). Pouthett. A strong driver and an active court coverer, Miss Plummer hit hard throughout, but Miss J. Douthett proved herself an indefatigable defender and rare opportunist on attack. Frequently she would fight out of desperate situations ana then turn the tables with shrewdly angled backhand drives or daring volleys. Miss Plummer had a slight advantage of driving power. Miss D. Miller (North Otago), second ranked player in New Zeeland, was again too patient and tenacious for Miss I. Poole (.Canterbury), who made a valiant effort, to match her opponent's steadiness. In the second set, against Mrs. J. B. Beatson (Nelson), who had won convincingly over the promising young Wellington player, Miss J. Bedford, the story was the same. Good serves and drives all met with the same fate. They went back over the net. Often they went back into the most awkward places on the court. There were some brilliant, contests In the mens' doubles, a first rouno match seeing the elimination of the third seeded pair. Sturt and Mayson iAuckland), by Dymond and I. .1 Corich (Canterbury). Sturt was below form and Mayson had not the solidity to hold what proved to be » shaky team together. The Canterbury men were on top all through. Another great match, which nearly brought about the defeat of the New Zealand champions, saw Ferkins and Roussell beat Pattinson and Penfold after losing the first and second sets. The young Canterbury players were in fine form when the match was begun on Saturday evening and not even the amazing lobbing and solidity of the Wellington pair could prevent them dominating the game at the net.

Angas and Brown, the second seeded pair, had two straight-set wins second over a good pair in D. I. and J. C. Robertson.

Dymond and Corich found themselves down two sets to one against the Souter brothers, but after anxious moments in the fourth set won the fifth without trouble.

Edwards and Dyer, both brilliant smashers and volleyers, were concerned in two sparkling matches. In the first, they met the Waikato pair. Roach and Livingstone, but in the second they went clown to Barnett and Cant, who were very resourceful in driving their opponents away from the net and in taking up that vantage point themselves. The last four pairs in the women's doubles were found yesterday. Misses Miller and Wilson, receiving a walk-over from the title holders. Misses *N. and M. Beverley, joined the three remaining seedtd pairs. They had had a good win in the first round against Misses H. and D. Elsom, the New Zealand junior champions. The outstanding women's doubles match was that in which the Misses Douthett and Plummer, opponents in a long'singles match just previously, combined splendidly to extend the Australians, Misses Hardcastle and Rice. The Wellington pair were unperturbed by the severe driving and volleying of the visitors, kept on getting the ball back, and waited thenchance for successful interceptions at the net.

Results were as follows, players being denoted by (A.), Auckland; (C), Canterbury; (W.), Wellington; (CO, Otago; (S), Southland; (N. 0.), North Otago; (H. 8.), Hawke's Bay; (M.), Manawatu; (Wai.), Waikato; (N.), Nelson, and (Austj, Australia. Men's Singles First Round.—l. W. Gunn (A.) d. P. D. McGregor (O, (J—o, 6—l, (J—o; A. R Cant (N. 0.) d. M. Ferkins (W.), o—2, 2— 6, 2—o, 6—4, 6—l; J. T. Mayson (A.) d. L. Morris (C), 6—2, (j__4 i ;■>—o, 6—4; R. G. Pattinson IC.) d. R. M. Ferkins (W.). 4—o, 0- •!. G- 2, C—3; P. H. Renouf (W.) d. C Robertson iOj, 8 -0, ti -3, 2-- 0, 0 I: R V. Robb tW.) d. W. V. Hobin lM..>, 0- -I, ft--2, 0—1; B, E. Souler (C.) cl. D. Livingstone (Wai.), 7—5, 4—o, li---, o—2; J. W. Arnold (C). d. T. Childs (West Coast), (i—4, o—3, I—6, 0 3; K. W. Dyer tW.) d. C. F. Penfold (C), 14—12, o—3, 3—o, o—4; C. 11. Baird (S.) id' N. Adams (C), 6—2, 4—6, (i —1. o—4; J. Roach (Wai.) d. R. Howe (S.), (;__4 i 4—6, 6—2, 8—0; E. C. Falconer (O.) d. E. 11. Orbell (A.), I—o, o—3, o—o, I—o, B—6; M. J. Corich (C.) cl. C. W. D. Hodgson (S-). 6—2, 6—l, G—l; E. A. RousselT (W.) cl. I. J. Corich (C). o—6, o—2, B—2, 7—5; S. Painter (W) cl. D. I. Robertson (C), 6—3, o—l', li —4; Mayson d. Roussell, o—2, I—o, o—o, 4—6, 6—l; Dyer d. Renouf.

3—o, 15—2, (i—o, (3—2; Pattinson d Painter, 4—6, 7—5, 3—o, G— 1. 7—6 B. E. Souter d. Baird, 4—6, (I—l 6—3, 6 3; Cant d. Falconer, 6—4 6—3, 6—2; Gunn d. Roach, 6—3, 6—4. 6—l; R'Otob d. Corich, 9—6, I—6, 4—6 6—2, 7—5; 11. A. Barnett (C) d. J. W Arnold, 6—3, o—2. 6—2.

Second Round.—A. D. Brown (C.) d C. B. Beatson (N.), 6—o. 6—3, 6—o; N. F. Bedford (A.) d. A. Burke (C), 6_2, 6—l, 6—o; C. Angas CO d. 73. J. Kelly (W.), 6—2, 6—3, 6—4; S. Watson (C.) d. N. A. Morrison (WJ, 4—f>, 6-2, 6—3, 6—2; N. V. Edwards (WJ d. R. J. Donkin (CJ, 6—4. 6—4, 6—o; N. G. Sturt (.A.) d. J. R. Crawshaw (C), G__3 ; ( ;_-1, 6—o; M. J. Souter (CJ d. R. J. D, Sharpe (H. 8.), 7—5, 6—2 12—10; W. J. Smith (O.) d. 11. Dymond (C), 3—6, 6—4, B—6, 6—4. Third Round.—Brown d. Smith, 6 —3, 6—l, 6- 0; Edwards d. Bedford, 7_9 > (i_2, 2—6, B—6, 6—4: Stuart d. Watson, 6—2, 6—2, 6—4; Angas d. M. J. Souter. 3 li. 6—5. B—6, 6—l. Women's Single^

First Round.—Miss B. L. Bishop (A.) d. Miss ivl. Sexton il\I.J, 6—o, 6—l; Miss r.i. Beverley (WaiJ d. Miss M. Wake (LJ, 6—o, 6—2; Miss N. Beverley (WaiJ d. Miss J. Bedford (WJ', 6—l, c— U; Miss P. Price (Aust.) a. Miss M. Howe (WJ, 6—2, 6-4; Miss D Miller (N. 0.) d. Miss 1. Poole (CJ, 6—l, i; 4; Miss T. Poole (C.) d. Miss P. Cooke IAJ, 2—6. ti—4. B—6; Miss K, Armstrong (CM a Miss M. Glenny (H. 8.), 6—l, 6—2; Miss E. Plummer (W.) d. Miss J. Peake (C), 6—2; 6—4; Miss N. Edwards (WJ d. Mrs. HerricK (H. 8.), 6—o, 6—3; Miss B. Gould (V.) d. Miss 1. Morrison (C), 6—3, 6—3: Miss J. Douthett (W.) cl. Miss C. Chester (CJ, 6—l, 6—l; Mrs. Beatson (NJ d. Miss J. Burns (WJ, 6—2, 6—2; Miss E. R. Brown (N. 0.) d. Miss J. Pitcaithly (CJ, 7—5, 6—4; Miss R. J. Wilson (S.) d. Miss J. Senior (CJ, 9—7, 6—3; Miss H. Elsom (C.) d. Miss .1. Forrester (WJ, B—6, 6—o. Second Round.—Miss Wilson d. Miss M. Beverley by default; Mis Bishop d. Miss R. Brown. 6—l, 6—2; Miss Rice d. Miss Armstrong, 6 —'J, 6 4; Miss Plummer d. Miss Douthett 6 4. 3 6. 6—4; Miss Elsom d. Misz N. Beverley, 2 (i, (i— 3, B—6; Mist Miller d. Mrs. Beatson, 6—o, 6—2; Miss T. Poole d. Mrs. Edwards, 6—3, 6—2: Miss M. Hardcastle OAust.) d. Miss Gould. 6—o, 6—o. Men's Doubles

First Round.—J. W. Gunn and N. F. Bedford (A.) cl. E. E. McKcague and. I J. A. Strong (CJ, 6—l, 6—o, 6—4; A. R. Cant and H, A. Barnett (CJ 0. N. A. Morrison and F. H. Rcnouf (WJ. 6_2, 6—3, 6—4; S. Painter (WJ 'I. D. I. Robertson (CJ, 6—3, 6—l, A—4; B. E. and M. J. Souter (CJ d. C. 11. Baird (S.) and T. Childs (West Coast), (j_4 > (i_3, 6—o: N. V. Edwards and K. Dyer (WJ cl. D. Livingstone and J. Roach (W), B—lo. 6—3. 6—4, 6—3; R. Sharpe (H.BJ and E. H. Orbell (A) d T. W. Patterson and N. Adair.. (C). 4—6. 6—2. 6—3, 6—3: W. J Smith and E. S. Falconer (C) d. A. Burke (C) and B. J. Kelly (W), 6 _ 3) (j_4, 3—6. 0-6. 6—4: R.V.Robo (W) and S. Painter <C> d. J. '• Crawshaw and F. D. McGregor (C----7—5, 6—2, 6—4; H. Dymond and I. ••• Corich (O d. N. G. Sturt and J. '•-' Mayson (A), 6—3, 6—4, 6—4. Second Round.—C. Angas and A. V. Brown (CJ cl. R. J. Dunkin and S. Watson (C) 6—l, 6—2, 6—l: R. Me Ferkins and E. A. Roussell (W) d R G. Pattison and C. F. Penfold (C> 7—9, 7—9, 6—4. 6—o, 6—4; J. H. Slheppard and L. Morris <C) d. Ferkins and D. Paterson (W), b—.i 6—3 6—l; Cant and Barnett d. bn wards and Dyer. 6—3, 6—2, 3—o, 6—l' Smith and Falconer d. Sharpe and Orbell. 6—l, 7—5, 0—1: Gun.' and Bedford d. Robb and Paintei. ,j 2 2—6 7—5 6—2; Dymond and Corich d.' B. E. and M." .1. Souter, B _G 2—6, 4—6, 6—4. 6—l; C. Robertson '(O) and D. I. Robertson (C) d J. Mercer and J. W. Arnold (CJ, 6— ■> 6—2, 6—2. Third Round.— Angas and Brow, d. D. I. and C. Robertson, 0-2. 6—l o—l. Mixed Doubles Firs; Round. J. Roach (WaiJ am Miss B. L. Bishop (A) d. T. Child: (West Coast) and Miss E. R. Brown (NO.) o—l, 6—2. Second Round.-K. W. Dyer and Miss J. Burns cl. J. R. Crawshaw and Miss I. Morrison by default; P. D McGregor and Miss I. Morrison (C) d J W. Gunn (A) and Miss M. Beverley (W) by default: C. Robertson (O) and Miss R. J- Wilson (S) d I Dymond and Mrs. V. C. Browne (C>. 2—6, 6—o, 6—2: J. T. Mayson (A) and Miss T. Poole (C) d. J. H. Sheppard and Miss J. Senior C), 6—4 B—(>■ D V. Livingstone and Miss Is Beverlev (W) d. R. G. Pattinson am Miss K. Armstrong (C), 6—4. o—3 R McF Ferkins <W> "ind Miss D Miller (N.OJ d. M. Ferkins (W) and .Mrs .!. Cotteril'l (H.BJ. 6—2, 6—2" T W Paterson and Miss M. Wak (C) d. W. V. Hofoin and Mrs Hobir CM>, (i—4, B—6.

Women's Doubles

First Round.—Misses Miller anc Wi'lson d. Misses N. and M. Beverley by default; Misses Cooke and Bishop d Misses Morrison and Senior. o—l 0—1; Misses I. and T. Poole d. Mrs. Beaston and Miss Armstrong, 6—l, 6—3; Misses M. Hardcastle and '1 Rice (Aust.) d. Misses Plummer anc. Douthett, 6—3, o—B, o—4. Second Round.—Misses P. Cooke and B. L. Bishop (A.) d. Misses M. Sexton CM ) and J. Forrester tW.), o—o, o—o Misses J. Douthett and E. Plummet (W) d. Mesdames Browne and Teppler (C), o—2, o—4; Misses N. anc M Beverley (Wai.) d. Mrs. Gotten]l and Miss Gould (C), 6—2, o—2; Misses D. Miller (N. 0.) and R. J. Wilson (S.) d.'Misses 11. and D. Elsom <C), o—l. (i—2; Misses J. Morrison and J. Senior (C.) cl. Mrs. Edwards and Miss .1. Burns (W.t, 6 1, 6—4; Mrs. Beatson '(N.) and Miss K. Armstrong (C.) cl. Mrs. Hcrrick and Miss M. GTenny (H. 8.). o—2, o—2.