NEARING THE END

Southland Times, Issue 22492, 29 January 1935, Page 6

NEARING THE END

TENNIS TOURNEY PERRY MEETS KAY TO-DAY SEMI-FINALS PLAYED (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, January 28 The semi-final and some of the finals of the New Zealand lawn tennis championships were decided to-day. Conditions were ideal and as there was only a light breeze the dust nuisance, which developed early in the tournament along the base-lines of the parched courts, was practically non- ' existant. No New Zealanders have' reached the final of the men’s championship singles, which will be decided between the Wimbledon and United States champion, F. J. Perry, and the young Victorian player, A. A. Kay. To-day in the semi-finals Perry defeated E. A. Roussell in straight sets, although the young Wellington player fought pluckily every inch of the way. Kay eliminated the Aucklander, N. G. Sturt, also in straight sets. In the ladies’ singles Miss Marjorie McFarlane (Auckland) reached the final with a victory over the other Aucklander, Miss B. Knight, and will meet Miss D. Nicholls, of Wellington, who is ranked No. 1 in New Zealand. Kay and the other young Victorian, R. W. Ewen, prevailed over L. G. Knott (Australia) and Sturt, but not until their opponents had taken a set at 6—2 and Perry and D. G. France (Wellington) gained a straight set victory over A. K. Turner and A. C. John (Auckland). The final between Perry and France and the Victorian pair should provide the best exhibition of the tournament. ... . , Mrs W. J. Melody (Wellington) and Miss S. Whittaker, the Australian player, accounted for Miss Knight ana Mrs R. P. Adams (Wellington) and will play Miss Nicholls and Miss N. Beverley (Matamata) in the final of the ladies’ doubles. Meeting Perry.

By defeating Ewen and Miss Beverley, Sturt and Miss Macfarlane gained the honour of meeting Perry and Miss Whittaker in the final of the combined doubles. This final proved to be the most exciting of the tournament and kept a large crowd of spectators on tenterhooks throughout. The second set, which the Aucklanders finally won at 7—5, showed the gallery glimpses of the real Perry, who covered the court with amazing rapidity. In the final set the visitors did not allow Sturt and Miss Macfarlane to take another game and won the match 6—o, 5—7, 6-0. By a coincidence the victorious pairs in the finals of both boys’, and girls’ doubles provided the finalists in the corresponding singles events. R. G. Pattinson (West Coast) defeated C. F. Penfold (Canterbury), with whom he won the doubles title on Saturday, and Miss M. Beverley (Matamata), the sister of the Auckland champion, won the girls’ singles title with a straightset victory over Miss P. Cooke, of Auckland, her successful partner in the doubles event.

Partnered by Miss R. Barry (Canterbury) and Miss M. Dickie respectively, Penfold and Pattinson were again opposed to each other in the final of the junior combined doubles, which Penfold and Miss Barry won in straight sets. Detailed results:— MEN’S SINGLES. Semi-finals. F. J. Perry (England) beat E. A. Roussell (Wellington) 6—4, 6—2, 6 —2; A. A. Kay (Victoria) beat N. G. Sturt (Auckland) 6—4, 6—4, 6—2. LADIES’ SINGLES. Semi-final. Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) beat Miss B. Knight (Auckland) 6—4, 2—6, 6-4. MEN’S DOUBLES. Semi-finals. A. A. Kay and R. W. Ewen (Victoria) beat L. G. Knott (Australia) and N. G. Sturt (Auckland) 6—l, 4—6, 6—2. 6—4; F. J. Perry (England) and D. G. France (Wellington) beat A. K. Turner and V. C. Johns (Auckland) 6—4, 6—2, 6—l. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Semi-final. Mrs W. J. Melody (Wellington) and Miss S. Whittaker (Australia) beat Miss B. Knight (Auckland) and Mrs R. P. Adams (Wellington) 6—3, 3—6, 6—3. COMBINED DOUBLES. Semi-final. N. G. Sturt and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) beat R. W. Ewen (Australia) and Miss N. Beverley (Matamata) 6—4, 6 —2. Final. F. J. Perry (England) and Miss S. Whittaker (Australia) beat N. G. Stint and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane 6 —o 5— 6—o. BOYS’ SINGLES. Final. R. G. Pattinson (West Coast) beat C. F. Penfold (Canterbury) 6—2, 6 —4. GIRLS’ SINGLES. Final. Miss M. Beverley (Matamata) beat Miss P. Cooke (Auckland) 6—4, 6 —l. GIRLS’ DOUBLES. Final. Miss P. Cooke (Auckland) and Miss M. Beverley (Matamata) beat Miss J. Burns (Wellington) and Miss R. Barry (Canterbury) 6—3, 5—6, 6—3. JUNIOR COMBINED DOUBLES. Semi-final. C. F. Penfold and Miss R. Barry (Canterbury) beat W. Hooper (Manawatu) and Miss J. Burns (Wellington) 6 — 5, 6—3. Final.

C. F. Penfold and Miss R. Barry beat R. G. Pattinson (West Coast) and Miss M. Dickie (Taranaki) 6—4, 6—4. Comment on the Play.

In the first semi-final of the men’s singles, both Kay and Stmt started steadily and neither seemed willing to force the pace. Back-line play characterized the first set, with even honours to four-all. Kay played with greater accuracy, and taking Sturt’s service, went on to win the set, 6—4. The second set was similar to the first, with deep court drives predominating. Sturt made occasional excursions to the net, in some of which he was successful. Kay, however, passed him with great accuracy towards the end of the set, and the Aucklander deemed it better policy to stay out, but lost the set a t 6—4. The third set opened quietly. Sturt’s drives were now slower and higher across the net, allowing Kay to execute profitable volleys. Uninspiring play followed, in which Kay forged ahead to take the set, 6—2, and the Sturt, on the whole, 'showed good form and his inability to take the set

from Kay, goes to prove the worth of the Australian, who has not lost a set yet, and who should put up a good exhibition against Perry in the final. In the other semi-final Perry met Roussell (Wellington) in an exhibition keenly anticipated on account of the great improvement of the latter, and his fine progress through the tournament. Roussell was not perturbed by the mannerisms or the brilliant shots of his opponent, and by plugging along slowly, evened the score at two-all. Three carefully-directed side-line drives beat Roussell, but he came to the net and won a third game. Perry again attacked and Roussell, playing better than ever, put up a great fight, going under at 6—4. In the second set the Wellington player anticipated nicely to retrieve many well-placed drives and to make many good shots from the net. The loosely strung racket seemed to give him an additional finesse in many drop shots. Perry, at 4—2, concentrated deeply on the game, and made few errors. He gave his opponent little chance with loose balls. With the utmost ease, he took the set at 6—2. The final set saw Perry again playing with the same dashing style and, after leading 4—2, he went on to win the match, 6—2. Roussell played extremely well against such formidable opposition and kept the ball in play with a regularity due to anticipation, rather than agility, while Perry found him his hardest opponent of the singles so far. •Miss Macfarlane’s Win.

Only one match was played in the ladies’ singles, Miss Nicholls already having won her way to the final in this contest. Miss Macfarlane had to go all out to defeat Miss Knight in three sets, all of which were strenuous. These are old rivals, and seldom had a better match between them been staged. The semi-finals of the men’s doubles produced one match full of bright inter-changes, smashing volleying and all that is expected of top grade tennis. Ewen and Kay (Australia) romped ahead to lead, s—o. Sturt and Knott lost the set at 6—l. The score is little indication of the fast work that occurred. The losers reversed the decision in the second set and combined admirably at the net. Knott got back many fine smashes and Sturt both served and volleyed well. In the third set Sturt just failed to get right in, and working with renewed vigour, the Australian won at 6—2. Coming back refreshed after an interval, many clashes occurred from inside the ser-vice-line. Kay served well and made the ball kick high. An inter-change of lobs was an interlude, but this form of attack had to be perfect to defeat the smashing capabilities of all four. A good match ended at 6—4 in the fourth set in favour of Australia. In the other half Perry and France met Johns and Turner. The visiting players were too good for the local players. In the combined doubles the semifinal vzas continued in the morning when Sturt and Miss Macfarlane easily accounted for Ewen and Miss Beverley in straight sets. The latter pair were not combining particularly well. Miss Beverley was not encouraged much by her partner. Combining with true artistry, Sturt and his partner played astonishingly well to lead 4—2 and 5—2, Sturt winning his service to love. Here over-drives by Ewen and two beautiful interceptions by Sturt gave the Aucklanders the match. Bright Attraction.

The final of the combined doubles proved one of the brightest attractions of the tournament. Perry and Miss Whittaker won the title by defeating the three-times Auckland champions, Sturt and Miss Macfarlane. Perry dominated the net by a brilliant exhibition of overhead smashing and interceptions. The Auckland pair could not stand the pace and though the last set was more even than the score would indicate, Perry and Miss Whittaker became the 1935 champions. Mrs Melody and Miss Whittaker entered the final of the ladies’ doubles by defeating Miss Knight and Mrs Adams. By her failure to read the. advertised time of the match, Miss Knight caused an unfortunate delay in the starting of this match, which was timed to begin at 10 a.m., and actually commenced after 11.30. Mrs Melody and Miss Whittaker both successfully avoided Miss Knight at the net and directed their attack at Mrs Adams, leading 4—l, 5—2, and after a splendid nineth game, won at 6—3. In the second set Mrs Adams played very steadily and withstood a battery attack, and aided by Miss Knight’s net play, won the set to even. Their opponents ran to a lead of s—o, but after dropping three games, won the next and the match. •