STRAIGHT SETS IN FINALS

Southland Times, Issue 23394, 29 December 1937, Page 4

STRAIGHT SETS IN FINALS

SPECTACULAR PLAY IN MEN’S EVENTS NEW CHAMPION SHOWS GOOD FORM (By TOP-SPIN) Although rain overnight made the courts, unfit for play until a late hour yesterday morning all events in the Southland tennis tournament were finished by the evening. Both the men’s championship singles and doubles were won in straight sets. The victories were as clear-cut as the scores indicate, but a fair gallery of spectators was treated to a bright display of good and often spectacular tennis. The new singles title-holder, Russell McCallum, of Southend, has more winning shots than any other player m Southland, but his form in recent years has not been consistent enough to fulfil his early promise.. A. J, Deaker, runner-up for the championship, did not appear to have as much sting in his shots as in his semifinal game, but his even flow of drives would undoubtedly be affected by his opponent’s elimination of errors, and deadly overhead work. McCallum won the toss, but started poorly and dropped his service. However, he quickly found touch and ran to a 4-1 lead. The next two games went with the service, but Deaker then struck a bad patch and lost his service to love, and the set 2-6. McCallum took the first three games of the next set, conceded Deaker his service and took the lead on his own 4-1. Deaker contested the next two games strongly. He won his own service, and the following games with some fine returns of service to trail 3-4, but the Southender put on the pressure and won out the With new balls for the third set both players hit out confidently in some baseline duels. The score went to 2-all. McCallum then gained a comfortable lead of 4-2 with service to follow, but appeared to let up, and allowed Deaker to draw level with some fine passing shots and placements that found him out of position. Deaker lead 5-4 and had set point, but failed to win what was the longest rally in the match. The score went to 6-all. McCallum continued to take the net confidently, picking up the difficult ones with half-vol-leys, and volleying frequently for winners, He took Deaker’s service to love in the vital thirteenth game and won out the set and the match with strong service deliveries, including an ace. The new provincial champion is a worthy holder of the title, and on the run of the play deserves the honour. TEAM WORK WINS The, final of the men’s doubles championship was played with a short break after the singles, and Deaker had his revenge when, with A. Baird as partner, he gained a decisive win over McCallum and Strang. The latter did not combine as well as they did in the earlier rounds, whereas Deaker and Baird, who have frequently paired with success, showed smooth team work, and excellent backing-up throughouj;, Strang was making many errors in the first set, while McCallum appeared to have relaxed considerably after his single, and Deaker and Baird raced through the set with the loss of only one game. McCallum and Strang continued to storm the net with more success in the next set, the latter, particularly, smashing anything in the air with devastating effect. The other pair retrieved well and occasionally came into the net, when spectators were treated to some brisk and interesting exchanges at close quarters. However, Deaker and Baird proved too safe and Won the second set 6-4, and forged ahead to lead four love in the third, but failed to hold their service in the fifth game. Both sides lost the services fn the sixth and seventh games and the match seemed over when McCallum and Strang were down love-40 on the latter’s service, but they played aggressively to survive three match points for deuce and another match point at vantage out. There seemed just a chance that they might stage a recovery. Baird and Deaker made no mistake on the next game, however, and won out on Deaker’s service. It was a bright game, but not up to the standard of some of the finals in recent years. The mixed doubles championship was remarkable for circumstances that must be almost unique, for both A. Baird and Miss R. - Wilson, and Sharp and Miss Gray contested the final without having played a previous round. Although there were 11 entries, some of the competitors were forced to default in the concluding rounds. Baird and Miss Wilson won the event comfortably as expected. Had McCallum been less occupied with other events he and Miss Cutt may have troubled the winners. HANDICAP FINALS One of the back markers, A. Sharp, of Wyndham, ran away with the open handicap singles, and his - club mates Henderson and C. Baird had a convincing and popular win in the handicap doubles. The final with McLeod and Sharp was one of the highlights of the tournament, a feature of the match being the excellent driving of the veteran competitor J. Henderson, who seemingly never grows old. From the owe-40 mark A. T. Baird and Miss Wilson also won the mixed handicap doubles, while Miss Cutt came from the back mark in the women’s handicap singles to beat Miss Henderson, of Kennington, in the final. At the conclusion of play a member of the executive, Mr J. .Clarkson, presented the trophies that had been won during the tournament. He mentioned that previously there had not been a cup for the men’s championship doubles, but that Mr W. Baird had generously donated one. Deaker and Baird will therefore hold this for the first time.