Southland’s Christmas Tennis Tournament Almost Abandoned

Southland Times, Issue 24005, 21 December 1939, Page 11

Southland’s Christmas Tennis Tournament Almost Abandoned

By

TOPSPIN

Below is a list of tournament dates approved by the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association for championships of the principal tennis districts throughout New Zealand for the season 19391940.

December 23-26.—North Otago, at Oamaru. December 25-28.—Marl-borough, at Blenheim. December 25-28. —Southland, at Invercargill. December 26-30.—Canterbury, at Christchurch. December 26 to January 3.—Wellington, at Wellington. December 30 to January 2.—Nelson, at Nelson. December 30 to January 3. —Waikato, at Hamilton. January 1-4.—South Island, at Timaru. January 1-4.—Wanganui, at Wanganui. January 5-9.—Taranaki, at New Plymouth. January 10-13. —North Island, at Palmerston North. January 15-18.— Hawke’s Bay, at Waipawa. January 17-20.—N.Z. Junior, at Wellington. January 18-30.—Auckland, at Auckland, February 10-17.—New Zealand, at Wellington. Easter dates.—North Auckland, at Whangarei; Otago, at Dunedin; Auckland hard court, at Auckland; Canterbury hard court, at Christchurch; Wellington hard court, at Wellington. TITLES AT STAKE It has now been definitely decided that New Zealand championship titles will be at stake at the New Zealand centennial tournament to be held in Wellington starting on February 10. Latest reports from Australia indicate that several leading Australians are expected to participate. Bromwich is one of the players mentioned, while there is every possibility of Miss May Hardcastle making the trip to defend her singles title. CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT When members of the Southland Lawn Tennis Association management committee met on Monday evening to make the draw, and complete arrangements for the Southland championship and handicap tournament at Christmas there was some pointed comment about the exceedingly poor entries and lack of response from tennis players throughout the province. One speaker pointed out that just more than 100 entries renresenting 40 players in a district having 1200 affiliated members was so poor that he did not think the tournament should be proceeded with. The fate of the tournament was in the balance when, after a full discussion, five members voted for abandonment, and five against, and only the casting vote of Mr J. S. Clarkson, president of the association, saved the tournament. Entries for the various events are as follows, with the figures in parentheses showing the corresponding numbers last year:—Men’s championship singles 18 (16); men’s championship doubles 10 (9); women’s championship singles 4 (6); boys’ championship singles 7 (4);

[ girls’ championship singles 5 (3); mens handicap singles 20 (25); men’s handicap doubles 15 (14); women’s handicap singles 9 (11); women’s handicap doubles 4 (4); mixed handicap doubles 9 (10); men’s B grade handicap singles j 15 r > t. • Two events, the womens championship doubles and the mixed championship doubles, were deleted from the programme. SATURDAY’S GAMES Players in the B and C grades were favoured with fine weather for another round of matches in the town inter-club competitions last Saturday. There were some close and interesting results, and in both grades leading teams suffered losses for the first time this seasen. The strong Tisbury B team went down to Invercargill in a close game as a result of the superiority of the Invercargill women. Johnstone and Mclntosh and Flynn and McKenzie were too good in the doubles but this advantage was outweighed by the greater success of the Invercargill women, Mrs' Larcombe, Misses Pollok, Basstiap and Crawford. Southern nearly suffered an upset when Rugby Park gained seven sets and was only 10 games behind. . The remaining unbeaten team, Waihopai I, was not extended by Georgetown. ... By virtue of its win over Invercargill Bluff now leads the C grade competition. Bluff must have a pretty fair side when its men, Johnston, Sutherland, Dixon and Tipene can account for Wayte, McCormack, Sayer and Millar. Johnstone was very accurate against Wayte; it is not often one finds a C grade player able to despatch lobs with such effect as he did on Saturday. Southern met with its first reverse this season when it lost to Moana on games. Makarewa has played only five matches, but are as yet unbeaten, although it appears to have had a close call against Waikiwi on Saturday afternoon. LADDER MATCHES Four challenges" have been played on the provincial singles ladder and results are as follows:—A. Deaker (Invercargill) beat J. J. Banks (Riverton) 6-4, 6-3; G. Barnes (Central) beat L. Larcombe (Invercargill) 6-3, 6-1; D. Bruce (Central) beat J. Hughes (Rugby Park) 6-2, 6-2; Miss M. Mahoney (St. Mary’s) beat Miss I. Morton (Rugby Park) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. On the town doubles ladder McKay and Bruce have gained top place with a win over Deaker and Harrowfield 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Misses Mahoney and Hallamore beat Mrs Larcombe and Miss Basstian 6-5, 6-2; Misses Barrett and Shand beat Misses Moir and Ferguson 6-2, 6-4, and Misses M. and J. Farmer beat Miss Henry and Mrs Harvey of Rugby Park 6-2, 2-6, 10-8, after

the latter pair had held match point at 7-6 in the third set. Northern District was to play Central District in a challenge for the Hamilton Shield last Saturday. Names of leading members of the Winton Tennis Club, who, in the past, have formed the backbone of the Central team, did not appear in the published notice of the selected team. The result of the match, giving details of the scores, has not been published, but it is understood that the shield changed hands. TABLES OF POINTS Championship tables are:

The result of the C grade match between Collegiate I and Tisbury last Saturday was not available, and is therefore not included in this table. There will now be a break in the | inter-club competitions until after the holidays. Matches resume in the three grades as follows:—C grade, January 6; B grade, January 13; A grade, January 20.

A GRADE P W L Sets Gms. Pts. Central 4 4 48 468 4 Southend 4 3 1 34 408 3 Winton 3 3 — 34 351 3 Invercargill 4 2 2 35 434 2 Rugby Park 4 2 2 34 403 2 Bluff 4 4 22 342 0 St. Mary’s 3 — 3 10 244 0 Waihopai 2-2 B GRADE 7 150 0 P w L Sets Gms. Pts. Invercargill 6 6 - 72 708 6 Southern 6 6 68 708 6 Waihopai I 6 6 — 71 706 6 Tisbury I 5 4 1 57 575 4 Makarewa 5 3 2 37 502 3 Waihopai II 6 3 . 3 50 621 3 Central 6 3 3 45 566 3 Rugby Park 5 2 3 48 544 2 Southend 6 2 4 37 542 2 Waikiwi 6 2 4 37 523 2 St. Mary’s 5 1 4 26 401 1 Kennington 6 1 5 32 401 1 Georgetown 6 1 5 23 438 1 Clifton 6-6 C GRADE 36 545 0 P W L Sets Gms. Pts. Bluff 6 6 — 75 726 6 Southern 6 □ 1 71 691 5 Rugby Park 6 5 1 70 682 5 Invercargill 6 5 1 69 679 5 Makarewa 5 5 — 49 522 5 Otatara 6 4 2 64 674 4 Collegiate I 5 3 2 53 540 3 Moana I 6 3 3 53 645 3 Waihopai 6 3 3 38 493 3 Tisbury 5 2 3 33 484 2 St. Mary’s 5 2 3 34 458 2 Clifton 6 1 5 33 500 1 Waikiwi 6 1 5 29 450 1 Southend 6 1 5 21 357 1 Collegiate II 6 — 6 9 365 0 Moana II 3 - 3 4 159 0