TENNIS TITLES AT MIRAMAR

Southland Times, Issue 24045, 8 February 1940, Page 8

TENNIS TITLES AT MIRAMAR

AUSTRALIANS WIN THEIR MATCHES N.Z. PLAYERS FIGHT GAMELY SUCCESS OF YOUTHFUL COMBINATION (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 7. The visiting Australian tennis players marked their first appearance at the New Zealand centennial”tennis championships today by winning all of their matches. The Dominion players fought back gamely *and took many points from their more experienced opponents, but the Australians were never seriously threatened and, although troubled by a high northerly wind that blew down in fierce gusts, they played well within themselves. As play, progresses, the visitors will be pitted against the higher-ranked New Zealanders and many closely-contested matches should be seen.

A moderate but appreciative gallery watched the play. The strength or the wind, to which the Australians were obviously not accustomed, may be judged by an incident in a women’s doubles match when Miss J. Douthett (Wellington) was about to make an easy return to Miss N. Wynne (Australia). A sudden gust raised such a cloud of dust near the baseline that player and ball were momentarily lost and the ball bounced away unplayed. Those who expected fireworks from the Davis Cup pair were disappointed because they were unable to control their shots in the wind and seldom showed the brilliant form which has carried them to victory in many international contests. CRAWFORD’S PLAY In K. W. Dyer, of Wellington, J. H. Crawford found an opponent who not only covered the court remarkably well but, by skilful returns, threatened to take the Australian to foul- sets. The wind was playing many strange tricks with the shots of both players and Crawford saw some of his otherwise sure winners go astray. . He displayed an uncanny sense of anticipation, and it was his wonderful ball control and ingenuity that eventually won the match. The two-handed J. Bromwich met determined opposition in F. H. Renouf (Wellington), who never let the ball go by without making an effort to return it. The Australian should have won more points than he did, but once he had got the measure of the other player he was content to take most games off Renouf’s mistakes, particularly on the backhand. YOUTHFUL PLAYERS’ SUCCESS The two youthful Wellington players, R. McKenzie and J. Hamilton, achieved the distinction of winning a set from the redoubtable combination of Crawford and Bromwich. The Australians made many mistakes in the first set, although the Wellington pair deserved credit for their all-round ?ood play. McKenzie was outstanding. He played his ground shots with confidence, volleyed with the skill of a champion ahd scored a number of points with devastating smashes which gave the Australians no chance of recovery. The visitors lacked sting in their overhead work and their opponents were able to return many smashes which should have been put away for winners. Crawford and Bromwich, however, were playing with a lot in reserve and their superior courtcraft told in the following three sets which they won with ease. Speaking after the match, Crawford expressed admiration for the play of McKenzie, who is junior champion of the Dominion. Crawford said he saw McKenzie play in Australia last year when a team from New Zealand played several matches and he noted today the great improvement in McKenzie’s form which, he thought, would carry him a long way. SUPERB COURTCRAFT Misses N. Wynne and T. Coyne gave a display of superb courtcraft in their doubles match against Misses P. Cooke (Auckland) and J. Douthett (Wellington). The Australians were seldom hard pressed, but occasionally, apparently just for good measure, they played some astonishing shots that left their opponents standing. Miss Wynne showed herself a master of tactics, although on more than one occasion a shrewdly-placed return from the New Zealanders iound both herself and Miss Coyne undecided as to who should play it. Several games went to deuce with many long rallies in which Misses Cooke and Douthett employed a variety of clever strokes. AUSTRALIANS EXTENDED Those who thought Bromwich and Miss Coyne would overwhelm R. McL. Ferkins and Miss Miller were surprised to see the New Zealanders make a very good showing. After winning the first set 6-3 the Australians were fully extended to win the second, which ran to 20 games. Bromwich could not control his shots in the wind and made frequent errors, but Miss Coyne drove consistently well on the forehand and volleyed skilfully at the net. Ferkins played at the top of his form and was applauded for many magnificent recoveries. There were a number of sparkling exchanges in which the New Zealand pair often took the honours. Miss Miller bore the brunt of the Australians’ attack with credit. The visitors showed fighting qualities by recovering in the second set from 1-5 and the match ended in a spectacular manner when Bromwich won the last two points with»service aces. The match between Crawford and Miss Wynne and G. A. Pearce (Wellington) and Miss M. Kerr (Otago) was of short duration, the Australians winning with the loss of only one game. Misses Wynne and Kerr both drove powerfully on the forehand and there were some good rallies between them. Fifty-two games in a three-set match with a margin of two were played before D. G. France and Mrs France (Wellington), went down to N. V. Edwards (Wellington) and Mrs I. Hatherley (Canterbury). This marathon struggle provided one of the highlights of the championships with both pairs fighting hard all the way. PRETTY PLAY Miss M. Hardcastle (Australia) met Miss J. Nicholls (Wellington) in the women’s singles and yielded four games in both sets to her capable opponent. The Australian, who has wins against Misses Wynne and Coyne to her credit, played an intelligent game today and frequently earned applause for her pretty play. The results were: MEN’S SINGLES Second Round—J. Bromwich (Australia) beat F. H. Renouf (Wellington), 6-3, 6-1, 6-3; J. H. Crawford (Aus-

tralia) beat K. W. Dyer (Wellington), 6-1, 6-3, 7-5. MEN’S DOUBLES Second Round.—Bromwich and Crawford beat J. Hamilton (Wellington) and R. McKenzie (Wellington), 6-8, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2; A. D. Brown (Canterbury) and C. Angas (Canterbury) beat R. V. Robb .(Wellington) and S. Painter (Wellington), 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4; N V. Edwards (Wellington) and R. Howe (Wellington) beat R. G. Pattinson (Canterbury) and C. F. Penfold (Canterbury), 12-10, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. WOMEN’S SINGLES First Round.—Miss M. Hardcastle (Australia) beat Miss J. Nicholls (Wellington), 6-4, 6-4. Second Round.—Miss N. Wynne (Australia) beat Miss R. Wilson (Southland), 6-2, 6-1; Miss J. Douthett (Wellington) beat Miss Z. Castle (Wellington), 6-1, 6-2; Miss T. Coyne (Australia) beat Mrs R. P. Adams (Wellington), 6-0, 6-1; Miss T. Poole (Canterbury) beat Miss P. Cook (Auckland), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Miss M. Hardcastle (Australia) beat Miss P. Longton (Wellington), 6-1, 6-1; Miss M. Beverley (Waikato) beat Mrs I. Hatherley (Canterbury), 6-3, 6-3; Miss N. Beverley (Waikato) beat Miss M. Howe (Wellington), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. WOMEN’S DOUBLES Second Round.—Misses N. Wynne and T. Coyne beat Miss P. Cook (Auckland) and Miss J. Douthett (Wellington), 6-2, 6-2. MIXED DOUBLES First Round—R. Howe (Wellington) and Miss M. Beverley (Waikato) beat A. R. Cant (Canterbury) and Miss J. Wallace (Auckland), 6-4, 6-1; N. V. Edwards (Wellington) and Mrs I. Hatherley (Canterbury) beat D. G. France and Mrs France (Wellington), 8-6, 9-11, 10-8; N. G. Sturt (Auckland) and Miss M. Hardcastle (Australia) beat R. J. Sharpe (Hawke’s Bay) and Miss M. Glenny (Hawke’s Bay), 6-1, 6-2. Second Round. —J. Crawford and Miss N. Wynne beat G. A. Pearce (Wellington) and Miss M. Kerr (Otago), 6-1, 6-0; J. Bromwich and Miss T. Coyne beat R. Ferkins (Wellington) and Miss D. Miller (Otago), 6-3/ 11-9; C. F. Penfold (Canterbury) and Miss M. Howe (Wellington) beat J. Hamilton (Wellington) and Miss J. Nicholls (Wellington), 6-0, 8-6; W. T. Pountney (Auckland) and Miss N. Beverley (Waikato) beat M. L. Lampe (Wanganui) and Miss E. Attwood (Manawatu), 6-2, 6-2.