HEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1929, Page 9

HEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONS

LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT

BARTLEET MOLDS SINGLES TITLE.

VICTORY’ FOR MISS MACFARLANE.

By Telegraph.—Press Association

Auckland, Last Night.

The New Zealand tennis championehips were concluded this afternoon in fine though windy i weather. There was a large attendance of spectators, who thoroughly enjoyed the play in the three finals.

Malfroy put up a great fight against Bartleet in the men's singles. With a set each the Wellington player led 5 —3 in the third set, but then became a little slow and erratic, losing the advantage and the set. This was the turning point of the match, as Bartleet played his best tennis in the fourth set and won the match.

Marjorie Macfarlane scored z a good win in the final of the ladies’ singles, defeating the title-holder, •, Miss May Speirs (Canterbury), by ' consistently good tennis. The game was played from the baselines, Miss Speirs occasionally going to the net with varying success. Miss Speirs played mostly to her opponent’s backhand, and had she followed these shots in ■would undoubtedly have met more success. Miss Macfarlane made fewer mistakes and tnoroughly deserved her first success in this event. The final of th- men’s doubles was the greatest gam-' of the tournament. It was a fitting finale to a highly successful series of games, besides being of a particularly high standard of play. At times it was brilliantly spectacular. It took the whole five. sets to decide the match. Experience stood to the title-holders, Bartleet and Laurenson.

It was a great day for ' the Auckland Tennis Association, as the victories scored’ by its representatives won for it the Wilding Shield for the first time on record. Neither Bartleet nor Miss Macfarlane had previously secured honours in the singles championship. Bartleet and Laurenson captured the doubles title last year, while Laurenson successfully partnered E. Ollivier in 192*2. Following are the results of to-day’s finals:—

; Men’s Singles. —-Bartleet (Auckland) beat Malfroy (Wellington), 4—6, 7 —5, B—6, 6—4. Ladies’ Singles. —Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) beat Miss. M. Sp'eirs (Canterbury), 6—l, 3 —6, 6 —4. Men’s Doubles. —Bartleet (Auckland) and Daurenson (Waikato) beat France (Wellington) and Angas (Canterbury), 7—5, 4—6, 6—2, 3—6, 6—4. Wilding Shield. —Auckland 8 points, Canterbury 5, Waikato 1. BARTLEET-MALFROY . CONTEST. Many of the spectators anticipated a comparatively easy, victory for Bartleet over Malfroy in the men’s singles match, but it was anything but that. Right from the start Malfroy played an attacking game and utilised the American service with a' lot Of kick io Bartleet’s backhand, and followed in whenever he could to cut off dangerous drives for winners. The Wellington player was several times passed at the net with beautiful shots to the sidelines. Bartleet was not accurate with these in the earlier stages, but improved tremendously as the match progressed. Bartleet seldom went to the net until the final set, when he smashed nicely well out of his opponent’s reach,, Malfroy employed changes of. pace very cleverly, scoring many points with wellconcealed tactics. In this respect both players ‘maintained very fine .length throughout. Bartleet drove with great consistency in the foiirth and what proved to be the deciding set. He cleverly ran his opponent out of position several times, but Malfroy went down fighting gamely to the last. The match finished with a thrill, Malfroy making a couple of miraculous recoveries only to drop his racquet and fail to get it again in time to return an overhead smiish.

Failing to attack vigorously and lingering on the back line cost Miss Speirs the ladies’ Singles championship. The match was one of continual plugging from the baseline, and Miss MacFarlane proved superior in this department of the game. The challenger was by. far the more steady, and let' nothing throw het' from her usual sure game. There was great force behind her forehand drives, while hex’ backhand stood the test of a severe gruelling from the Canterbury player. From the spectators’ point of view there was a terrible sameness about the match which robbed it of much of its interest. Miss Speirs’ inevitable form of attack was to play continually to Miss Macfarlane’s backhand, waiting for a weak return. When these did come her way, however, she invariably did not kill them as she might have, and her strategy recoiled upon herself. Usually very deadly on overhead shots, Miss Speirs made a poor showing when chances were offered. A remarkable contrast was apparent between the steady driving of one and the erratic, often hesitant plav of the other.

KEEN STRUGGLE IN DOUBLES. Running Bartleet and ' Laurenson to the full live sets, France and Angas - packed the final of the men’s doubles /with much excitement. The holders re- „ tained the title only after a desperate struggle in which fortune veered from one side to the other. There was never a dull moment in the whole contest, every point being fully enjoyed,by the crowded' gallery. A hot pace was maintained from beginning to end, and Trance and Angas proved themselves almost the equals of the champions. Long rallies at the net with the ball passing swiftly between the pairs were - a delight to watch. Slashing attack was met by brilliant defence, each point being fought out with fierce intensity. It was easily the most oxciting of the whole series of championship matches.

As tho scores indicate, there was really little to choose between the pairs, Laurcnson’s deadly overhead smashes

and Bartleet’s extremely difficult service were the deciding factors in the match. Laurenson played a wonderful game, and this is to be said for all four, although he and Bartleet were fully extended they displayed no weaknesses and gave just a little more than they received. Their play was not as steady as that of their opponents, however, and in the second and fourth sets they fell away badly. At their best they were more than a match for the challengers. Laurenson was responsible for most

of the baseline work, while Bartleet

■was more often seen at the net. Bart- / jteet was particularly brilliant in ser-

vice, which was easily the best displayed, Both Angas and France, more especially the latter, fell victims to the fast, swerving aces. Bartleet suffered, an unfortunate injury in the first set, being cut over the eye'by his racquet, which was forced back by a fast ball. This did not affect his play. . France and Angas showed splendid form at the net, and were the. equal of their opponents in the tussles which ensued \yhen f° ur played forward. Angas made few mistakes when in this position, and was always dangerous, placing some winning shots down the centre line. France was not so reliable as his |>artner, and his slice, though tricky, was not the best means of attack. His game was very steady. Accurate lobbing from Laurenson proved troublesome to both Angas and France.