WILDING SHIELD TENNIS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1933, Page 9

WILDING SHIELD TENNIS

WELLINGTON’S DOUBLE WIN

AUCKLANDERS’ PLAY IMPROVES

FINAL WITH CANTERBURY TO-DAY

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Wellington, Jan. 14. ’ For the continuation of the Wilding Shield and Nunneley Casket tennis contests between. Auckland and Wellington to-day the weather was fine with a southerly breeze along the courts. Wellington won both events and will "play Canterbury in the final 'on Monday and Tuesday. The Aucklanders generally played better tennis than they did yesterday. Results are:— Wilding Shield. C. E. Malfroy (Wellington)' beat A. C. Stedman (Auckland) 6—2, 6—3. D. G. France (Wellington) beat N. G. Sturt (Auckland) 7—5, 3—6, 6—4. N. R. C. Wilson (Wellington) beat M. M. Morrison (Auckland) B—6, 3—6, 7—5. H. C. Rowlands '•(Auckland) beat R. McL. Ferkins (Wellington) 6-3, 7—5. Malfroy and France (Wellington) beat Stedman and Sturt (Auckland) 6—3, 6—2. Wilson and Ferkins (Wellington) beat Rowlands and Morrison (Auckland) 6—2, Nunneley Casket.

Mrs. H. M. Dykes (Wellington) beat Miss M. Macfarlane (Auckland) 6—4, 6-3.

Miss B. Knight (Auckland) beat Miss D. Howe (Wellington) 6—o, 6—B, 6—2. Miss J. Ramsay (Auckland) beat Mrs. D. G. France (Wellington) 7—5, 6—l. Miss M. Whyte (Wellington) beat Mrs. B. Napier (Auckland) 6—3, 6—4. Misses Macfarlane and Knight beat Mrs...Dykes and Miss Howe 6—l, 6— i. Mrs, France and Miss Whyte beat Miss Ramsay and Mrs. Napier B—6, 6—4. BRILLIANT VOLLEYING. Don France beat Norman Sturt after a brilliant bout of driving and volleying, the last point being won on a net cord by France. Although France won most of hiS points by going '.to the net behind fast drives to Sturt’s backhand corner, there were .times, particularly in the second set, when Sturt passed him clearly. At 5—4 in the first set Sturt held set point but France bustled the Aucklander into net faults. France endeavoured to be and was aggressive from the net throughout, Sturt being kept mainly on the base line except in the second set, which he won. Stedman was disappointing against Malfroy, who, going to the net at every opportunity, merely stop-volleyed Stedman’s hardest drives to leave the Aucklander standing helpless or making futile endeavours to reach the ball and drive past Malfroy or lob. Malfroy’s return of service was deadly and accurate down the side-lines. Stedman made numerous volleying and smashing errors. Stedman lacked confidence.

Driving persistently , to Ferkins’ backhand and taking the net, where he smashed and volleyed with deadly effect, Rowlands gained a definite victory. Rowlands was always the attacker, Ferkins being compelled to stay on the back line.

Both Wilson and Morrison played better than yesterday and Wilson’s victory was of the narrowest, his service with the wind behind him being a vital factor. Morrison could win the odd game but Wilson with service and the wind behind him on the change-over was always able to regain the lead. Both players drove well across the court and both effected beautiful volleys from hard drives. Wilson was slightly more consistent. Wellington were not extended in any of the doubles. NUNNELEY CASKET. In the Nunneley Casket Mrs. Dykes and Miss Macfarlane gave a brilliant exhibition, the advantage resting with the Wellington player on her volleying and smashing ability, there being nothing between them on base-line driving, to which Miss Macfarlane clung tenaciously. By consistent, hard cutting, both forehand and backhand, Miss J. Ramsay made Mrs. D. G. France chase unceasingly from comer to corner. Although she led 4—l and 5—2 by determined stonewalling Mrs. France tired under Miss Ramsay’s attack and losing the first set’was outclassed in the second.' A few minutes sufficed for Miss B. Knight to play all over Miss D. Howe from the net in the first set. She eased up in the second , set and Miss Howe played very much better tennis to take the second set. In the third set Miss Knight dominated the net again to win decisively, Miss Howe weakening in length and pace. Miss M. Whyte beat Mrs. B. Napier in a purely base-line duel of hard hit-: ting. Mrs. Dykes and Miss Howe played poorly with a crop of errors to be beaten by the Auckland pair. Miss Macfarlane from the back-line driving hard to make openings for. Miss Knight’s brilliant net play. Mrs. France and Miss Whyte by a stem back-line defence, in which excellent lobbing figured, proved too steady fof Jtfiss Ramsay and Mrs. Napier. In the first set the Wellington pair led 5-love and were within, a point of love set when they lost the game and the next five, eventually winning the set B—6. Every point in both sets was hard-won.