WANGANUI WIN TENNIS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1933, Page 11

WANGANUI WIN TENNIS

TARANAKI BEATEN AT HAWERA HOME MEN FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL. S OF 6 COMBINED DOUBLES LOST. WANGANUI WIN 15 MATCHES TO 9. Wanganui beat Taranaki at tennis at Hawera on Saturday by 15 rubbers to nino. A slight superiority in the ladies’ •games and the winning of five or six combined . doubles gave the' winners their margin. The Hawera courts were in perfect order and the weather was ideal. v Wanganui won 34 sets and 283 games to 22 sets and 247 games. Taranaki men were generally on top, winning four of six Angles and. two of three doubles. Wanganui ladies won four of six singles and all the doubles; ' The combined doubles proved the decisive factor, only one of the six being lost by Wanganui. MEN’S SINGLES. A popular win was scored by C. H. Strombom over the veteran Wanganui player N. B. Barkman. Strombom was playing at the ■ top of his form, hitting hard and cleanly and serving a fast rising ball that .. won him many aces. 'Rarkman proved a tough nut to .crack and fought every inch of the way. He played his back-line shots with welljudged accuracy, time and again putting the ball right on the line. In the first set he was steadier and won . often-from his opponent’s over-driving and occasional double faults. Strombom moved all over the court “in , the - next set, soon forging ahead when Barkman, lost his second service, and earned on in the «arm» dashing style in the third set till it was match point in his favour. Then playing, carefully, he lost the point four times before Bafkman put one out and gave him the set .6—3. Lampe and Webster had a great struggle which is hardly represented by the scores 6—4, 6—3 in the Wanganui man’s favour. Both played tenacious tennis, but Lampe was the more finished, especially at the net. Playing in the form he showed on Thursday to beat the two Dickie brothers, Watson had a .meritorious win over Udy .whom, however, he - took some time to get used . to. Somewhat nervous play at the 1 beginning gave his opponent opportunity to kill over-cautious returns, font after two gruelling games when Watson lost the set ; 5—7 there , was only one . man . in the'picture. Udy played gamely but was given little that he did not earm . D. W. Earle hit too hard and moved too quickly for Eric Dickie, who failed to produce his usual powerful drives against an aggressive opponent. Earle was the more seasoned and deserved his win 6—2, 6—2. The tables were turned when Arthur Dickie 'defeated K. McFarlane-in two sets, 6—l; 6—3. Arthur was forceful and more accurate overhead than .he has been recently. McFarlane seemed to strike a bad patch, possibly accounted for by his opponent’s tactics, and for a while could do nothing right. His serving was erratic, often ' lacking sting when he tried to make sure of his second, while Dickie’s was severely accurate.

N. Hay-Campbell put up a good fight against Bl J. McCarthy, especially in the finrt set, but was vanquished in. the second by,his opponent’s‘surprising vigour in covering the whole court to return apparent;winners time after time. Both played hard tennis with McCarthy owing his slight margin of superiority to better form-in mid-court. LADIES’ SINGLES. Miss M. Purcell was too good for Miss J. Hicks. Definitely better, she gave her opponent little chance to exploit her usual type of game and won 6—l, 6—2. The speed of her returns and their accurate placing, combined with a cool handling of every advantage when the Taranaki girl got out of position gave her an easy , match. Miss P. Wylds struck a different type of player in Mrs. C. Smith, who lobbed everything unconcernedly and when the bounce, was high enough brought an effective chop strike into use. Miss Wylds in attempting. her usual hard driving game repeatedly drove out or into the top of the net. Even when they went in the return was inevitable and high, Mrs. Smith being confident with a twohanded backhand ■ that ir.variably went where it was wanted. Miss Taylor, playing third on the list, played in good form and had little difficulty in accounting for Mrs. Earle. Miss Taylor has a strong and varied attack,. produces all her strokes vigorously, and moves quickly. Unable to cobe with it all Mrs. Earle went down I—6,

Miss Mary Latham won against Mrs. Duncan- after, the most evenly contested of games wherein the result might easily have been reversed. Both played funnily, giving very little .away; both lasted- out the long game in admirable style with the Wanganui girl a little fitter than her opponent. Miss A. Hicks was too impatient ngainst. Miss I. Duncan, who waited for many points to be given her when the Hawera player drove out over the back * or just missed the side-lines. Miss Hicks played some pretty winners from the net,, but was inclined to stay there tod much; The 6—5, 6—3 indicates the superiority of the Wanganui player,.x The heat of the day accounted mainly A for Mrs. Dempsey’s defeat at the hands of Miss Gayton. The Wanganui player, had all the strokes and was playing well but failed to last-the pace' sufficiently 'well to take proper advantage of many openings she made herself, going down 3—g, 5-6. ' the doubles games. Webster’s powerful service counted a lot in Strombom and Webster’s win over Barkman and Earle in the double, while Strombom covered the court remarkably, i Webster’s overhead work gained them many points also but against the guile of Barkman and the severity of Earle they had a 16-game struggle to win the first set. The Wanganui pair were on in the second set but in the last the strain was too much for them, Taranaki racing to a 6—l win. The Dickie brothers played Qt

their best games against Lampe and McFarlane, a strong doubles combination, to win in three sets. Putting more speed into their shots and getting pace off the ground the Dickies were unlucky not to win in straight sets, having set point , several times. Lampe and McFarlane; however, picking up low volleys and placing them perfectly took the first.'set; The Dickies then concentrated .on Lampe’s backhand and shots to McFarlane’s feet to hold a real ascendancy in the next two sets. The match produced delightful tennis. The third double, lost by Taranaki/ was a boil-over, Udy and Hay-Campbell; losing only one game again Watson and' McCarthy. Watson did not appear to be trying very hard and soon after the commencement he and McCarthy could do nothing right. The Wanganui pair did not win the match, Taranaki lost it. The ladies’ doubles, as is usually ~the case, were protracted affairs and with a bit - of luck Taranaki might have won either of the top two. Miss Taylor and Mrs. Duncan started off well against Miss Purcell and. Mrs. Smith and won the first set 6—5. The Wanganui combination, however, settled down to a very - steady game to take the next two. More or'-less the same thing. happened when Misses J. and A. Hicks lost to Mrs. Earle and. Miss Latham. After two gruelling sets Taranaki looked like wisming. but their opponents finished strongly. Miss Duncan and Mrs. Dempsey took a straight sets, win from Misses Wylds and Gayton. COMBINED DOUBLES.

Webster and Miss ,J. Hicks,' playing second, were the only Taranaki. pair to win a . combined double, rather better combination being shown by Wanganui. Lampe’s courtcraft helped him and Mrs. Smith to a win over Strombom and Miss Taylor. Webster, and Miss Hicks scored an easy win over Earle and Mrs. Earle, who were badly rattled at times... Earle seemed tired .while the Taranaki pair played with plenty of vim, Udy and Miss. Purcell beat Watspn and Mrs.; Dun- ' can. •• Wanganui combined well while Watson did not get going properly, though Mrs. Duncan was indefatigable. Barkman and Miss Latham established a good understanding which kept them ahead of E. Dickie and Miss Wylds. McCarthy and Miss A. Hicks took the first set from McFarlane and Miss Duncan but then the former Hawera player struck better form than previously during the day and'with delightful stroke production took the next two.. Hay-Camp-bell and Mrs. Dempsey beat A. Dickie and Miss Gayton in straight sets. Taranaki gave the impression of doing better than they were but Hay-Campbell made some fine returns and was difficult to pass at the net. Detailed scores, with Wanganui players mentioned first, are:— Men’s Singles: N. B. Barkman lost to C. H. Strombom 6—2, 3—6, 3—6; M. LiLampe beat C. B. Webster 6-r-4; L. W. Udy lost to J; Watson 5— T, 6—fl, 6—l; D. W. Earle beat E. Dickie 6—2, 6- ; ~2; K. McFarlane lost to A. Dickie I—6, 3—6; N. Hay-Campbell lost to B. J. McCarthy 7—9, 4-6. ’■■■ Ladies’ Singles: Miss M. Purcell beat Miss J. Hicks 6—l, Mrs.-C. Smith beat Miss P. Wylds 61, 6—5; Mrs. D. W, Earle lost to Miss O. J. .Taylor I—6, 4—6; Miss M. Latham beat Mrs. Duncan 6—3, 3— 7—5; Miss IrDuncan beat Miss A. Hicks 6—5,' 6—3; Mrs. J. Dempsey lost to Miss B. Gayton 3—6, 5—6. Men’s Doubles: Barkman and Earle lost to- Strombom and Webster 7—5,T 4Afl, 4— T-ampe and McFarlane lost to Dickie and Dickie 7—5, 4-6, 4-6; Udy and HayCampbell beat Watson and McCarthy 6-1, 6-0. T.adips’ Doubles: Miss Purcell and Mrs. Smith beat Miss Taylor and Mrs. Duncan 5— 6—3, '6—2;- Mrs. Earle and Miss Latham beat Misses J. and A. Hicks 5—6, g_3 j 6—4; Miss' Duncan and Mrs. Dempsey beat Misses Wylds and ; Gayton 6—3, 6— 3. * “ : _ . . Combined Doubts: Lampe and Mrs. Smith beat Strombom and-Miss' Taylor 6—3, 6—3; Earle and Miss Earle lost to Webster and Miss J. Hicks I—6, 3—6; Udy and Miss Purcell beat. Watson and Mrs. Duncan 6—3, 4-6, 6—3; Barkman and Miss Latham beat E- Dickie and Miss Wylds 6—3, 6—2; McFarlane, and Miss Duncan . beat .McCarthy- and Miss «A. Hicks 5—6, 6—4, .6—2; Hay-Campbell and Mrs. Dempsey beat A; Dickie and Miss Gay ton 6—5, 6—l; • _ At the conclusion of play' Mr, R.. Leece, president of the Taranaki association, congratulated the visitors on their win. He also took- the opportunity to present trophies to .the winners at the South Taranaki residential championships, ' ' .