TENNIS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19683, 28 December 1933, Page 9

TENNIS

SOUTH CANTERBURY TOURNAMENT ONLY A FEW MATCHES PLAYED Intermittent showers throughout yesterday made it impossible to start play in the South Canterbury Tennis Association's tournament until 5 p.m. At that time the courts which had ! dried fast, were in good order, although I a trifle on the heavy side, and several interesting matches were witnessed. The set back to the tournament came when the championship and handicap events had reached an interesting stage, but it is hoped to make an early start this morning and complete the tournament to-morrow. Robertson Enters Semi-Finals. Wallace Robertson (Timaru) entered the semi-finals of the men's championship singles by an easy win over L. McKinnon (Oamaru). Robertson took the first set 6-3, his driving being more accurate than that of his opponent, who at times troubled the winner with cut returns which did not rise much on the heavy court, Robertson was generally superior in the second set which he took 6-2. Otago Ranked Flayer Beaten. E. A. Pearce (Otago) who narrowly beat I. Mathieson (Timaru) in a singles encounter on Tuesday, suffered defeat at the hands of G. C. Reid (Timaru) who has played some of his best tennis to reach the semi-finals. The first set proved a marathon struggle, Reid just getting home 9-7. Reid won the first two games and his opponent the next two, the games being divided until the 7-7 point was reached. Reid took the next two games after both had gone to deuce. Although there was little between tho pair, and the tennis was not brilliant, Pearce had more success in the second session, which he won 6-3. After 3-3 had been posted, Pearce reeled off three games in succession. Reid started off the third set by taking the fir st two games, Pearce securing the next two. Each then won a game and Reid established a 5-3 lead by collecting the next two. Pearce won the next, but Reid placed the match beyond doubt by winning the concluding game with the loss of only one point. Miss Gibson Extended. Steady tennis, enlivened by patches of brilliance, was played by Miss M. Gibson, third ranked woman player in South Canterbury, and Miss Diana Smythe, of Timaru, in the semi-final of the champion singles. Miss Smythe fully extended her opponent before she went down, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. In the first set, Miss Smythe, Scoring off Miss Gibson’s errors, took the first game, but Miss Gibson drove deep and used the net to advantage, winning four games in succession and taking the set 6-3. The second set developed into a stern struggle with the score at 2 all. Miss Smythe retrieved everything, scoring points oft Miss Gibson's mistakes and taking a 4-2 lead. By steady play she took the score to 5-4 and then, with the last game at deuce, caught Miss Gibson at the net with a lob to the baseline. Miss Gibson netted an easy return in the next rally, and they were set-all. In the final set, Miss Gibson opened up and drove consistently on either hand, killing everything loose, to run into a 3-1 lead. She dropped the next game but reeled off three more to clinch the set at 6-2. Game of Tactics. J. Mackay and G. Innes-Jones (Timaru) had a hard struggle to reach the semi-finals of the championship doubles against W. R. Fea and N. Cramond (Timaru). In the first set. which Mackay and Innes-Jones carried off 6-2, the younger players exploited the net to great advantage and effectively smashed everything within reach. Fea and Cramond changed their tactics in the second session, and kept Mackay and Innes-Jones at the backline. Mackay and Innes-Jones took the first two games, but sound placements were largely responsible for Fea and Cramond collecting the next five games. The two games following were taken by Mackay and Innes-Jones, Fea and Cramond securing the next after it had gone to deuce, and the set 6-4. The third set was productive of a good exhibition of the doubles game. Excitement ran high when the 6- stage was reached, and after a splendid fight, in which there was little between the pairs, Mackay and Innes-Jones emerged victors by 8-6. Robertson and J. Satterthwaite (Timaru) did not team impressively in the first set of their third round doubles match against A. R. Hedges (Ashburton) and H. McKtnhon (Oamaru), which the Timaruvians won 7- A better performance was registered in the second set, however, the visitors being beaten 6-2. Satterthwaite was not up to his usual form, but improved as the match progressed. Results were:— CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS. Men's Singles. Third Round. W. G. Robertson beat L. McKinnon, 6-3, 6-2. G. C. Reid beat E. A. Pearce, 9-7, 3-6, 6-4. Men's Doubles. Third Round. J. L. Mackay and G. Innes-Jones beat Dr. W. R. Fea and N. S. Cramond, 6-2, 4-6, 8-6. W. G. Robertson and J. Satterthwaite beat A. R. Hedges and L. McKinnon, 7-5, 6-2. Women's Singles. Semi-final. Miss M, Gibson beat Miss D. Smythe, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. HANDICAP EVENTS. Men’s Singles. Third Round. I. Mathieson (owe 15 1-6) beat P. McLauchlan (owe 15), 9-7. Mixed Doubles. Second Round. L. J. Broughton and Miss M. Morrison (owe 15) beat R. Wilson and Miss Sutherland (owe 3/6), 9-8. E. D. Broughton and Miss J. Brewer (owe 15) beat A. Provan and Miss Bracefleld (rec 1/6), 9-4. Women's Doubles. Second Round. Misses K. Smythe and F. Wright (rec 15 2/6) beat Misses D. Smythe and J. Brewer (owe 15 1/6), 9-8. Misses M. Morrison and N. Sullivan (owe 15 1/6) beat Misses Campbell and Talt (rec 4/6), 9-4. TO-DAY'S MATCHES. In view of the delay occasioned by the inclemency of the weather, an early start is imperative to-day, and the following players are requested to be present at Maori Park ready for play at 8.45 a.m. Players not present will be scratched:—Mrs Cramond. Misses Torlesse, Boyle, Campbell. M. and R. Rolleston. Sullivan, D. Smythe, Eliot, Dowker, Morrison, Messrs Price,

Cramond. Highet, McGregor, Burdon, Clemens, Biddle, Kissell, McKeague, H. Stewart, W. Pearse, Pattinson, RhodesWilliams, Pearce, Shenkin, Patchett, Drew, Milliken, Dixon, Loughnan, Gould, Lane, Lewis, G. C. Reid, Taylor, Holdgate, E. D. and L. J. Broughton, and Hedges.