LAWN TENNIS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20027, 7 February 1935, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS

NOTES AND COMMENTS (By “Umpire.”) Last Saturday saw lawn tennis players provided by the gods of the weather with one of the best possible days for the game that we have had for many a long day and some enjoyable tennis was enjoyed by the teams from the South Canterbury Association which played at Ashburton and on Maori Park. The representative side which engaged.,,Jjie Mid-Canterbury representatives on the latter’s courts at Ashburton returned with a victory, 15 matclifesii to 8 matches. G. C. Reid playing. No. 1 for South Canterbury showed that he has run into good form by a 6-3. 6-0 win against J. D Coward,, a rather unorthodox player W. Renton was taken to 3 sets by the hard hitting P. McLaughlin. N. Satterthwaite went down to R. Bryant 2-6, 4-6, the latter hitting hard and moving fast. I. Mathieson's driving was found to severe by V. Russell and the latter only managed to collect a couple of games in the two sets. P, .Sinclair and A. Stanley had a three set match and the former managed to ge the verdict 6-4 in the third bout. P. W. Young went down to Watkins 5-7, 3-6 the latter covering the court well. In the doubles Renton and Reid were a better combination than Coward

and McLaughlin and won 6-4, 6-4 after a good contest. Satterthwaite and Mathieson were taken to three sets by Bryant and Watkins before winning 6-3 in the last, the winners’ harder driving turning the scale. Sinclair and Young also went to three sets against Russell and Stanley but the latter got the verdict. There was little between these pairs with perhaps Russell using the net to advantage. The South Canterbury women were in form and collected 5 of the 6 singles, Mrs Lewis going down to Miss Meredith. Miss Sutherland and Shirtcliff had good wins in two straight sets and Mrs Cotter and Miss O’Halloran had very close fights with Miss Amos and Miss Harper respectively both winning by the narrowest of margins 6-5 in the third set. In the doubles Mid-Canterbury collected two of the three matches, Misses Vesty and Cowan beating Miss Callaghan and Mrs Lewis 5-6, 6-2, 6-5 and Misses Harper and Amos accounting for Mrs Cotter and Miss O’Halloran 6-5, 1-6, 6-3. Misses Sutherland and Shirtcliff won in 2 straight sets 6-4, 6-4. The mixed events saw some very close matches three of them going to three sets and the other three being closely contested. Miss Vesty and P. McLaughlin did well to beat Miss Callaghan and Renton 6-4, 8-6. At Maori Park mixed teams from Timaru clubs played against teams from Temuka and Pareora respectively and these matches whilst providing the country clubs with the opportunity of play against stronger players are proving enjoyable features. The Temuka women proved to be a

strong side and won six of their nine events Miss Poultney with her strong all round game beat Miss Patchett 7-5, the latter playing very well and going for her shots in good style. Miss R. Pearce can still make the ball twist and turn in disconcerting fashion and had Miss Cowie tied up. Miss Shiels and Miss Young had a hard fight the former hitting a bit harder to win 7-5. Miss Hannafin and Miss Methven were both good defenders and after a long battle the latter just got home 7-6. Mrs Stewart beat Miss K. Daly 7-5 her defence being a little better and Mrs Piddington won against Mrs Tindall in spite of the latter’s persistent returns, the winners backhand being the sounder. In the doubles Temuka won two and Timaru one, Miss Pearse and Poultney being a strong pair and Mesdames Stewart and Tindall being very sound. Misses Cowie and Methven got the win for Timaru, being better together. The Timaru men won all their games, the side being a strong one consisting of “A” grade players. The veteran Warne Pearse had a good and interesting encounter with A. Sandral the latter winning 9-5 his cuts and placing chasing Warne about the court. The majority of the other games were won by the margin of 9-4, the Temuka players being at a disadvantage through inexperience on grass. Close games occurred in the doubles Pearse and Stokes going to 5-9 and Reid and Gilmour got the same reward. The mixed events provided some enjoyable matches Pearse and Miss Poultney running Sandral and Miss Patchett to 9-6 and the rest went to 9-4 and 9-5 in favour of Timaru except the Gilmour and Miss Hannafin versus

Gillies and Miss Young match which Temuka captured at 9-6.

The young Pareora side though beaten by a stronger side put up a very good show and have the makings of a good side. L. Baker who got to the final of the new year tournament handicap singles plays a nice game and only went down to J. H. Smith 9-8. In the doubles with Howe they ran Smith and S. Martin to 9-7 and in the mixed Baker and Miss McPhail beat S. Martin and Mrs Martin 7-5. Miss McPhail, also a handicap finalist, beat Mrs Martin 7-5 and is not afraid of going up to the net. Patterson also showed a good idea of the game and beat G. McFarlane 9-8 and Miss M. Coote put up a good fight in both singles and doubles.

Canterbury have followed up their victory in the Wilding Shield by wresting the Nunnerley Casket from Wellington, winning the rubber by 7 matches to 5, though the contest throughout was exceedingly close. Wellington in the final doubles match had match point in the third set and had they won this game it is difficult to see how the result could have been decided as this would have given 6 matches all, and as the final score in games was Canterbury 146, Wellington 142, it will be seen that point would have made the event all square on matches and games and the Casket would have remained in Wellington. The sisters I. and T. Poole were a great factor in the winning, both succeeding in their singles and in one doubles game. Miss Nicholls, the N.Z. champion put up a great performance for Wellington, winning all her matches

with a total of 56 games against 27. Miss Sherris in the second set of her game against Miss Nicholls put up some sparkling tennis actually going to a lead of 5-2 but was unable to keep it us, Miss Nicholls wearing her down to win 7-5. An unfamiliar name in the Wellington side, Mrs N. St. Clair Dickson, turns out to be the married name of Miss Howe who just recently joined the ranks of the Mesdames.

The draw for the Davis Cup finds New Zealand drawn against Australia, the winner to play France. Quite a controversy has arisen concerning the choice of players and the general attitude of the N.Z.L.T.A. towards the Davis Cup and it would appear that the playing of players who are not likely to prove of benefit to the game in New Zealand afterwards is not likely to produce any beneficial results to the game here. The ranking list locally has shown renewed life lately and the following results have been registered.—P. Sinclair beat J. Milliken 6-4, 9-7, J. Satterthwaite beat I. Mathieson 2-6, 6-4. 6-2, P. Young beat J. Milliken 6-8, 7-5, 6-3, I. Mathieson beat P. Sinclair 6-2, 6-2, G. C. Reid beat W. Renton 6-2, 6-3, M. Souter beat J. Milliken 9-7, 6-2, F. Lewis beat R. Reid 7-5, 6-2, Sandral beat J. Satterthwaite 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, Mrs Lewis beat Miss Sutherland 6-9, 6-5, Miss J. Eaton beat Miss D. Patchett 6-0, 6-2.

A grade matches will be played at Maori Park on Saturday and the first played off for the C grade, Wai-iti v. Highfield, on the Wai-iti courts.

Club handicap events which have got rather behind owing to the holidays should now be commanding the attention of players. Owing to the West Coast Championships the representative match, South Canterbury and Canterbury has been re-arranged for March 2 at Maori Park. Wai-iti C v. Highfield (at Wai-iti)— W. Holmes, R. Holmes, C. Dingwall, W. Heeds, Mrs Symonds, Misses Guthrie, R. Holdgate, B. Drennan. Emergencies, J. Meikle, Miss L. Holdgate. TEAMS FOR SATURDAY Timaru A Team (v. Aorangi)— Mrs R. Lewis, Miss D. Patchett, Mrs S. Martin, Miss V. Campbell, Robertson, Sandral, Fea, Shiels. St. Mary’s B (v. Timaru B)—H. R. Preston, G. R. Valentine, D. Morgan, Rev. D. M. Taylor; Misses M. Gibson, W. Belsham, M. Jeavons, W. Tubb. EXHIBITION GAMES By Telegraph—Press Association INVERCARGILL, February 6. Brilliant tennis was witnessed in exhibition matches this afternoon when Kay and Ewin, of Victoria, were pitted against leading local players. As a fitting climax the Victorians engaged each other in a scintillating five-set duel which Kay won 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 3-6. 6-2.