CLASSIC TENNIS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20761, 23 June 1937, Page 7

CLASSIC TENNIS

OPENING OF WIMBLEDON TOURNAMENT United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph - Copyright LONDON, June 21. Play in the Wimbledon tournament opened to-day with the following results: Men’s Singles Cooper defeated Young, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Andrews (New Zealand), defeated Jenssen (Norway), 6-1, 6-2. 6-1. Budge defeated Farquharson. 6-3. 6-2, 6-1. Grant defeated Hunt, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. Von Cramm defeated Lysaght, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0. Surface defeated Martenson, 6-0, 6-2, 6-1. Austin defeated Rogers, 3-6, 8-6, 6-1, 6-2. McGrath defeated Ellmer (Switzerland), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 9-7. Bromwich defeated Comery, 6-3, 10-8, 6-1. Bossus defeated Ritchie, 6-1, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Eedes (South Africa) defeated Destefani, 6-1, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. Mako defeated Jamain, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. Sproule defeated Sturgeon, 2-6, 6-3. 6-4, 6-2. Coombe (New Zealand) defeated Partridge 6-1, 6-2, 10-8. Stedman (New Zealand) defeated A. Brown, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3. Other first round winners included Brognon, Pallada. Parker, Hecht, Henkel, Lee,' Hare, Kirby, Khoslnkie, and Shayes. All seeded players, with the exception of Menzil won their games. Comment oi) the Play Playing on adjoining courts in the late evening, Coombe and Stedman hr.d comparatively easy wins. Andrews meets Crawford in the second round, Coombe meets McGrath, and Stedman meets Nigel-Sharpe. Players from 27 nations are present at the championships. The biggest feature of the day, after Crawford’s win, was the young South African, Eedes’, defeat of Stefani (Italy), partly due to his robust service.

Lysaght surprisingly took a set from Cramm, but once the German became familiar with the grass surface the Englishman was doomed. Bromwick making his first appearance at Wimbledon, opposed only a good club player in Comery. The Australian was not very convincing. McGrath started shakily and was unable to find a reply to EUmers’ steadiness; but he found touch in the second set and thereafter outplayed his Swiss opponent. Crawford’s backhand was working perfectly in the early sets and his forehand placements were also fine, but Menzel caused him worry with a hard service and heavy topspin drives. Both played clever tennis but similarity of tactics tended to dullness. The match lasted two hours twenty minutes. Crawford won 6-4, 7-9, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.