LAWN TENNIS NATIONAL TITLES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21576, 12 February 1940, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS NATIONAL TITLES

RAIN HOLDS lIP PLAY By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, February 10. Steady rain that began at 1 o’clock caused an early abandonment of play in the semi-finals of the New Zealand Centennial tennis championships at Miramar to-day. Play began at noon and continued until just after 1 o’clock. Provided conditions permit the remainder of the semi-finals will be played on Monday and the finals on Tuesday R. Howe (Wellington) and J. Bromwich (Australia) ceased play with the score at three-all in the first set. The Wellington player on the run of the game until then promised to give the Australian champion a good fight, but Bromwich appeared not to have settled down properly. Miss M. Beverley, of Waikato, would have done better against Miss N. Wynne if she had finished as she started. She led 2-0 in the first set, but seemed unable to keep up the pace and once Miss Wynne settled down she had things mostly her own way. Time after time Miss Beverley lost points through the Australian’s better play on the backhand, which is one of the features of her game, besides her vigorous hitting and shrewd placements. Another match that promised thrilling entertainment for to-day’s large gallery was that between Miss T. Coyne and Miss M. Hardcastle, both of Australia, but it was postponed at set-all. VISIT OF AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONS Mr J. S. Satterthwaite. president of the South Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association, has received advice from the secretary of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association that the Australian women tennis champions, the Mises T. Coyne. N. Wynne and M. Hardcastle, will be at the Maori Park tennis courts on Saturday, next.