SMYTH AND ROBSON TO FIGHT AUCKLAND TENNIS FINAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17758, 30 January 1926, Page 9

SMYTH AND ROBSON TO FIGHT AUCKLAND TENNIS FINAL

MISSES MACFARLANE i AND KNIGHT FINAUSTS. f f Per Press Association. ATTCKLAXD, January 2D. The Auckland provincial tennis championships •were continued to-day. Results:— MEN'S SINGLES. Fourth Round. Griffiths beat Watkins 7-9, lt-9. 6-0. Robson beat Sims 1-6, 6-1. 6-2. iAmpe beat Stuart 6-4, 6-4. Smyth beat Bartleet 6-2, 6-4. Semi-Finals. Robson beat Griffiths 6-1, 6-2, 6-3. Smyth beat Lampe 6-0, 6-2, 6-0.

MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. Third Round. Griffiths and Brinsden beat Watkins and Entwhfstle 6-1. 4-6. 6-4. Smyth and Lampe beat Harrison and Harrison 6-2, 6-2. Semi-Final. Bartleet and Robson beat Johns and Johns 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

LADIES* SINGLES. Semi-Final s. Miss Knight beat Miss M’Pherson 6-3, 4-6. 6-1. Miss Marjory Macfarlane beat Miss Nicholls 6-1. 6-4. COMBINED DOUBLES. Fourth Round. A. C. Johns and Miss Nicholls beat Smyth and Miss MacCormick 6-2,. 11-9. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Semi-Final. Misses Macfarlane beat Misses Miller 6-3, 6-2. TO-DAY’S PLAY. £> Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, January 30. The tennis championships were continued in fine weather. Results:— MEN’S DOUBLES. Semi-Final. Smyth (Wellington) and Lampe (Wanganui) beat Griffiths and Brinsden (Auckland) 6-1. 6-4. 6-3. They will meet Bartleet and Robson, of Auckland, in the final this afternoon. COMBINED DOUBLES. Robson and Miss Margery Macfarlane beat Watson and Miss Colebrook 6-2, 6-4. Semi-Final. Brinsden and Mrs Scctt Wilson beat V. R. Johns and Miss Knight, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Robson and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane beat A. C. Johns and Miss Dulcie Nicholls 6-2. 6-4. A handful of onlookers watched a colourless display by Griffiths and Brinsden and I?myth and Lampe in the semifinal of the doubles championship. The visiting pair outclassed the Aucklanders in all departments, and won in three straight sets. Both Smyth and Lampe ■were deadly overhead, and the Wellington champion was driving well. Brinsden started serving Snd lost the first point through an easy shot at the net. Smyth and Lampe were lobbing with certainty, and this troubled the Auckland pair considerably. Lampe had no difficulty in winning the next game after the loss of one point. Neither of the four had settled down and the play was colourless up to this point. Smyth and Lampe ran through the first set without any serious opposition, losing only one game. One flash of bright play was all that the second set could provide. It was a delightful piece of net work, which Griffiths won with a pretty shot to the side. Three games went to Smyth before even a suspicion of good play was seen in the third set, and the Aucklanders were lucky to take four games. They showed little good form all through. FENDALTON CLUB OPENS. Bright sunshine prevailed for the ©pening of the Fendalton Tennis Club’s courts this afternoon, and a large num•cr of players turned out for the occasion. In the absence of Hr G. E. Royds, president of the club, Mr T. D. Harman, vice-president, declared the courts open. He said that it gave him very great pleasure to do so. It had always seemed strange to him that Fendalton did cot have a tennis club: and now he was glad that the step had been taken. He had no doubt whatever that the club would prove a success. They were all very much indebted to the enterprising gentlemen who had made the formation of the club possible. They had started their operations in 1924 and since then bad gathered sufficient money for the laying down of three asphalt courts. There was a balance in hand which would pay for the formation of further courts just as soon as the club membership justified such a step. The membership at the present time stood at 114. They wanted to see it reach 150 before the laying down of any further courts was undertaken. In particular be wished to thank Messrs G. Royds, M. G. Somerville. E. J. Chennell, C. D. Bell, H. Kitson, E. M. Lusk. F. W. PenJtngton. 55. Mulford, D. C. Gardiner and A. Stewart for the work they had done in connection with the formation of the club. First balls were hit over the nets by Mesdames T. D. Harman, H. Kitson and A- Stewart. JUNIOR B COMPETITION. The seventh round of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s Men’s Junior B competition was played this afternoon. Results: ST ALBANS (I) v. NORTH BEACH. St Albans L beat North Beach by 4 matches to 2. Renton 7, Corbett 9. Wade beat M’Glllivray by default. Williams 8, Baggs 9. Oakes 9, Cramp 1. Renton and Wade beat Corbett and Baggs, 6-2, 6-0. Williams and Oakes beat Cramp and M’Gillivray by default. EDGE WARE (1) v. LIN WOOD (1). Edgeware (1) defeated Linwood (1) by 5 sets U> 4. Petersen if, Bayldon 2. Clothier 4, Gabites 9. .Shier 6, Spooner 9. Mldgley 4, Dearsley 9. Petersen and Shier defeated Bayldon and Gabit.es 6-1, 5-6, 6-1. Clothier and Mldgley _ defeated Spooner and Dearsley 6-3, 6-5. HOW NIGHT COURTS CAN BE IMPROVED. .The recent tennis tournament by artificial light, held on the covered courts t

at Queen's Club (writes “Dud” in the “Westminster Gazette"), showed that a good game can be played under these conditions, but that the majority of players found that the effort to keep the eye on the ball tends to strain the sight. Consequently most people are apt to break down against anyone who can make a persistent return. The best way to combat this type of play is to volley, but then the trouble is that lobs are often difficult to see, for when they go up in the line of the lights the ball disappears, making it impossible to smash at all accurately. The overhead method of lighting covered tennis courts is by no means perfect, because the player frequently loses sight of high balls. A diffused light is required, and if possible the player should not see any lamp directly. Possibly this could be effected bv having lamps at the sides and ends in bowls projecting upwards on to a white roof-cloth, which would spread a diffused light over the whole court. All lobs could then be very clearly seen, as the direct light from the lamps would shine straight on the ball. Probably fewer electric lamps would be needed by this method, but experiment is required to show the amount of candlepbwer required. CANADA MAY ENTER DAVIS CUP ZONE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received January 30, 2.10 p.m.) OTTAWA, January 20. To ascertain how far a Canadian Davis Cup team can advance against those of Europe, the Dominion may enter in the European zone this year-. ,