ANGAS AND PAGE ARE FINALISTS IN TENNIS TOURNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18046, 5 January 1927, Page 10

ANGAS AND PAGE ARE FINALISTS IN TENNIS TOURNEY.

TIMARU GAMES NOW NEAR CONCLUSION. (Special to the “Star.”) TIMARU', January 4. The South Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's New Year tournament was advanced a further stage to-day. The weather until late in the afternoon was extremely hot, but a strong wind sprang up, inconveniencing the players to some extent. There was again a large attendance and the public was treated to interesting tennis. The fight for places in the semi-finals quickened interest in the tournament and the standard of play did not fall away in any degree. Many of the contests were very close, particularly in the handicap events, and this reflects credit on the handieappers, who did their work very well. Following are the results:— CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS. MEN’S SINGLES. Third round—Hammond beat Sheppard, 6-3, 6-0. Semi-finals—Page beat Ozier, 6-1, 6-1 ; Ollivier beat Hammond, 6-2, 6-2; Ollivier lost to Angas, 6-3, 3-6 (.Ollivier retired). Ollivier started the match with a bandaged wrist and at the end of the second set it was troubling him so much that he was obliged to retire. Both players started cautiously and this resulted in a number of prolonged rallies. Angas’s backhand was very safe, but he was up against an experienced player whose placing was splendid. Ollivier’s forehand drives wrere very sure and Ills passing shots were in the same category. He won the fifth. sixth and Seventh games, Angas taking the next two and Ollivier the ninth. The second set was productive of good tennis, both playing well ofi! the ground. Some of Angaa’s passings shots were perfect and he now played with more confidence. He won the first three games, but Ollivier drew level at the sixth. From this on he was erratic and his shots lacked length and pace. Angas continued steadily, taking the next three games and the set. At this stage Ollivier retired. leaving Angas to meet Pago in the final. LADIES* SINGLES. Third round—Miss Rolleston beat Miss Finch, 9-4; Miss Ward beat Miss Nichols, 9-2. Semi-final —Miss Pearse won by default from Miss W. Wilson; Miss Ward beat Miss Rolleston, 9-5. Final—Miss Pearse beat Miss Ward, 6-3, 6-1. Miss Pearse started off well in the final, which consisted chiefly of baseline play, neither player going to the net very often. Miss Pearse's break serA r ice appeared to trouble her opponent, who often found the iret on the return. The heat was very trying, and neither hustled to any extent. M ith four games gone,- each had two to her credit. Miss Ward won the next, but afterwards she fell away, and Miss Pearse took the set. Both players early exhibited weakness off the ground, hut this was remedied as the match progressed. There was a good deal of hack hand play, both exhibiting good length. Miss Pearse established a good lead in the second set, winning four out of the first five games. The sixth went to deuce twice, Miss Pearse finally wining the game after a faulty forehand drive by Miss Ward. Miss Pearse took the next game to 40-love on her service and won the game and the match, after Miss Ward failed to return from th*e base-line. MEN’S DOUBLES. Third Round. Hammond and Cramond beat Manchester and Field, 6-2, 6-3. Semi-final—Fulton and Boddy beat Angas end Sheppard, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3; Page and Walker bea.t Hammond and Cramond. 6-4, 6-1. Final—Fulton and. Boddy beat Page and Walker, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. Page and. Walker and Fulton and Boddy drew a large crowd for the final of the doubles. PJay started off at a great pace, Page leading 40-15 in the first set.. A faulty return by Walkev and a smash by Fulton brought up deuce, but good placement by Boddy gave him vantage, and with the ntext. stroke they took the game. The wind was still troublesome, both sides missing shots which would, under ordinary circumstances, have been well within bounds. Page and Walker took the next game to 15. The fourth game Fulton took to 1.6, due mainly to good net. play by Boddy. Some splendid volleying followed, the game going to deuce twice before Page and Walker gained the two winning strokes. The next game Fulton took to love, making them 4-2. Splendid net play by both Fulton and Boddy saw them bring the next from 40 love and deuce, and a “double” and a heavy forehand drive by Page gave them the game, 6-2. Boddy and his partner were playing exceptionally steady games and they took the set 6-2. In the second set Page won the first game and Fulton the next. With the wind behind them Page and Walker were driving solidly, but they were erratic in smashing. At the fifth game Fulton and Boddy led 3-2, and they took the next three and the set with ease. The tricky wind blowing did not suit, the style of tennis as played by Page and Walker, but their opponents were quite at home. They were mostly up at the net looking for loose returns, which were not Infrequent. Occasionally Walker would lob to the back line, catching both Fulton and Boddy napping. The latter established a lead of 3-1 in the third set and were still playing a forcing game. They took the fifth to love, but lost the sixth after it had gone to three deuces. The next two games were divided. Fulton was leading 5-3 at the eighth, and won the next after Walker had served a double. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Semi-final —Misses G. ami D. Manchester beat Misses Nichols and Finch, 9-4. Final—Misses G. and D. Manchester heat Misses RJ Pearse and Thvvaites, 6-4, Miss Thwaites gave an early exhibition of a strong forehand drive and her placing was accurate. Miss Pearse. who just previously contested the final of the ladies’ singles championship, was a bit unsteady at the start, but she soon settled down and played good tennis. The Misses Manchester were both very sound, particularly on the back line, and their returns were well placed. At the fourth game they led 3-1, but the next went to Misses Pearse and Thwaites. Both sides volleyed well, the Misses Manchester gaining many points by sound net play. The match was characterised by a number of splendid rallies, which kept the large crowd interested throughout. At one stage the Misses Manchester were leading 5-2, but two games on end saw Misses Pearse and Thwaites in a fighting position for the set. The next game went to the Misses Manchester, who took the set 6-4. Up till this stage the weather had been perfect, but a fairly strong wind now sprang up, calling for greater judgment. In the second set the Misses Manchester led 2-1. They won the next two. but lost the sixth after two deuces. The next was theirs, however, and after being 30 down in the next they won the following four strokes and the match. COMBINED DOUBLES. Second round—Cramond and Mrs Bannerman beat M’Dougall and Miss Ward. 9-2; Fulton and Miss G. Manchester beat Angas and Miss Bradford, 9-6; Sheppard and Mrs Stedman beat Boys and Mrs Third round—Fulton and Miss Manchester beat Robinson and Miss Thwaites, 9-8; Johnson and Miss Gibson heat Page and Miss Sowden, 9-6. Semi-final—Fulton and Miss G. Manchester beat Cramond and Mrs Bannerman, 9-6; Sheppard and Mrs Stedman beat Johnston and Miss Gibson, 9-S. HANDICAP EVENTS. MEN’S SINGLES. Second round—Boddy beat Leslie, 9-7. Third round—Sa.tterthwa ite beat Boddy, 9-5; Murray beat Satterthwaite, 9-3. Semi-final—Murray beat K. Donovan, 9-3; Ogier beat Cuff, 9-4. Final—Ogier beat Murray, 9-4. At the start of the match both were playing solid games. Ogier appeared the fitter of the two, and, keeping up a steady pace, gradually drew away from his opponent, finally winning by 9 games to 4. MEN’S DOUBLES. Third round—Angas and Sheppard beat Manchester and Field, 9-1. Semi-final —Ogier and Satterthwaite beat Cuff and Thomas, 9-4.

LADIES’ SINGLES. Semi-final —Miss Borton beat Miss King, 9-4; Miss Gibson won by default from Miss Wilson. Final—Miss N. Borton (rec. 15) beat Miss Gibson (owe 15 3-6), 9-2. Miss Borton took the first, set and Miss Gibson the next. The third went to Miss Borton, who, playing steadily, gradually drew ahead and won easily. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Third round—Misses Rolleston ami Robinson beat Misses Godfrey and Cowie, 9-3; Misses Manchester won by default from Misses Pearse and. Thwaites. Final—Misses G. and D. Manchester beat Misses Sowden and Ward, 9-8. The wind upset the calculations of both sides right through the games, and the tennis witnessed was not of the highest order. At one stage the Misses Manchester were down 6-8, but they stuck to their task and finally won the match, 9-S. COMBINED DOUBLES. Second round—Manchester and "Miss Godfrey beat Boddy and Miss G. Manchester, 9-3. Semi-final—Murray and Miss Wilson beat Manchester and Miss Godfrey, 9-8.