LAWN TENNIS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 659, 12 January 1933, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

Exhibition Matches at Wilding Park. ANGAS BEATS ANDREWS. Tennis enthusiasts crowded the accommodation at the centre courts at Wilding Park yesterday afternoon to watch the exhibition matches between C. E. Malfroy (Wellington) and H. A. Barnett (Canterbury-); and E. D. Andrews (Wellington) and C. Angas (Canterbury). The results were:— Malfroy beat Barnett, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Angas beat Andrews, 7-5, 6-8, 6-1. Malfroy and Andrews beat Angas and Barnett, 1-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3. The afternoon was beautifully fine and the court in perfect condition, the only disagreeable factor being a gusty easterly. , * The singles produced a high standard of tennis and at times were intensely exciting. Malfroy showed the best form. Though he did not strike his best against Barnett, lapsing frequently in the first set, Barnett by no means extended him after that. The wind militated against Barnett’s lobbing tactics and when he. tried to get a high one near the back line the ball usually fell short and was dealt with drastically. Barnett unleashed a fine forehand drive which scored him points, but his main asset was his speed on the court and uncanny facility for recoveries. Andrews appeared a little out of condition and tired in the third set of his singles, but he played some masterly shots and had Angas working hard. Angas suffered occasional lapses, but once he took the lead in the first set and gained confidence he played some pretty tennis. He found a weak spot on Andrews’s backhand and played it hard. Andrews’s forehand groundstrokes were sure and easy of execution, and several times his long placements had Angas running to and fro across the back of the court as hard as he could go. Angas was the sounder all round on the afternoon, and his volleying was superior, while some of his backhand play was beautifully precise. Andrews impressed as a. sound stroke player and a good tactician, and the spurt he put on to take the second set, after being in a most disadvantageous position, showed that he had any amount of grit. The doubles were excellent in parts, but over the last three sets Angas slowed up badly, for no apparent reason, and Barnett was left to do what he could. Malfroy was brilliant. The Canterbury men started off with a great rush, Angas volleying brilliantly and Barnett producing some fine recoveries and excellent passing shots. For the first set there was only one side in the picture. The second set was a complete reversal. Malfroy at the net gave a scintillating exhibition and Andrews, who had been right off in the first set, steadied down to back him up admirably. Barnett could not find a length with his lobs, but he played pluckily and well, though his net work lacked the sting shown by the able Malfroy, a quick-moving stylist whose speed and precision delighted the crowd. Angas v. Andrews. Angas opened poorly against Andrews. When Andrews took the first two games decisively, showing some fine passing shots and a powerful and well-controlled forehand drive it looked as though Angas was up against it. Irv the third game, however. Angas settled down and J showed some real tennis, making some : fine recoveries and once or twice volleying brilliantly. Andrews then took command for two games, placing splendidly and forcing Angas into error, leading 4-1. Angas then broke through Andrews's twist service. In a game which contained some thrilling rallies

he drew applause by making- a great recovery and weathering a barrage from the net to take the game point. The local man’s backhand was getting into order and he settled down to a really good exhibition, taking the next two games in workmanlike style to even, 4all. Erroi*s lost Andrews a 40-15 advantage in the next game, but he produced some of the fine placing that stood him in such good stead at the start, and pretty net work won him the game. Angas staved off a match point in the next game and then _ showed some great work close in. winning that and the next two decisively to take the set 7-5. Andrews fought hard at the start of the second set and Angas lapsed badly, losing the first two games. Then there was a complete reversal, with Angas running his man round with perfect placements and taking four games on end. Andrews looked to be tiring, but he pulled himself together and drove finely to the baseline, following up to beat Angas with well-angled volleys. Angas took the next, but again Andrews clapped on the pace when the set was in danger. Another series of lapses on Angas’s part let him even 5-all. The visitor kept up the pressure, but next game he was against the real Angas and a brilliant placement duel; ended in Angas’s favour. Down 5-6, Andrews nevertheless kept up the pressure. He drove deep to the corners and had Angas on the sprint again, equalling after a hard game and then taking the deciding two games with the utmost ease, in the face of many mistakes by the local player. Andrews’s set, 8-6. Andrews had slowed up after his spurt at the end of the previous set and there was no doubt as to the way the final session went. Angas played Andrews’s backhand for all it was worth. Though he made fine recoveries at times, the visitor made many misses and was outplaced all the way, Angas taking the set, 6-1, and the match. Tit* Doubles. The doubles match was played best of five sets and produced peculiar play. In the first set there was only one side on the court, Angas and Barnett flashing to the net and dealing with the indecisive returns of the others in no uncertain style. It looked as though Andrews and Malfroy were well in hand, when the set ended 6-1. Angas was brilliant at the net and Barnett was there to recover anything humanly possible and also contributed some fine passing shots. The second set was just as one sided—but it was not the same side. Malfroy at the net dominated the whole situation. Angas, the foremost figure in the first set, could not cope with Malfroy’s lightning play. Andrews meanwhile had steadied down and backed Malfroy up soundly, having completely overcome the bad mistakes of the first set. Angas and Barnett ' broke through Andrews’s servo to take the third game, but that was their only one. Angas was apparently put out by the sudden reverse, for he eased up considerably. Though Barnett fought pluckily he could not cope with the opposite pair, who had settled down to sound and at many times brilliant doubles play. They went to the net on every opportunity and there outplayed the Canterbury men. Barnett tried lobbing. but he could not cope with the wind, and shot after shot was killed. The score was 6-2. Angas pulled himself together in the final set and Canterbury did a little, better, pulling up to 4-3 before the others ran out. However, the sting had gone out of the game. The afternoon’s play was most interesting. While all the players had spells on and off their best form, the tennis was of high quality. Malfroy made a most favourable impression. was apparent that when Andrews has had some hard practice for the tournament he will be a hard man to keep away from the New Zealand championship. Davis Cup. TOKIO. January 11. The Japanese Dawn Tennis Association has select ed Miki. Sato, Nunoi and Ito to represent Japan in the Davis -Cup .competition.

IMPORTANT TO TENNIS PLAYER& You cannot expect to play tennis as it should be played if your racquet is not up to the mark. Have the necessary repairs done right away and iniprove your game. T. G. Anderson for TT . . . bCS * „ S R e Q rV,Ce - 14s - lllgh Stre f et ■Phone 41269. 6