TENNIS TOURNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 661, 14 January 1933, Page 9

TENNIS TOURNEY.

Canterbury Players Should Do Well. ANGAS FAVOURED IN SINGLES. Canterbury prospects, with C. Angas and H. A. Barnett in form, are bright for the 1932-33 New Zealand lawn tennis championships, which commence at Miramar, Wellington, next Tuesday. It is certain that there will be some great games, in which Angas should prove a bright star. At present he appears to have reached form which will retain for him the Dominion men’s singles title. There will be a notable gathering of the best players in the Dominion, though an absentee will be Edgar Bartleet, present Auckland and 1928 New Zealand champion. On recent form, some idea of the calibre of the contestants in the respective championships can be gauged. There are forty-six entrants in the men’s singles, and it looks as if the third rounders will orobably be: H. A. Barnett, W. J. Me'lody, A. C. Stedman, D. I. Robertson, D. G. France, J. G. A’Court, R. A. Court, C. E. Maifroy (top half of draw) ; C. Angas, R. R. Lees, N. G. Sturt, E. H. Orbell, N. R. C. Wilson, A. L. France, W. G. Robertson and E, D. Andrews (bottom side of draw). The top of the draw should be narrowed down to the meeting of Barnett and Stedman and Don France and Maifroy, while the lower half may be expected to be Angas v. Sturt and Wilson v. Andrews. Barnett and Stedman Again. Barnett has had the measure of Stedman, having knocked out the exNew Zealand champion in the fourth

round last year, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1. Stedman is a better player than last year, but Barnett’s steadiness and deadly ability to return anything has its effect on the hard-driving Aucklander. Don France can be given little chance against Maifroy. The probable meeting of Barnett and Maifroy in the semi-final would

produce a great struggle, for Barnett, with fast-improving form, could provide a great fight. Barnett’s imperturbable game, if Maifroy is anything off top form, would put him in the final. Maifroy might go on the court the favourite, but nothing could be taken for granted in such a meeting. In the other half of the draw Angas and Andrews should go to the semifinal without much trouble. In that case Angas should repeat his Wednesday’s defeat of Andrews, who lacks the polish of Angas in a hard game. Judging on the exhibition game, the chances of success for Andrews are not promising. A final between Angas and Maifroy would be very open, with perhaps the better prospects for the Canterbury man. Maifroy would have trouble to counteract the cool, calculating and heady all-court game of Angas, who defeated him in 1929. Mrs Dykes Should Win. The women’s singles will be fought out this year without the unbeatable opposition from Australia, and it is unlikely that the Misses M. Wake or Marjorie Macfarlane will be able to lower the colours of either Miss Dulcie Nicholls or Mrs H. M. Dykes. Mrs Dykes, who was at her best when she played for Canterbury as Miss May Speirs, held the women’s title in 1923-25-27-30, while Miss Nicholls was champion in 1929. The pair should provide an even final, but Miss Nicholls will have to provide the game of her life to beat Mrs Dykes. It was on December 29 that Mrs Dykes beat Miss Nicholls, who will appear as a Canterbury player this year, 4-6, 10-8, 6-4. The Men’s Doubles. In the men’s doubles, by the time the third round is reached it looks as if the eight surviving pairs will be N.' R. C. Wilson and A. C. Stedman, K. A. M’Farlane and L. W. Udy, D. G. and A. L. France, G. C. Charters and R. A. Court (top), C. E. Maifroy and I. A. Seay, H. N. Bums and C. M. Watt, C. A. Angas and N. G. Sturt, E. D. Andrews and J. N. Lowry. Indications are that Wilson and Stedman will go through to the final to meet Angas and Sturt. Maifroy and Seay should have to fight out the lower semi-final with Angas and Sturt, two vastly improved doubles men, and their chances of winning do not appear bright. Angas and Sturt should have a definite advantage over Wilson and Stedman in a final, as the holders have undoubtedly slipped. Women's Doubles.

The placings in the women’s doubles appear to be clear-cut, for it would be a big surprise if Mesdames H. M. Dykes and R. P. Adams,

with their five New Zealand singles titles and three doubles, with various partners, did not reach the final, although they have not played together in previous national tournaments. The other finalists should be Mrs W. J. Melody and Miss D. Nicholls, but they do not seem to possess the vim and

combination to triumph over Mesdames Dykes and Adams. The mixed doubles will be very open in the final stages. Form indicates that a possible conclusion will be a contest between E. D. Andrews and Mrs Dykes and C. E. Maifroy and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane. The latter seem hardly good enough to down such an experienced pair as Andrews and Mrs Dykes. A forecast of the future title-holders is as follows: Men’s singles—C. Angas. Men’s doubles—C. Angas and N. Sturt. Women’s singles—Mrs H. M. Dykes. Women’s doubles—Mesdames H. M. Dykes and R. P. Adams. Mixed doubles—E. D. Andrews and Mrs Dykes.