TENNIS STARS MEET.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20503, 3 January 1935, Page 7

TENNIS STARS MEET.

Melbourne Centenary Tournament. PLAY BEGINS TO-DAY. The Melbourne Centenary lawn tennis tournament, for which a galaxy of the world’s star players has gathered in Australia, opens to-day. The meeting. which has been called Australia’s “ Wimbledon,” has drawn five of the world’s ten ranked players, and during the nine days of its progress the eyes of the tennis world will be on Melbourne. So erratic has been the form of outstanding players in State tournaments over the last few weeks that surprising results are quite likely. It may well be a tournament of sensations. One sensation has set tennis players by the ears already, and that is the publication of the seeding for the tournament by the ranking committee, which consists of Messrs W. A. Walker, W. S. Sproule, H. Malcolm and J. Clemenger. The seeding, which disregards world ranking and the results of recent matches in Australia, is as follows: Men’s Singles.— (l) F. Perry, (2) J. Crawford, (3) R. Menzel, (4) C. Boussus, (5) V. M’Grath, (6) A. Quist, (7) G. de Stefani, (8) V. Kirby. Men’s Doubles. — (1) Perry-Hughes, (2) Quist-Turnbull, (3) CrawfordM’Grath, (4) Maier-Hopman, (5) Bous-sus-Brugnon, (6) Menzel-Moon, (7) Kirbv-Malcolm, (8) Clemengcr-Kay. Women’s Singles.— (l) Miss Round, (2) Miss Ilartigan, (3) Mrs Westacott, (4) Miss Lyle, (5) Miss E. Dearman, 16) Miss Bickerton, (7) Mrs Hopman, (8) Miss Blick. Women's Doubles. — (1) Misses LyleDearman (2) Misses Round-Hartigan, (3) Mrs llopman-Miss Bickerton, (4) Mrs Molesworth-Mrs Westacott. Combined Doubles. — (1) Perry-Miss Round, (2) Hopman-Mrs Hopman, (3) Quist-Miss Lyle, (4) Maier-Miss Dearman. Experts Astounded. This order has astounded Australian tennis experts. On world ranking, the order of the first five would be: Perry, Crawford, Menzel, de Stefani and Boussus. De Stefani, although beaten by Crawford, has been in excellent form in Australia, and vet he has been dropped three places. If it was this defeat by Crawford which relegated the Italian to seventh place, then Qtiist, who routed Perry at Ivooyong. should be higher than sixth place. Menzel’s position is also difficult to understand His form in Australia has been poor, yet he appears in third place. Perry in the singles, and Perry and Hughes in the doubles, are the present title-holders. They won w r hen in Australia last year. Perry’s position in the singles, in spite of recent lapses, is defensible, but the English doubles combination has been recently beaten by Hopman and Maier in Sydney and by Quist and Turnbull in the Victorian championships. Apart from the chances of Crawford and M’Grath or any other of the strong Australian combinations. Boussus and Brugnon are entitled to a higher place than fifth, and it is quite possible that the F -enchmen M'ill defeat any pair above them. Moon and Miss Hartigan, who hold the Australian combined title, are not included in the four pairs seeded, and another surprise is the emission of Mrs Molesvorth from the women’s singles list. One cannot quarrel with Miss Round’s position as No. 1. but Mrs Molesworth is capable of defeating Miss Bickerton. Mrs Hopman or Miss Blick, who are included in the eight seeded. Recent upsets make it difficult to forecast the outcome of the tournament, but the logical four to fight out .the men’s singles are Perry, Crawford. M Grath and Quist. Although Perry and Huehes are seeded first in the doubles, Crawford and M’Grath and Boussus and Brugnon have as good a chance, and there may be unexpected results when Quist and Turnbull and Maier and Hopman meet those seeded above them. Miss Round should win the women’s singles and Misses I.vie and Dearman appear to be the best women’s doubles team entered. The combined doubles is another very open event. Perrv and Miss Round should be hard to beat if Perry is not harassed by hard matches in the singles and men's doubles. Quist and Miss Lyle may upset the top-rankers