LAWN TENNIS

Wairarapa Age, 23 January 1929, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

YESTERDAY’S TOURNAMENT PLAY. CHAMPIONSHIPS NEARING COMPLETION. INTERESTING CONTESTS. Spectacular play was seen in a number of the matches at the Wairarapa and North Island Lawn Tennis Tournament yesterday. Even more interesting play should be witnessed to-day, when the principal championship events are to be concluded. The weather was again pleasant throughout the day, though it became a little threatening in the evening and wind in the afternoon affected play to some extent. There was a large attendance of spectators in the afternoon and keen interest was manifested in the various events.

There were capital contests in some; of the later matches of the men’s' cahmpion ship singles. In a fourth jound match, Rhodes-Williams put up a most determined fight against A. L. France, and the first set ran to 11/9. Though France had the upper hand, his victory in this set was not won easily. There were many spectacular rallies and not infrequently France had to accept his opponent’s returns as conclusive. Superior court craft and judgment told their tale in the second set, however. In this, RhodesWilliams petered out and was defeated 6/1.

N. R. C. Wilson gave a disappointing display in his match against Stedman. He should have had a good deal more in reserve than his opponent, and happy go lucky carelessness appeared to have a good deal to do with his defeat.

In both semi-finals of the men’s championship singles the result was from the outset a foregone conclusion. Malfroy made a few mistakes in his! contests with Stedman, but was muchj more versatile than his opponent and[ usually had full command of the play.| Stedman showed to advantage in clean hard driving and fought gamely to the last rally, but he was most definitely outclassed. In the other semi-final, ISturt put up a great fight against. France, who only won the second and deciding set 8/6. The winner, however, at all times set the tune and made the pace. The contests between Malfroy and France in the final should be well worth seeing. Miss Andrew earned her victory over Miss Powdrell in the fourth round of the ladies’ championship singles. The winner was a little slow in starting and did not put quite as much power into her strokes as her opponent, but won by placing the ball skilfully and with judgment. Later in the day, Miss Andrew was decisively beaten by Miss Myers in a singles semi-final. The Christchurch player took one set, 6/3, ; but failed to win a game in the two 1 remaining sets. One of the most interesting events' of the day was the fourth-round match in the ladies’ singles between two ex-! champions, Mrs Melody and Mrs.) Adams. At first the contestants appear-! «d to be very evenly matched. Both, showed a fine command of length and pace, Mrs. Adams putting in good hard drives and side-line shots, and Mrs. Melody using the cut drives and chop .strokes on which she largely ln the third game Mrs. Adams lost on her own service, but retaliated by taking the next game on her opponent’s service. With both sides striving keenly for a kill, Mrs. Adams obtained the lead, 3/2, but from that stage her shots became uncertain, many of them missing. however, by the narrowest margin. Mrs. Melody made few mistakes, and, varying the length and direction of her shots with great judgment, took the set 0/3. The second set had a good deal in common with the first. Its early games were keenly contested, with changing fortunes, and for a time it looked like anybody’s set. After falling back to 1/3, Mrs. Adams levelled up the score with playjthat was at times brilliant. In the remaining games, however, Mrs. Melody carried all before her. An otherwise bright contest ended rather tamely, Mrs. Adams in the final game sending the ball several times out of the court in shots that ordinarily would have given her little trouble. Mrs. Melody played a sterling game throughout. The only championship finals played yesterday were those of the girls’ and boys’ singles. In the first-mentioned, Miss Pragnell, playing sound tennis, had a somewhat easy victory over Miss N. Balfour. The final of the boys’ singles also was rather one-sided. The players, R. Bunny and A. G. Balfour, both showed a fair command of strokes and played carefully, but the former earned his win, 6/3, 6/1. There was some bright play in the third round and semi-lfaals of the men’s championship doubles. In third round games, Wilson and Malfroy beat Cowper and Geisen in a sky-raking contest, marked by play both clever and erratic, and Lampe and Rhodes-Wil-liams overcame Lowry and Wheeler in a ding-dong go in which there was any amount of hard hitting. In the semifinals Wilson and Malfroy beat Lampe and Rhodes-Williams rather easily, and Sturt and Stedman gained the verdict in a more even contest with France and Bollings. Probably the best play to date in the combined championship doubles was witnessed in the fourth round match in which Wilson and Mrs. Melody defeated Sturt and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, the New Zealand lady champion, 6/4, 6/4. The play was of a high standard throughout and the winners earned their victory handsomely. Mrs. Melody played a fine game, and. Wilson was much nearer to his best form, both in •erring and at the net, than in his

[earlier games of the day. The lady champion and her sister, Miss Marian Macfarlane, suffered another defeat when they met Mrs. Adams and Miss Myers in a semi-final of the ladies’ doubles. In the other semi-final, Mrs. Melody and Miss Shortt beat Misses Andrew and Gibson, after losing .the first set. In the championship events, the finals only remain to be played in the men’s singles and doubles and the ladies’ doubles. In the ladies’ singles, one semi-final and the final have still to be played. A match or two will bring the combined doubles to the semi-final stage. The only handicap event thus far completed is the B grade men’s doubles, won by Phillips and Baker, but most of the handicaps are now well advanced. TO-DAY’S PLAY. COMPETITORS FOR EARLY GAMES. The following players are requested to be ready for play promptly at 9 a.m. to-day:— Men’s championship singles:—Final: Malfroy v. France. Ladies’ championship singles.—Semifinal: Miss Marjorie Macfarlane v. Mrs. Melody.

Combined handicap doubles, fourth round. —Rhodes-Williams and Miss [Marion Macfarlane v. Mr. and Mrs. Bollings.

Men’s handicap singles, A grade.— Semi-final: Entwistle v. Earle. B grade (fourth round): Baker v. R. Bunny; R. Tatham v. Balfour. Ladies’ handicap singles.—Miss M. Preedy v. Miss Powdrell; Miss S. Preedy v. Miss Haggitt; Miss Sanderson v. Miss Margaret Rutherford; Miss Ross v. Miss Trapp. Ladies’ handicap doubles. —Misses Wilson and Cameron v. Misses Lee and Shortt; Misses Beetham and Coo-m v. Misses Balfour and Vile.

Combined handicap doubles, A grade. —Wills and Mrs. Jenkins v. Hodder and Miss Izard; Major and Miss P. Tatham v. Keedwell and Mrs. Balfour; Candy and Mrs. S. Crawley v. Welliwood and Miss Graham.

Following are the detailed results:— CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS. MEN’S SINGLES. Fourth Round.—Malfroy beat Lowry, 6/0, 6/4; Sturt beat K. Dyer, 6/2, 6/1; Stedman beat N. Wilson. 6/3, 6/3; France beat Rhodes Williams, 11/9, 6/1. Semi-finals.—Malfroy beat Stedman, 6/3, 6/2; France beat Sturt, 6/1, 8/6. LADIES’ SINGLES. Fourth Round.—Miss Andrew beat Miss Powdrell, 7/5, 6/4; Miss Myers beat Mrs. Groves, by default; Miss Macfarlane beat Miss Lee, 6/3, 6/1; Mrs. Melody beat Mrs. Adams, 6/3, 6/3. Semi-final.—Miss Myers beat Miss Andrew, 3/6, 6/0, 6/0. MEN’S DOUBLES. Second Round. —Lowry and Wheeler beat Warsaw and Welch, 6/3, 6/2. Third round. —Sturt and Stedman beat Booth and Clark, 6/1, 6/3; Wilson and Malfroy beat Cowper and Geisen, 6/4, 6/2; Lampe and Williams beat Lowry and Wheeler, 11/9, 6/4. Semi-finals. —Wilson and Malfroy beat Lampe and Williams, 6/0, 6/3; Sturt and Stedman beat France and Bollings, 6/3, 1/6, 6/4. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Second Round.—Mrs. Melody and Miss Shortt beat Misses Allan and Hogg, 6/2, 6/0. Third Round. —Mrs. Adams and Miss Myers beat Misses Preedy and Preedy, 6/3, 6/3; Mrs. Melody and Miss Shortt beat Misses Sanderson and' Cameron, 6/0, 6/2. Semi-finals.—Mrs. Adams and Miss Myers beat the Misses Macfarlane, 6/4, 6/4; Mrs. Melody and Miss Shortt beat Misses Andrew and Gibson. 3/6, 6/2, 6/3. COMBINED DOUBLES. Third Round.—Sturt and Miss Macfarlane beat Clark and Mrs. Groves, 4/6, 6/1, 6/0; France and Miss Adams beat Lampe and Miss Myers, 6/3, 6/3; Wilson and Mrs. Melody beat Miller and Miss Preedy, 6/4, 4/6, 6/1; Rhodes Williams and Miss Macfarlane beat Hoddor and Miss Izard, 4/6, 6/2, 6/3; Stedman and Miss Gibson beat Melody and Miss Lee, 6/1, 8/6. Fourth Round.—Malfroy and Miss Andrew beat Wellwood, and Miss Haggitt, 6/4, 7/5; France and Mrs. Adams beat Stedman and Miss Gibson, 9/7, 6/0; Wilson and Mrs. Melody beat Sturt and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, 6/4. 6/4. BOYS’ SINGLES. Third Round. —R. Bunny beat White, 6/1, 6/2. Semi-final.—R. Bunny beat Hornabrook, 6/5, 6/2. Final.—R. 'Bunny beat A. G. Balfour, 6/3, 6/1. GIRLS’ SINGLES. Final.—Miss Pragnell beat Miss N. Balfour, 6/2, 6/1. (Continued on Page 3.)