NEW ZEALAND TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 2, 4 January 1939, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND TENNIS TOURNAMENT

THIRD DAY’S PLAY SIX LEFT IN MEN’S SINGLES WOMEN’S EVENT AT SEMIFINAL STAGE [ Per Pres Associatios. 1 CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 3. The New Zealand tennis tournament, in its third day, was again favoured by perfect weather, almost too perfect for the players, for it was almost overpoweringly sultry this morning. In the afternoon a nor - wester, not a really violent one, afrected the play to some extent. The mens singles has narrowed down to six players, Edwards and C. Angas (Canterbury), who are in the semi-finals, and J. T. Mayson (Auckland), R. G. Pattinson (Canterbury), J. W. Gunn (Auckland) and H. A. Barnett (Canterbury). Edwards plays the winner of Mayson and Pattinson. and Angas the winner of Gunn and Barnett. The women’s singles has reached the semi-final stage, the last four being Miss M. Hardcastle (Queensland), Miss D. Miller (North Otago), Miss T. Rice (New South Wales), and Miss R. J. Wilson (Southland). The semi-finalists have been found in the men’s and women’s doubles, but the mixed event is still behind hand. Men’s Singles Excellent play was seen in the match between J. T. Mayson < Auckland), who recently won the Canterbury championship, and K. W. Dyer, of Wellington. The latter nearly caused another big surprise, for he took the first two sets with play of quality which surprised his opponent and delighted the spectators. Dyer is a left-hander with fine stroke equipment, and he hits a ball consistently harder than anj r other player in the tournament. Unfortunately, his flathit shots are not always under the perfect control he showed on Monday. The other men’s singles matches today were less exciting. C. Angas, now Canterbury’s chief hope in the singles, entered the semi-final with a good win over N. G. Sturt, Auckland, who has rarely been able to trouble Angas. Nevertheless, Sturt played well in patches, often beating Angas with angled backhand drives and crisp volleys, which, just clearing the net, shot deep into the corners. Angas was in good form and, notwithstanding his occasional failures in recent matches, he must have a good chance of regaining the title. R. O. Pattinson started off ai a great pace against B. E. Souter, who did not, until the third set, produce the solid and tenacious game at which he excels. Souter took the third set notwithstanding Pattinson’s many excellent strokes, and the young Canterbury man had to play at his best to win the fourth. Pattinson, for the most part, maintained an unceasing attack, pushing his drives wide to the corners and making Souter do most of the running. The young Wellington player, R. V. Robb, found H. A. Barnett a most disconcerting opponent. Robb drove well, but Barnett sent the ball safely back with the utmost regularity, and if the Wellington man did not break down in the preliminary rally. Barnett was usually able to finish the point off at the net. Women’s Singles In the women’s singles. Miss T. Rice, the visiting Australian, had a battle of drives with Miss E. Plummer (Wellington), who played splendidly to extend the visitor in the first set. Miss Rice, however, was usually more severe and more accurate. Her game was much more varied, and she was more resourceful in defence. She again used the drop shot skilfully, although Miss Plummer anticipated the move and turned the tables on her opponent by neat placements from these shots. Miss H. Elsom, who caused a sensation by beating Miss N. Beverley on Monday, could not reproduce her brilliant form against Miss D. Miller (North Otago). Miss Elsom was obviously less happy against a player who, only on the rarest occasions, made an error, and who reached and returned monotonously all but the very best of her opponent’s shots. Miss Miller may be expected to put up a good fight against Miss Hardcastle in the semi-final. Men’s Doubles Three men’s double matches sufficed to bring the event out to the semifinals. Roussell and Ferkins, Barnett and Cant and Gunn and Bedford joining Brown and Angas in that round. The event produced no such sensational matches as were seen on the first day. The veteran. J. H. W. Sheppard, and L. Morris played well against the title-holders, but Rousseff's smashing was too severe and Ferkins, as usual, presented a brickwall defence, either from the backline or at the net. Gunn and Bedford had no difficulty in keeping command of the net position against H. Dymond and I. J. Corich, and volleyed and smashed their way to a devastating victory. Barnett and Cant met serious opposition from W. Smith and E. S. Falconer only in the third set Mixed Doubles There were some excellent mixed doubles matches in the afternoon. One of the best saw the elimination of the sixth seeded pair, Mayson and Miss T. Poole, by Dyer and Miss J. Burns, of Wellington. Dyer was again brilliant overhead and on the volley, and Miss Burns was an imperturbable retriever of the best of her opponent’s strokes. Another fine match was between Robb and Miss J. Douthett (Wellington) and Roach (Waikato) and Miss Bishop. The former pair won by virtue of their splendid defence and active covering of the court. C. F. Penfold and Miss Rice were taken to three sets by F. H. Renouf and Miss J. Forrester, young Wellington players, who played vigorously throughout. The match was unfinished with Penfold and Miss R'ce leading at 5-3 in the final set. Results:— Men’s Singles. ft Third Round.—Mayson (Auckland) Kbeat Dyer (Wellington), 4-6, 5-7, 6-5,

6-1, 6-4: Patinson (Canterbury! beat Souter (Canterbury), 6-0, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3; Gunn (Auckland) beat Cant (Canterbury), 9-7, 6-3. 6-2; Barnett (Canterbury)’ beat Robb (Wellington), 6-1), 6-4. 6-2. Quarter Final.—Edwards (Wellington) beat Brown (Canterbury), 6-b. 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; Angas (Canterbury) beat Sturt (Auckland), 6-2, 6-4, 6-3. Women’s Singles. Quarter Final. —Miss Wilson (Southland) beat Miss Bishop (Auckland). 6-4, 7-5; Miss Rice (Australia) beat Miss Plummer (Wellington), 6-4, 6-2, Miss Miller (North Otago) beat Mis:Elsom (Canterbury), 6-0, 6-3; Miss Hardcastle (Australia) beat Miss Foolc (Canterbury), 6-2, 6-1. Men’s Doubles. Quarter Final. —R. McL. Ferkins and Roussell (Wellington) beat Sheppard and Morris (Canterbury), 6-3. 6-3. 6-4; Cant and Barnett (Canterbury) beat Smith and Falconer (Otago), 6-3, 6-1, 9-7; Gunn and Benford (Auckland) beat Dymond and Corich (Canterbury). 6-0, 6-3, 6-2. Mixed Doubles. First Round.—R. V. Robb and Miss J. Douthett (Wellington) beat C. b. Beatson and Mrs. Beatson (Nelson/, 8- 6-2; N. V. Edwards and Mrs. Edwards (Wellington) beat D. I. Robertson and Miss Elsom (Canterbury), 3- 6-3, 6-2. Second Round.—C. Angas and MLs I. Poole (Canterbury) beat R. Howe (Southland) and Miss M. Howe (Wei lington), 6-3, 6-4; A. D. Brown (Canterouiy) and Miss P. Cooke (Auckland) beat R. Browning and Miss B. Gould (Canterbury), 6-2, 6-1; Robb and Miss Douthett (Wellington) beat J. Roach (Waikato) and Miss B. L Bishop (Auckland), 6-3, 5-7, 6-3; Edwards and Mrs. Edwards (Wellington) beat B. J. Kelly (Wellington) and Miss D. Elsom (Canterbury), 6-0, 2-6, 7-j; R. J. D. Sharpe and Miss M. J. Glenny (Hawke’s Bay) beat E. S. Falconer (Otago) and Miss Sexton (Manawatu), 6-4, 6-3; N. F. N. Bedford (Auckland) and Miss E. Plummer (Wellington, beat N. Adams and Miss J. H. Peake (Canterbury), 6-4, 6-1; C. F. Penfold (Canterbury) and Miss T. Rice (Australia) v. F. H. Renouf and Miss J. Forrester (Wellington), 3-6, 6-3, 5 3 - (unlinished): N. A. Morrison (Canterbury) and Miss J. Bedford (Wellington) beat S. Painter (Canterbury, and Mrs. Herrick (Hawke's Bay), 4- 6-2, 6-2; N. G. Sturt (Auckland) and Miss M. Hardcastle (Australia) beat A. R. Cant and Mrs. E. M. Peppier (Canterbury), 6-3, 6-2. Third Round. —C. Robertson (Otago, and Miss R. J. Wilson (Southland/ beat P. D, McGregor and Miss I. Moirison (Canterbury), 6-4, 6-2; K. W. Dyer and Miss J. Burns (Wellington, beat J. T. Mayson (Auckland) and Miss T. Poole (Canterbury), 6-5, 7-9, Men’s Plate. Fiist Round. —B. J. Kelly beat N. Adams, 8-6, 6-1; C. F. Penfold beat M. Perkins, 9-11, 6-2, 11-9; D. Livingston beat C. Robertson, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; H. Dymond beat E. H. O. Orbell, 6-2, 0-6, 9- J. Roach beat S. Painter, 8-10, 6-4, 6-1; P. D. McGregor beat C. H. Baird, 6-0, 6-2; C. B. Beatson beat A. Burke, 7-5, 6-4: N. A. Morrison beat J. W. Arnold, 6-4, 7-5. Second Round. —Roach beat Dymond by default; F. H. Renouf beat L. Morris, 7-5, 8-6; E. A. Roussell beat T. D. C. Childs, 6-1, 6-3. Women’s Plate. First Round.—Miss M. J. Glenny beat Mrs. N. V. Edwards, 6-2, 6-1; Miss P. Cooke beat Miss J. Burns, 6-3, 6- Miss J. Senior beat Miss M. Seiton, 6-2, 6-1; Miss C. B. Beatson beat Miss J. 11. Peake, 6-1, 6-4; Miss C. Chester beat Mrs, Herrick, 6-3, 6-2, Miss J. Douthett beat Miss I. Poole, 7- 6-3; Miss N. Beverley beat Miss J. Forrester, 6-2, 6-1.