St. John's Tennis; Hay-Campbell Wins Singles

Wanganui Chronicle, 19 April 1949, Page 6

St. John's Tennis; Hay-Campbell Wins Singles

T. N. Hay-Campbell, who has been a prominent figure in Wanganui tennis for a number of years, won the men’s singles title yesterday at the St. John’s Club’s annual Easter hard court tournament. He defeated K. Mahoney in * the final 6-8, 6-2, 6-4.

Miss F. Jones was successful in winning the women’s singles title. A. Larsen and N. Mclntyre won the men’s doubles and Mrs. Wallace and Miss Jones won the women’s doubles.

Due to the abandonment of play on Friday the,tournament was unable to finish on the scheduled time yesterday. The combined doubles championship. the men’s doubles and combined doubles handicap events will be completed next Sunday. The women's doubles handicap final will be played on Saturday. The final of the men’s singles did not produce the brilliant tennis that was expected. Both players stroked the ball cleanly but lacked power. Most of the rallies were decided from the baseline. However, the glaring sunlight at the southern end of the court made net play difficult. Hay Campbell played the steadiest tennis he has produced for some time. He owed his win to his ability to slow the game up. Mahoney was disappointing. His shots lacked pace and he attempted to play the winner at his own game. Mahoney possesses all the strokes that are needed for a good player. If he developed the attacking game he would be one of the hardest players to defeat in Wanganui.

Hay-Campbell gained a 5-2 lead in the first set and appeared certain for a comfortable win. However, Mahoney then played with greater concentration and’won the next three games to even the score. The next four games were evenly contested but Mahoney was able to take the set 8-6. Mahoney lost touch in the second set, which went to Hay-Campbell 6-2. e Hay-Campbell led in the early stages of the deciding set but Mahoney pulled upto even the scores at 4-all. The next two games featured marathon rallies. Hay-Campbell was slightly steadier and he took the set to win the match.

The semi-finals between HayCampbell and Mclntyre and Mahoney and Bristol were closely contested.

Hay-Campbell played steadily and the forceful Mclntyre made the errors. Hay-Campbell-won 6-3. 6-5.

It was unfortunate that advantage was not played in every set throughout the tournament. Losing or winning a set by the odd game is most unsatisfactory. With the first set score at 4-all, Mahoney was down love 40 in his match against Bristol. However, he made up the leeway and won the set narrowly 6-5. His service broke down in the second set and Bristol took the set 6-2. Mahoney won the final set 6-1. Bristol played better than the score indicated.

” The Wanganui Christie Cup representative, Miss F. Jones, defeated the 14-year-old Miss P. Nettleton in the final of the women’s singles 6-0. 6-1. The loser played an excellent game and drove to all parts of the court, making Miss Jones earn every point. The winner was playing at the top of her form and had a harder tasK than the final score showed. The brightest game of the tournament was when Larsen and Mclntyre scored a surprise win over the first seeded pair. Mahoney and McKenzie 6-1. 7-9, 6-3. Larsen scored many points with accurate placements. McIntyre played a number of powerful smashes McKenzie and Mahoney •were not playing with their ’ usual consistency. Larsen and Mclntyre won the first set 6-1. They led 5-3. 5-4. 6-5 and 7-6 in the second. They had numerous match points but Mahoney and McKenzie made some great recoveries and they took the set 9-7. The final

eight games of the set produced the best tennis of the tournament. Larsen and Mclntyre were steadier in the third set. which they won 6-3. Larsen and Mclntyre defeated the second seeded pair, Welsh and Rountree in the semi-final. Welsh was playing soundly, but Rountree was off form. The residential champions, Mrs. Wallace and Miss Jones, were never extended in the women’s doubles. Results:— MEN’S SINGLES. Semi-finals: Mahoney beat Bristol, 6-5, 2-6, 6-1; Hay-Campbell beat McIntyre, 6-3. 6-5. Final: Hay-Camnbell beat Mahoney, 6-8, 6-2, 6-4. WOMEN’S SINGLES. Semifinals: Miss Jones beat Mrs. Everett, 6-0, 6-1; Miss Nettleton beat Miss McCashin, 6-0, 6-4. Final: Miss Jones beat Miss Nettleton, 6-0, 6-1. MEN’S DOUBLES. Semi-finals: McKenzie and Mahoney heat Wellwood and Blackmore, 6-1, 6-2; Larsen and Mclntyre beat Rountree and Welsh. 6-4, 6-3. Final: Larsen and Mclntyre beat McKenzie and Mahoney, 6-1, 7-9, 6-3. WOMEN’S DOUBLES. Semi-finals: Miss Jones and Mrs. Wallace beat Miss Everett and Mrs. Lawrence, 6-2, 6-0; Mrs. Everett and Miss Everett beat Mesdarfjs Smith and Moodie, 6-0, 6-5. Final: Miss Jones and Mrs. Wallace beat Mrs. Everett and Miss Everett, 6-2, 6-2. COMBINED DOUBLES Second round: Rountree and Mrs. Smith beat Ralfe and Mrs Wilson, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1; Mahoney and Miss McCashin beat Greener and Miss Gurr, 6-2, 6-0; Mclntyre and Mrs. Wallace beat Hakaraia and Mrs. Lawrence, 6-2, 6-2. Third round: Larsen and Miss Jones beat Welsh and Miss Pritchard, 6-1, 6-2; McKenzie and Miss Everett beat Rountree and Mrs. Smith, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1; Mahoney and Miss McCashin beat Wellwood and Miss Schneider, 5-6, 6-3, 6-2; Mclntyre and Mrs. Wallace beat Springer and Miss Overend, 6-4, 6-2. HANDICAPS. Men’s Singles. Third round: Souter beat Springer, 9-4; Lampe beat Carew, 9-7. Semi -final; Lampe beat Souter, 9-2. Women’s Singles. Third round: Miss Nettleton beat Miss Everett, 9-8; Mrs. Moodie beat Miss Forward, 9-8. Semi-final: Miss Overend beat Miss Le Compte, 9-6; Miss Nettleton beat Mrs. Moodie, 9-6. Final: Miss J. Overend (scr.) beat Miss P. Nettleton (minus 30), 9-8. Men’s Doubles. Third round: Wellwood and Blackmore beat Welsh and Rountree, 9-7; sen and Mclntyre beat Morrell and Le Compte, 9-7; Ralfe and Montgomerie beat Ross and Aubrey, 9-3. Women’s Doubles. Semi-final: Mrs. Colville and Miss Overend beat Mrs. Tonga and Miss Schneider, 9-5. Combined Doubles. First round: Montgomerie and Mrs. Colville beat Welsh <#nd Miss Pritchard, 9-8. Second round: Cave and Mrs. Everett beat Hakaraia and Mrs. Lawrence, 9-7; Perkins and Miss Le Compte beat Aubrey and Mrs. Smith, 9-6; Greener and Miss Gurr beat Cooke and Miss Peters, 9-2. Third round: Cameron and Miss' Pitkethley beat Nicholson and Miss Forward, 9-5; Cave and Mrs. Everett beat Perkins and Miss Le Compte, 9-4; Springer and Miss Overend beat Greener and Miss Gurr, 9-8. Semi-finals: Cave and Mrs. Everett beat Cameron and Miss Pitkethley, 9-4.