LAWN TENNIS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20694, 3 January 1939, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS

DOMINION TOURNEY TITLEHOLDEB DEFEATED BROWN LOSES TO EDWARDS (By Teterrapb— Pre,» Association) CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday Wilding Park was again bathed in glorious sunshine to-day when the New Zealand lawn tennis championships were continued this morning. A start was made to-day with the New Zealand Men's and Women's Plate, open to competitors who had been eliminated in the first and second rounds of the singles events. For the second time within a week A. D. Brown, the Dominion tennis champion, has been d feated. J. w. Gunn eliminated him in the Canterbury championships and to-day he went down to N. V. Edwards, the slightlybuilt Wellington champion, who was not seeded when they met in the Quarter-finals of the New Zealand championships at Wilding Park. J. W. Gunn, who reached the final of the Canterbury singles, had to fight hard for the first set of tits match with A. R. Cant to-day. In the Drat set Cant led 4—2 and 5—3, but the Auckland man evened the score at 5 all and he held the odd game thereafter. Cant played very steadily in the first set and on occasions he made profitable excursions to the net. Gunn was on top in the second and third sets. H. A. Barnett waa always too good for R. V. Robb. Brown’s Dour Struggl. On two occasions Brown brought the score back to dure when match point was called against him in the fourth set of his match with Edward* but the third time proved to be lucky for the Wellington man. Brown netting a return, and so the champion was dethroned. It was Brown all the way In the first set. His forehand drive was working perfectly and his backhand was also standing up to th* barrage Edwards directed against It. The second set found the Wellington man hitting more cleanly and his definite campaign of tempting Brown Into exchanges* on the backhand proved profitable. The third set also went to Edwards when he began to forge ahead. In the fourth Brown, who had lost touch, continued to make many errors. Edwards was swinging his backhand shots wide to the corners and by varjing the attack with an occasional stop volley or forehand shot along the Inner line he gave Brown plenty of running about. Realising she had little hope of gaining many points against her hardhitting opponent Miss Thelma Poole put plenty of sting into her returns when she played Miss May Hardoastle, of Queensland. The Australian won comfortably enough but there were times when she was beaten by a sizzling drive or pacy first service. Man’s tlnglM Third round.—Gunn neat Cant, 9—7, 6—3, 6—s; Barnett beat Robb, 6—o, *—4. 6 — 2. Quarter-finals: Edwards beat Brown, I—6, 6—3, 6—4, 6—2. Woman’s Singles Quarter-finals Miss Wilson beat Mtas Bishop, 6—4, 7—5 1 Miss Miller beat Miss H. El son, 6—o, 6—3; Miss Hardoastle beat Miss T Poole, 6—2, «—(; Miss Rice beat Miss rr.mmer, e—4, 6—2. Woman's Plata First round: Miss Cooke beat Miss Bunts e— 3, 6 — 3 ; miss Douthett beat Miss T. Poole, 7—5; Mrs Beatson beat Mias J. H. Peake, 6—l, 6—4. Man's Plata First round: Kelly beat Adams, •—6. 6—l; Dymond beat Orbell, 6—l, O—6, s—7; Livingstone beat J. C. Robertson. 6—2, 4—6. *—2; Roach beat Painter, B—lo, 6—4, 6—l.