MID-CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18659, 7 April 1926, Page 6

MID-CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION.

TOURNAMENT UNCOMPLETED. With a further half-day's play yesterday, the Mid-Canterbury Lawn Tennis Sub-Asso-ciation's Easter tournaments are still uncompleted. Owing to the rain which fell ,n the early morning there was no play in the forenoon. The courts were heavy and slippery, thus affecting play to some extent. Tile Men's Singles Championship went to Q. Wright (Sheffield Club) after one of the most interesting games of the tournament with G. C. Bonnington (Ashburtou). S. H. Sullivan and G. C. Bonnington annexed the Men's Doubles Handicap, and the Ladies' Doubles Handicap went )o Misses C. Bowden and J. Dunlop. The Combined Championship was won by C. M. Pinfold and Miss E. Stewart. Yesterday's play resulted, as follows: COMBINED DOUBLES HANDICAP. Scmi-Final. C. M, Pinfold and Miss Stewart beat S. 11. Sullivan and Mrs Sullivan, 9-6.■ Final. G. C. Bonnington and Miss Guv beat C M. Pinfold and Miss E. Stewart, 7-5. When the sets were carried to 7-5, C. M. Pinfold and Miss Stewart defaulted owing to the failing light. MEN'S SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP. Semi-Final. G. C. Bonnington beat C. Bonnington, 9-2. Final. Q. Wright (Sheffield) beat G. C. Bouni.igton (Ashburton), 9-6. The match was.one of the best witnessed during the tournaments. Wright was a good exponent of the game with his left hand, and scored frequently with his steady backhand stroke. Faulty returns played an important part in Bonningtou's defeat, and ho lost many points by playing forehand strokes into tho net. Early in the contest the score was 2-2. Tho next two games went to Bonnington, after which Wright drew even and took the following game. They each took another game, when Bonnington endeavoured to play more cautiously, but he became erratic and did not get another game to his credit. MEX'S DOUBLES HANDICAP. Final. S. H. Sullivan and 6. C. Bonnington (owe 30) beat G. F. Wright and Q. Wright (owe 4-6), 9-1. The contest was more even than tho score indicates. Bonnington proved very tricky in his play and this, together with his excellent combination with Sullivan, was responsible for their win. The Wrights played many line shots to advantage. COMBINED CHAMPIONSHIPS. Semi-final. C. M. Pinfold and Miss E. Stewart beat S. H. and Mrs Sullivan, 3-6, 6-5, 6-3. Final. C. M. Pinfold and M:sg E. Stewart beat P. and Mißs D. Vesty, 9-2. Pinfold played a really good game at the net, while his partner, Miss Stewart, played steadily and drove well from the base lino. Miss Vesty took the lion's share of the play, while her partner's driving, though often excellent, was at times erratic. The n'ntch was much more evenly contested than the score indicates. LADIES' DOUBLES HANDICAP. ; Final. Misses C. Bowden and J. Dunlop (scr) beat Misses D. and M. Vesty (owe 15), 9-6. The outstanding feature of the winners' play was excellent base and side-line driving. At one stage of the match they were down 1-5, and mad« a wonderful "recovery. The Misses Vesty showed good combination", their serving standing them in good stead. LADIES' SINGXE3 HANDICAP. Third Round. Miss J. Dunlop beat Mis 3 N, Percy, 9-5. Miss D. Ve3ty beat Miss N. Cowan, 9-6. Semi-final. Miss E. Hunter beat. Miss J. Dunlop, 9-3. MEN'S SINGLES HANDICAP. Third Round G. C. Bonnington beat A. J. Henderson. 9-3. 3IAORI TOURNAMENT. (PHESS ASSOCIATION IELEOBAM.) ROTORUA, April G. There was a great gathering of. Maoris at tho Native tennis tournament at 'Rotorua.. Four hundred and forty-eight entries were received for the championships, and there were eighteen teams competing in the Marumaru Cup, open to two teams from each Maori Council district. Great enthusiasm prevailed and play -was of a very high standard. The championship finals will be played to-morrow, and the first round of tho cup will also be pla.yod. .'; The contests continue until' Friday. AD the- arrangements, are excellent., ''The''Hon. 'A. T. Ngata is directing the'.competitions and is also preparing, a-new constitution for the future tennis tournaments for the Maori race.