LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 125, 24 February 1928, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS

WILDING SHIELD MATCHES WELLINGTON OUTCLASSED ON FIRST DAY CANTERBURY TOO SUPERIOR Yesterday on the Association Courts at Miramar a Wellington team, weakened considerably by the withdrawal of A. L. France, met a strong Canterbury team in defence of the Wilding Memorial Shield, which Wellington narrowly won from Canterbury last season. Six matches were played, and Canterbury won five of them. The series will be concluded to-day. The two specially-prepared courts were on the heavy side and a bit slippery. The balls soon became the colour of the grass. The sky was overcast, but the courts were well sheltered from the northerly wind. The play was broadcast by wireless by Mr. C. E. Williams. The teams were:— Wellington (holders): D. G. France,, G. E. Malfroy, N. R. C. Wilson, and J. McGill. Canterbury (challengers): G. Ollivier, I. A. Seal, C. Angus, K. J. Walker. Following arc the results of the matches, Canterbury players mentioned first:— Singles. C. Angas beat J. McGill, G —3. 6—l. K. J. Walker lost to N. R. C. Wilson. 2— I—6. G. Ollivier beat D. G. France, 6 —2, 3— 6—3 1. A. Seay beat C. E. Malfroy, 7—5, 3 —6, 6 —3. Doubles. Angas and Walker beat Franco ano Malfroy, 3 —6, 6 —o, 7 —5. Ollivier and Seay beat AVilson and 'MeGiIJ. 6 —4. 6 —4Angas Outplays McGill. AlcGill was no match for Angus, who assumed tho aggressive ironi the start and maintained it throughout. AlcGill, although essaying in the main a backline game, was many times caught bv the ball at his feet while just within the baseline. Nor was his timing accurate, miss-ilts being frequent. AlcGill, to try and keep Angas from the net, resortwl-to lobbing, but many of them went just over the backline. Any that were abort Aligns smashed to kill. Angas could not bo kept from the net. He was very accurate from there, his crosscourt vollevs being especially good. De covered the net well, and had Utile difficulty in getting across to AlcGill’e slower shots. While AlcGill’s service gave Angas no trouble, AlcGill had great difficulty in contending with Angus's. At no stage did AlcGill give the impression that he had got going. Wilson Beats Walker. Tho second match was also one-sided. Wilson was right on the top of his game. Frequent ly he aced M alker with terrific services, or left him standing with even more terrific smashes after crowding the net or severe drives compelling Walker to lob in defence. The hardest drives of Walker \\ ilson would play back with increased speed or cut them off at the net with sharp-angled volleys or drop them short with stop volleys. . Wilson, too, was helped by several double-faults by M alker, who serves tho stereotyed reverse service. Nothing that Walker could do went right. Seay Beats Malfroy. Considerable interest attached to the meeting of C. E. A.lalfroy and L A. Seav. The match was a good one, and full of interest. It was soon apparent to both (to Seay particularly so) that to go to the net: was to court defeat. Both possessed too accurate passing shots to make advances to the net on the part of either player very successful. With 5—3 against him in the first set, Scav elected to remain on tho backline altogether, and from there ho conducted a purely long-range attack of deadly accuracy, which gave him the next four games, and the set, 7 —5. Both hept a fine length, and placed excellently, mainly to the other’s backhand (Seay is a left-hander). At every opportunity Seay ran round his backhand,, and drove on the forehand either straight down Hie lino or crosscourt to Mnlfroy’s backhand. For the first two games of tho second set, Seay forsook the backline and went to the not. He paid the penalty. He lost both games on netted volleys on Malfroy’s passing shots. He again went back and slowed his shots down a lot, depending on absolute carefulness. He pulled up to 2 games all. Becoming confident again, lie tried net play at every opportunity, only to have Malfroy run to a 5 —2, 5—3 lead, and take the set, 6 —3. The third set was altogether a baseline duel, in which both players placed carefully to the corners to get the opponent running Malfroy tried slowing down his shots in an endeavour to get Seay to hit out. but the tactics only made Seay yet more cautious. Seay drove only those balls which, landing half-court, openly invited themselves to be clouted into the corners. Seay ran into a 3—'ove lead, with the loss of only three points. The fourth game Malfroy won on a very bad decision by the umpire. Malfrov then proceeded to win the next two games for 3—all, Malfroy losing, in his turn, but three noints for his three games. The next three games, for set

and match, went io Seav with the loss of only five points, although in the ninth game Malfroy was robbed of a critical point by another bad decision of the umpire. Seay won because he pursued the right tactics, and had the patience to maintain them. Had be continued to go to the net, he would have been beaten. Ollivier beats D. G. France.

D. G. France was a far different France from the one who met Ollivier in. tlie New Zealand championships at Christchurch. He played a line game, especially iu the second aud third sets. But no t i°r nothing has Ollivier been termed the cleverest player in New Zealand. He answered France's good shots with better. With wonderful placing shots of varied length and pace, he had France running all over the country. In such cases he would go into the net and finish off with a volley, leaving France standing helpless. France, more than Ollivier, made the net his objective, and although he made good volleys and smashes, he was passed cross-court time and again, or caught at his feet with short, fast, dipping shots, or lobbed with perfect lobs. Ollivier’s accuracy was uncanny, and It had to De a good shot, well out of reach by France, that the Canterbury player did not get back, or at least, go after. In the first set, after one all, Ollivier led s—l, taking the set 6—2. France, in trying to drive hard and force the pace, found the net too often for comfort. Ollivier is not the one to put over balls that can be driven with impunity. France, too, was erratic in his volleying, smashing, and pickup shots. Franco settled down in the seccud set to a more steady type of play with the advantage of more accurate placing. He had Ollivier moving quickly about the court and forcing him into errors, especially with deep drives to the backhand corner. Whenever Ollivier camo to the net it was France's turn to beat. Ollivier cross-court. Even when down 4—l Ollivier made a bid to save the set, but France was not to be denied. France continued his flue placing and forcing game into the third set, and led 2 —o. Ollivier then recovered to lead 4—2, having France running all over the court after the balls placed deep to the corners, or cross-court to the sidelines, and inside the service line. Whatever shot France put over Ollivier was there for it. France again began to hit hard, and although ho won the Seventh game, he could not prevent Ollivier taking the set 6 —3, and the match. France played as well as he was allowed. In his defeat he was not disgraced. He succumbed to clearly a better man, the best man. in fact. i« New Zealand to-day. Ollivier went to the net more than usual, and rarely did he make a mistake from there. THE DOUBLES Ollivier and Seay Beat Wilson and McGill. The Canterbury combination, with a generally better all-round individual standard of play, were too good for the Wellington pair, who played a very plucky game. Ollivier and Seay made tew mistakes. Wilson and AlcGill made brilliant winning shots, but they fell into more errors in securing them. AlcGill played much better than in the singles. Any short stuff he put well away. Wilson was unequal in his smashing and volleying. The chief feature in the Canterbury victory was the clever placing and excellent retrieving ability of both Ollivier and Seay. Angas and Walker Beat France and Malfroy.

Malfroy played very badly in this match indeed. He could scarcely do a thing right. He either smashed into the net or cut, and too often drove into the net. There were times, too, when he found himself chasing the same ball as France, leaving an open court which the Canterbury pair were not slow to take advantage of. France made good smashes and volleys, but his play too vvas patchy. But in the third set when points were most needed, France did his best to retrieve matters. Angas made numerous errors in smashing, his shots often going yards out. He was too impetuous. His volleying and driving, however, were first class. Walker, although not free from double-faults in service, kept his team well in hand. It almost seemed that after winning the first set 6—3, the Wellington pair held Canterbury too cheaply. They lost the second set, 6—o. They pulled themselves up from o—2 in tho third set to lead 5—3, and then lost the next four games for set and match to Canterbury. There wer« some brilliant close-range volleying in a few games. Angas showed great skill iu picking up balls at his feet and in low volleying. Walker showed judgment, altogether lacking in the Wellington trair, in what balls to let go. INTERPROVINCIAL MATCH Members of the Canterbury provincial tennis team who have not already arrived in Wellington are due to reach here this morning from Christchurch. The match against Wellington will open at 9.45 a.m. to-morrow, the teams being as follow:— CANTERBURY. Singles.—G. Ollivier, I. A. Seay, C. Angas, K. J. Walker, D. F. Glanyille, T. W. Patterson. Miss M. Speirs, Miss M. Wake, Mrs. M. Beale, Miss E. Partridge, Miss M. Andrew, Miss E. Johnston. Men’s Doubles.—Ollivier and Seay, Walker and Angas, Glanville and Patterson. * Ladies’ Doubles.—Misses Speirs and Partridge, Misses Wake and Andrew, Mrs. Beale and Miss Johnston. Combined Doubles. —Miss Spiers and Ollivier, Miss Wake and Seay, Miss Partridge and Angas, Miss Andrew and Walker, Mrs. Beale and Glanville, Miss Johnston and Patterson. WELLINGTON. Singles;—D. G. France, C. E. Malfroy, N. R. C. Wilson, G. N. T. Goldie, J. McGill, A. E. Sandral, Miss Tracy, Mrs. Adams, Misses North, East, D. Howe, Mrs. Penlington. Men’s Doubles.—France and Malfroy, Wilson and Goldie. McGill and Sandral. Ladies’ Doubles.—Mrs Adams and Miss Tracy, Mrs. Penlington and Miss East, Misses North aud Bowe. Combined Doubles.—Miss Tracy and Wilson, Mrs. Adams and Malfroy, Miss North and France, Miss East and Goldie, Mrs. Penlington and McGill, Miss Howe and Sandral. Dr. A. Park will referee the series, Mr. W. Goss, of Christchurch, being , uuable to bo present. ‘