LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 98, 19 January 1935, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS

Wilding Shield Match AN EVEN DAY’S PLAY Bedford’s Fine Win Conditions yesterday for the first day’s trial of strength between Wellington and Canterbury in the Wilding Shield tennis matches were most unp.easant, the strong gusty wind making accurate play to the sidelines, or lobbing, impossible. To play against the wind and maintain anything like a decent.length and pace required great strength of hitting, while to play with the wind demanded extreme caution.While, on the day’s play, rubbers were even —three-all —Canterbury led by 8 sets to 7. Battle of Tactics. The comparatively few spectators present were disappointed that France did not attempt to annihilate Barnett from the net in a way that Malfroy used to do In their disappointment they were inclined to say that France played badiy and that the game itself was well below Wilding Shield standard. Not only was France wise in not attempting to drive or volley Barnett off the court, but be employed the only tactice that could have given him the victory. He played with admirable patience to keep the ball m play, placing it short to bring Barnett m to the net, and endeavoured to keep t from Barnett’s backhand, which is a heavy slice, the ball going away on hitting ground. So much does Barhett depend on his backhand for his winning shots, rather than his heavily topped forehand drive, that time and again he ran round his forehand to play the ball on the backhand. Even when he lost tne first set France did not swerve from his purpose. He showed that he was more able even than Barnett to keep the rally going, and Barnett it was who was the first , to crack and endeavour to win on hitting hard. That was only throwing points away and making victory more certain for France. The wisdom of remaining back and playing carefully from the backline was made apparent to France almost every time he did go in to the net, when he was passed by a sizzling backhand drive beautifully angled. Barnett also tried the net after hitting deep to France’s baekhaud but though he won points he also netted quite a number. Barnett used the chon a lot on his forehand, especially on balls just past the service line. Smith Plays With Credit. Although beaten by Angas, Smith was by no means disgraced. He many times beat Angas, as the latter came in, with hard drives right into the corners. On anything short that Angas sent over, and there was quite a fair amount of it, Smith was at home, leaving Angas with no chance to reach the ball to make a return. Smith was weak overhead on the occasions when he had gained the net position and was ready for Angas’s weak return. Several times he netted when the point would have given him game. His forehand crosscourt shot was also a prolific points winner. Angas, however, has had an experience in big match play greater than Smith’s, and his steadiness and retrieving powers are by-words in New Zealand tennis.. He showed cleverness in exploiting Smith's penchant for the half-court position which requires defensive volleying up. Angas would be on the net and would nut away the return to the corner where Smith had no hope of getting to it. Nor was Smith’s service as reliable as it might have been and it would take a better player than he to give Angas the advantage of double faults and then expect to win. . Though Angas won in straight sets, Smith’s was a very creditable performance. Bedford’s Fine Gaine. The best game or the day was between Rhodes-Williams aud Bedford. It was a game between two stylists—although vastly different styles. Rhodes-Williams plays all his strokes with a long sweeping styoke, while Bedford is inclined to plnv his hurriedly—sometimes even before he sights the ball. . Rhodes-Williams is weaker the nearer he gets to the net. Bedford likes to drive hard to the backhand and then go into the net. where he is quick and decisive in his volleying and smashing. Both players move quickly

about the court; both keep admirable court positions; and both remain cool aud do not get flustered. Bedford started as disastrously as Rhodes-Williams started well. He aimed to win off every shot, making the mistake of trying to play the rising ball, and hitting before he had really got a sight of it. It was not surprising that RhodesWilliams, stroking freely and easily, and keeping a beautiful length, had the satisfaction of seeing Bedford hit into the bottom of the net to lose six games in a row. Then Bedford settled down to play a more careful stroking game. He let the ball come to the top of its bound, and played it carefully—skilfully varying length and pace—to give Rhodes-Williams the maximum of running about. It was not long before the strain began to tell, and Rhodes-Williams began to make the mistakes.

Throughout the two sets Rhodes-Wil-liams was forced on the defensive, and with that fact went also his earlier confidence. There was nothing that lie could send over that Bedford could not deal with and return with interest. Under the conditions, playing his first Wilding Shield match against an experienced provincial representative player as RhodesWilliams is, Bedford registered the greatest victory of his career. Dymond Starts Badly. Against Ferkins, Dymond commenced badly, and remained uncertain in his game right through the first set. On the other hand Ferkins was always certain of himself. He had only to hit the ball deep to the corners for Dymond to put the ball into the net. In the second set it was a vastly different story. Dymond began to find himself. His ground strokes, played with a stiff arm, began to function better, and he kept almost entirely to the backline and did not wander to the_ half-court as he had frequently done in the first set. Also he was now getting depth in his shots and.keeping Ferkins, who had won many points in the first set with sharplyangled volleys, from the net. The result was that the rallies were long and interesting, with both players having to run the full width of the court after the tall. Dymond was fighting on much more even terms, but Ferkins's ability to handle the wind ultimately told in his favour. In the first set also Dymond was the victim of some glaringly bad umpiring decisions. The Doubles. It is probably a long time since there have been such poor exhibitions_ of doubles play in Wilding Shield tennis as was shown yesterday. In the France-Smith versus Dymond-Rhodcs-Williams match, had France given Smith anything like support Wellington must have won with case. But contrary to expectations it was France who was the weaker player. Almost nothing he did could go right—whether in driving, volleying, smashing, or lobbing. He was simply right off form. Smith on the other hand was playing one of the doubles games of his life, volleying and driving with great consistency,. Only in his smashing was he weak —but it was a weakness only of decisiveness, not of accuracy. France was inaccurate. Wellington had glorious chances of securing a two sets victory, but France was simply not able to rise to the occasion. Dymond and Rhodes-Williams were making the mistake of concentrating on Smith, and there were times when France would have done better to let Smith take the shot. Instead he often poached and then lost the point. Dymond was the steadier play of the winners, bis lobbing especially being accurate. Canterbury won because theirs was a more even combination. Only in very rare flashes did France give a glimpse of his form, and then he showed that had he been able to maintain it there could only be ofie result. These flashes, however, but served to show how deep was his slump. In the Angas-Barjiett versus FerkinsBedford match each side was dominated by one player—Angas on the Canterbury side and Ferkins on the Wellington side —and not always to the good of either. Both these players seemed not to possess any confidence in their partners, and so frequent poaching was the order. In this Angas, though he made bad mistakes, did mud! better than Ferkins, who was making numerous errors. Bedford made brilliant smashes and volleys, but they were not enough against Barnett’s steadiness, some clever angled shots by Angas and the mistakes of Ferkins. Also Bedford served too many double faults, Altogether Bedford and Ferkins were caught too often out of position, because Ferkins would not look after his own side of the court and have faith in his partner to take care of his own. Thue he was frequently beaten down the sideline. But none of the players measured up to the standard expected of them. Detailed Results. The following are the detailed results, Wellington players mentioned first: — Singles. D. G. France beat 11. A. Barnett. 5-(, 6-4. 6-4. N. Smith lost to C. Angas. 4-6, 4-6. R. McL. Ferkins beat H. Dymond, 6-2. N. Bedford beat T. Rhodes-Williams, 0-6. 6-4, 10-8. Doubles. France and Smith lost to Dymond and Rhodes-Williams, 6-4. 10-12. 4-6. ■ Ferkins and Bedford lost to Angas and Barnett, 4-6. 5-7. — PLAY AT WAIPAWA North Island Championships E. A. ROUSSELL IN FINAL Dominion Special Service. Waipawa, January IS. Ideal weather prevailed for the fourth day of the North Island lawn tennis championships at Waipawa to-day. Play entered the fourth round in many events and a high standard of tennis was ex-

hibited by some of the better class players.

In the semi-final of the men’s championship singles E. A. Roussell played fine tennis to beat J. Charters 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-0. Charters was showing signs ot fatigue toward the end of the match. Miss Howe took two and a half hours to beat Miss Shand in the semi-final ot the women’s singles. Lowry and Sharp (Hawke’s Bay) will meet Coombe and Pearce and Charters and Roussell will meet Robinson and Lamb in the semi-finals, of the mens doubles. Misses Nicholls and Howe are semi-finalists in the women’s doubles and will probably meet Mrs. Adams and Miss Gould in the final. Detailed results are as follow: Championship Events MEN'S SINGLES. Second round: Lowry beat Cox, 6-3, 6-3; Dickie beat Hill, 6-1, 6-1; Marchant beat Sawyer, G-2, 6-3; Barkman beat J. Ormond, 6-0. 6-2; Sharp beat Tonks, 0-2, 6-2; Dyer beat Eraser, 0-0, G-3. . Third round: Charters beat Robinson, 6-3, 6-3; Coombe beat Wilson, 6-1, o-l; Roussell beat Lowry, 0-2, 6-2; Udy beat A Dickie. 6-4. O-l; Marchant beat Pearce, 6-2, 6-1; E. Dickie beat Barkman, 6-4, Lamb beat Ritchie, 10-8. 2-0. 0-4; Dyer beat Sharp, 6-3, 6-3. Fourth round: Roussell beat Udy, I-o, 6-2; Charters beat Marchant, 9-7, 0-2. WOMEN'S SINGLES. First round: -Miss Tooman beat Miss A. Ormond. 6-1, 6-4. Second round: Mrs. Mawson beat Miss Haggltt, u-7, 6-2, 7-5; Miss Howe beat Mrs. Hassall. 6-0, 6-2: Miss Louis beat Miss S. Ormond, 6-3, 9-7; Miss Glenny beat Miss J Ormond. 6-0, 0-2; Miss Lindsay beat Miss K. Ormond. 6-2, 6-2; Miss Shand beat Miss Tooman. 6-1, 6-0; Mrs. McMaster beat Miss Holt, 6-2. 6-1; Miss Macassey beat Miss Plummer, 0-2, 4-6, 0-3. Third round: Miss Nicholls beat Miss Taylor, 0-1. 6-0: Mrs. Adams beat Mrs. Mawson, 6-3, 0-4; Miss Glenny beat Miss Hunter, 6-1, 6-0; Miss Gould beat Miss Macassey, 6-1, 6-2. MEN'S DOUBLES. Third round: Robinson and Lamb beat Hobin and Dyer, 12-10, 6-3; Coombe and Pearce boat Ritchie and Ormond, 6-2, 6-2; Lowry and Sharp beat Dickie and Dickie, 3-6. 6-4, 6-1. WOWEX'S DOUBLES. Third round: Mrs. Adams and Miss Gould beat Mesdames Hassell and Knight, G-3, 6-1; Mrs. McMaster and Miss Graham beat Misses Walker and Betts, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1; Mrs. Cotterill and Miss Glenny beat Mrs. Mawson and Miss Howe. 9-7, 6-2. Fourth round: Misses Nicholls and Howe beat Mrs. McMaster and Miss Graham. 6-1, 7-5. MIXED DOUBLES. First round: Sharp and Miss Glenny beat Livingstone and Miss Allliuseu, 6-1, 6-0: Cross and Miss Walker beat Griiliu and Miss Handley, 6-3, 7-5; Morris and Miss Wright beat Nilsson and Miss Hunter, 6-1. 6-4. . Second round: Hobson and Miss S. Ormond beat Lynch and Miss Lindsay, 7-9, 6-3. 6-3; Sharp and Miss Glenny beat Latham and Miss Palmer, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; Cox and Mrs McMaster beat Crosse and Miss Walker, 6-3, 6-0; Dunford and Mrs. loop beat Seeker and Miss Wilder by default; Lowry and Mrs. Hassall beat Hobin and Miss Astle, 7-9, 7-5, 6-4; Pearce and Miss Howe beat Wilson and Miss Bradley, 6-4, 6-2; Coombe and Mrs. Adams beat Ormond and Miss Gould, 6-1, 6-4; Tonks and Miss Latta beat Morris and Miss Wright, 0-2, 6-0; Marchant and Miss Plummer beat Ritchie and Miss Palmer, 6-4, 0-3; Udy and Miss Howe beat Roussell and Miss Ilaggitt, 6-8, 6-4, 7-5; Dyer and Miss Maeassev beat Fraser and Miss Craig, 6-2, 0-3; Watts and Miss Kemp beat Fernandez and Miss K. Ormond, 6-1, 0-1; Ritchie and Miss A. Ormond beat Taylor and Miss Harker. 6-3. 6-1; Lamb and Mrs. Cotterlil beat Price and Miss Nation, 6-0, 6-0.. Third round: Charters and Miss Nicholls boat Hobson and Miss S. Ormond, 6-4, 6-1; Cox and Mrs. McMaster beat Dunford and Mrs. Toop. 6-1. 6-4; Lamb and Mrs. Cotterill bent Ritchie and Miss Ormond, 1-6, 8-6, 6-1; Coombe and Mrs. Adams beat Tonks and Mrs. Latta, 6-1. 6-0.

Handicap Events MEiN’S SINGLES. First round: Swinburn (ser.) beat Liddell (30). 9-1; Wyld (owe 3/6) beat Murray (3/6): Sharpe (owe T 5) beat Booth (15), 9-8; Hooper (owe '2/6) beat Neilson (45 2/6), 9-5; Riddell (2/6) beat Griffin (3/6), 0-8; Logan (4/(5) beat Aitken (30), 9-0; Tonks (ser.) beat Sawyer (owe 2/6), 9-7; Fraser (15) beat F. Ormond (30 3/6), 9-4; Shand (2/0) beat Knoblock (4/6), 9-4, WOMEN’S SINGLES. First round: Miss Craig (4/0) beat Miss Hobson (4/G), 9-2; Mrs. Handley (ser.) beat Miss Reeves (4/6), 9-7; Miss S. Ormond (2/0) beat Miss Wilson (15), 9-4; Miss Garry (2/6) beat Miss .1. Ormond (owe 3/6), 9-1; Miss Hunter (15) boat Miss Williams (15), 9-4; Miss Walker (2/C) beat Miss Hunter (30), 9-2; Miss Lindsay (1/6) beat Miss Taylor (4/6), 0-8; . Miss Moorhead (ser.) beat Mrs, Latta (owe 4/6), 9-6. Second round: Mrs. Toop beat Mrs. Daily, 9-5. Third round: Miss Hooper beat Miss Plummer, 9-8. MEN’S DOUBLES. First round: Ormond and Ormond (15 1/6) beat Rust and Rust (3/6), 9-7; McLeod and Djijiford (owe 5/6) beat Tatbam and Dyer (ser.), 9-3; Barkman and Latham (owe 15 4/6) beat Atkins and Griffin (3/6), 9-4; Shand and Thorp (ser.) beat Lpgan and Swinburn (3/(i), 9-2; Ritchie and Powdrell (owe 15 4/6) beat Hooper and Hooper (owe 2/6), 9-5. Second round: Morris and Cross beat Moorhead and Riddell, 9-6; Ormond and Ormond beat Bell and Bell, 9-8: Wilson and Riddell beat Neilson and Mac Lean, 9-2. Third round: Lynch and Knoblock beat Price and Price, 9-6; Read and Read beat Wilson and Mac Lean, 9-1. WOMEN’S DOUBLES. First round: Mrs. Cotterill and Miss Glenny (owe 30) beat McMaster and Miss Graham (owe 30), 9-7. Second round: Mrs. Haase and Miss Lindsay beat Misses Harker and Wright, 9-4: Misses Blbby and Williams beat Mrs. McNlven and .Miss Rathbone, 9-1; Mrs. Cotterlil and Miss Glenny beat Mesdames Dally and Cowper, 9-4; Misses Louis and Britten beat ill's. Mawson and Miss JOrmond, 9-5. Third round: Misses D. Ormond and

White beat Mrs. Haase and Miss Lindsay, 9-5. .MIXED DOUBLES. First round: Keedwell and Miss Graham (owe 15 2/6) beat Hobson and Miss Hobson (owe 4/6), 9-4; Marchant and Miss Plummer (owe 30) beat Norris and Mrs. Woods (15), 9-8; Denby and Mrs. Dally (15) beat Nilsson and Miss Hunter, 9-6; Hobin and Miss Astle (owe 15) beat Fernandez and Miss K. Ormond (3/6), 9-8; Knoblock and Miss Potter (3/6) beat Atkins and Miss McKenzie (15), 9-8; Lynch and Miss Schroder (2/6) beat Swinburn and Miss Murray (1/61. 9-5; Wilson and Miss Bradley (2/6) beat Booth and Miss Taylor (15), 9-5; Ruse' and Miss Kemp (3/6) beat Seeker and Miss Wright (5/6), 9-1; Griffin and Mrs. Ilandlev (15 3/6) beat Harker and Miss Harker (15 3/6), 9-2; Latham and Miss Palmer (owe 15) beat Weedon and Miss Kibblewhite (4/6), 9-3. Draw for Hutt Valley A combined doubles tournament will be held on Tuesday. Anniversary Day, by the Hutt Valley Lawn Tennis Sub-Asso-ciation. The draw is as follows Senior Grade. No. 1 section, at Lo-wer Hutt (Mr. L. Evans in charge) : L. Evans and Miss J. Douthett, C. Browning and Miss Browning, B. Fleet and partner, N. Elwards and Miss Shell. No. 2 section, at Petone (Mr. A. Clarke in charge) : A. Clarke and Miss Clarke, C. Moran and Miss Neill, D. T. Thompson and Miss V. Burns. Finals at Lower Hutt, Mr. Evans in charge. Junior Grade. No. 1 section, at Eastern Hutt (Mr. A. Smith in charge) : A. Smith and Miss C. Fraser, N. Shearer and Miss N. Davidson, S. N. McDonald and partner, L. R. Nash and Miss A. McMillan. No. 2 section, at Hutt Bowling (Mr. K. Howard in charge): K. Howard and Miss B. Davidson, G. Arnies and Miss Annes, R. C. Curtiss and partner, J. A. Nash and B. Knox, C. McCormack and Miss Hunter. No. 3 section, at Wilford _ (Mr. 1,. Leighton in charge) : R. O. Leighton and partner, R. E. Rotheray aud Miss Colli-?,■ T. W. McFarlane and Miss L. Taylor, Meachen and Miss Meachen. Finals at Hutt. Mr, A. Smith in charge. Only one entry has been received in the third grade. Post entries will be received by the secretary up to 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday. All play commences at 0 a. m.