THREE TITLES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 107, 30 January 1935, Page 11

THREE TITLES

Perry Dominates Tennis Championships INCIDENTS OF FINAL Gave Kay No Rest in Men’s Singles Event MISS D. NICHOLLS’S WIN (By Telegraph.—From “Forehand.") Auckland,, January 29. The New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association was very fortunate to go through the whole of the national championship tournament without any rain. The finals to-day attracted a very big crowd and some good play ' was seen. As expected, F. J. Perry, Wimbledon and United States titleholder, vteis a triple champion, winning the men’s singles, the men’s doubles with D. G. France, Wellington, and the combined doubles with Miss Shirley Whittaker, Australia. Miss Dulcie ■Nicholls, Wellington, won the women’s singles and with Miss M. Beverley, Matamata, won the women’s doubles. A. A. Kay. Australia, played very well against Perry in the singles, making use of all the court and attacking from the net, but he and It. W. Ewin, Australia, did not go too well in the doubles, their play being of the hit or miss variety. Miss Dulcie Nicholls was altogether too good for Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, Auckland, who fought her usual hard-hitting game from the back line. The only tournament that Miss Nicholls has not won the singles event in this year is the Wellington championships. She is New Zealand, North Island, Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay, Wanganui and Waipawa champion. Perry’s Greater Accuracy. Misses N. Beverley and Dulcie Nicholls were too strong in their all-court play for Miss S. Whittaker and Mrs. W. J. Melody, Wellington. N. Bedford won the intermediate singles decisively, and Miss M. Beverley, Matamata, the intermediate women’s singles, beating Miss Betty Griffiths, Auckland, only after a hard tussle. Perry and Kay took the court for the men’s singles final when a tricky breeze had sprung up. Both players stroked . easily and confidently, hitting to the corners. ’What little net play there was was done by Kay, who frequently followed a deep drive in. Kay left himself an even less margin of error to clear the net than Perry. Even from the forehand corner also Kay, who is a left-hand-er, chose to play with' his backhand. Kay, too, employed a kicking service, and both players hit the rising ball. perry's accuracy was the greater, and he had definite command in the first In the second set Kay attacked not only Perry's backhand, but also went to the net more and won points with beautiful volleys and smashes. His placements were designed to give Perry the maximum of running, and they succeeded. Also, he was leaving a wider margin of clearance over tne net. Kay Calls Forth Applause. Whatever Perry might have bad in reserve at that stage there was certainly no wide difference in the standard of their play. Kay called forth applause by making Perry run the wrong way with volleys of concealed direction. To the huge delight of a large gallery he ran into a 3-1 lead in the second set, but lost the fifth game when Perry sent over skimmers to his forehand corner. But Perry, too, was falling on easy shots, mainly in the net. Then because Kay, losing his servief, hit the ball in a temper, Perry, muttering to himself “I’ll teach him,” gave the Australian something of a tennis lesson, running him all . over the court with shots that were just getting the corners. Kay did not win another game that set. Waiting for Kay to get ready at the end of the set. Perry muttered: “The fellow who hits balls at me gets something, I tell you.” The running about that Kay had to do in the first two tieto told its tale. Perry gave him no rest, belting into the corners until Kay was forced into errors in the net. In the last game of the set for the match Perry sent oyer three services that Kay had no chance of returning and won the final point with an ace from the backhand, after Kay had returned the . service. Englishman Calls the Tune. Al no time ta tile three sets was Perry fully extended, nor did he have to alter bis tactics throughout. He mailed the tune, and although Kay tried hard he could not dance to it. In the third set . Kay missed many volleys from the net by hitting wide over the sidelines. He also served a few double faults. One felt that, although Perry made mistakes, he did so because the strength of the opposition did not call for the use of all his powers or his concentration. It was probably the easiest national title Perry has ever won. WOMEN FINALISTS Miss Macfarlane Put Up Stern Battle Those who saw the women’s singles final between Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, Auckland, and Miss Dulcie Nicholls, Wellington, saw a stern battle from the backline on the part of both, in which there was not a single wild shot played, and scarcely any outright winners hit. Although the placing of Miss Nicholls to the corners was not superior to Miss Macfarlane’s, her court was very much better. The result was that Miss Maefaralaue. had to run many times the distance that Miss Nicholls did, and had to play her shots from a more difficult position. It was certainly astonishing the length the two kept with their drives. But with her drives Miss Nicholls varied her game with short chops to drag Miss Macfarlane from the baseline, and then chopped the return past her for. a winner. Miss Macfarlane’s strokes are played with a mechanical accuracy, and she never alters in the swing or style, whatever the type of ball she is dealing with. With only those two strokes, a backhand and forehand, she plays everything down the line or at sharp angles across court, and is a difficult proposition to deal with. Also, she never gives up fighting. Variations of Chop and Drive. It was only Miss Nicholls’s variations of chop and drive and a short one to bring Miss Macfarlane in that enabled her to overcome a 4-2 lead and win the first set. In the second set Miss Maefarlane concentrated on Miss Nicholls's backhand, and Miss Nicholls returned the compliment, switching over to a sudden forehand drive which had Miss Macfarlane travelling fast. But Miss Macfarlane. fighting grimly |

from down 2-5 and 30-40, and attackiug Miss Nicholls’s backhand, won the eighth game. However, the end came in the next game, when she tailed to get to a "short" bad-bouncing ball. It was a game, on the whole, of long rallies and careful placement. ’ Miss Nicholls richly deserved her win, for sjio has played very confidently in singles, although not in doubles, through the tournament.

Women’s Doubles Title.

Four times winner of the New Zealand women’s doubles championship, Mrs. A . J. Melody, Wellington, when she came out with Miss S. Whittaker Australia, to oppose Misses Dulcie Nicholls, Wellington, and N. Beverley, Matamata, was making her ninth bid in a New Zealand women’s doubles final. Misses Beverley anu Nicholls had been lucky to reach the final, for their combination had not been happy, and Miss Nicholls not altogether conMrs. Melody and Miss Whittaker, 0.. the other hand, had developed a sound combination, with Miss Whittaker the steadier player of the two. 10-duy they struck Misses Nicholls and Beverley in good form, the lobbing of Miss Nichods guiding the combination. These lobs resulted in weak returns, and Miss Beverley at the net smashed constantly at the feet of Mrs. Melody, who invariably moved back from the net to half court. The first set was soon over, Mrs. .Melody and Miss Whittaker being out; classed from the start. Mrs. Melody ami .Miss Whittaker played better in the second set, but again the half court position of Mrs. Melody for the first halt of the set proved too expensive. 1' or t.ie most part Miss Nicholls was content to remain on the backline mid leave Miss Beverley with a roving commission at the net. Miss Whittaker got through a tremendous amount of work creditably, driving, volleying and lobbing like a little champion.

Miss Whittaker Plays Soundly

A long battle ensued for the' eighth game, which Miss Whittaker find Melody wanted to make the score 4-all. Miss Beverley drove Mrs. Melody s cuts brilliantly. Miss Whittaker played soundly and accurately, and Miss Nicholls came into the game occasionally. Miss Beverley netted 'the final point, alter eight de Mrs. Melody and Miss Whittaker did very much better when Mrs. Melody went back and let Miss Whittaker play from the net Her ground strokes were going well then and Miss Whittaker was winning points gy interceptions at the net. When, forced back Miss Whittaker lobbed brilliantly. But the opposition was too strong, and, on the whole, too steady, and won the tenth game lor set and match, after being down 15-40 on Miss Nicholls’s service. The attack was nearly always with the ultimate winners. The' losers had chances, but they could not avail themselves of all of them. Mrs. .Melody fought hard to hold her end up, but she was set too difficult a task by the hard bitting and angled placements of the pther team. She was not always quick enough.

PERRY LIKE PANTHER

Australians Defeated in Men’s Doubles

The struggle in the men's doubles between It. W. Ewin and A. A. Kay, Australia. and F. J. Perry, England, and D. G. France, Wellington, was a battle for the net position in which to get there the players hit hard. In this Ewin made the most errors. Kay, who was the directing agent of ihe Australians, many times saved bis team from disaster. France was playing really well, his top spin drive in returning service often catching the opposing server coming >» at his feet. Perry was always doing the unexpected. Off high bouncing balls he was devastating. After the first set Ewin did some useful things, but he nearly always spoiled them shortly after by some foolish swipe, particularly in attempting a forehand cross-court drive. Ewin and Kay, especially Kay, were not nearly accurate enough as hitters. Many of Perry’s returns made almost as a half-volley were marvellous and had the gallery delighted.

France Rises to Great Heights.

As the match progressed the Australians did their best to avoid I’erry and concentrated on France, who, however, stood up to the bombardment excellently, nearly always returning better than he got. even though he also made mistakes. When their opponents were serving Perry and France chose to remain back. Even when Perry and France were at the net the Australians elected to drive and not use the lob. They did well to win four games in the second set. After two-all in the third set the Australians cracked up altogether, making the simplest of errors into the net. Their combination also fell to pieces, both players going for the same ball and so hitting the return out There were a few brilliant rallies at tlie net with all four close in. Then Perry was like a panther, darting here, there and everywhere, scarcely missing anything. France, too, rose to great heights with fast angled volleys and decisive smashes. But the opposition had ceased to light with cohesion. Also, Perry handled Ewin's fierce first service with the utmost confidence. I’erry and France were on top all tbc way.

INTERMEDIATE GAMES N. Bedford’s Victory X. Bedford, Wellington, is intermediate men’s champion of New Zealand. He is so by virtue of a stroke equipment not equalled by any, other young player in the Dominion. His journey through ,to the final was devoid of incident, and iu the final against Brown, late of Wellington, and now of Auckland, he was not seriously challenged. That does not mean that Brown did not play well. He did, but it was a game severely limited to hard and very accurate driving from the backline on both wings, with an occasional cross-court passing shot from the backhand. For those shots he earned unstinted applause, and justly so. Nor did he cease to try all the time. In fact he chased balls lie would have been well advised to leave alone, for even when he returned them he was so hopelessly out of position, and Bedford was at the net so well in position, that Brown simply tired himself out. Brown started nervously, and Bedford,, driving to the corners and storming the net. outrallied him. Brown Recovers. Brown recovered himself in the second set and succeeded in keeping Bedford from the net with deep drives and perfect lobs to Bedford’s backhand corner. L<’ held set point at 5-4, and vantage-in after fighting from love-40, but the effort cost him too much. His physical exhaustion was clear from the state of bis breathiiic'. Bedford (lid not give him a chance to stand still, for if Bedford could not take the net be could at least drag Brown m •with drop shots. * These, too. tired Brown, who lost Ins accuracy, giving Bedford in the closing stages the chance to come in and volley. There is no doubt, however, that Auckland has a promising boy in Brown, ami it is equally true that the Auckland association is intent on bringing him on. Miss Griffiths Defeated. Miss Betty Griffiths. Auckland, who is still a junior, deserves great credit for the fight she put up against Miss Margaret, Rev®rley, Matamata, who also is a junior. Ihe game was altogether a baseline one, with Miss Beverley proving the stronger hitter and making mistakes in trying to force matters. Miss Griffiths was weak in her second service. Both girls covered the court quickly. Miss Beverley’s backhand was strong, while Miss Griffiths was defensively safe. Both players should itn-

prove out of sight with further experience. DETAILED RESULTS Men’s Singles FINAL. F. ,T. I'erry (Englund) beat A. A. Kay (Victoria), 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. Women’s Singles FIN A L. Miss Dulcie Nicholls (Wellington) beat Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland), 6-1, 6-3. Men’s Doubles FINAL. If. J. I’erry (England) and D. G. France (Wellington) beat A. A. Kay and 11. W. Ewin (Victoria), 6-1, 6-1, 6-3. Women’s Doubles FIN A L. Miss Dulcie Nicholls (Wellington) and Miss Nessie Beverley (Matamata) beat Mrs. W. J. Melody (Wellington) and Miss Shirley Whittaker (Victoria), 6-2, 6-4. Men’s Intermediate Singles FINAL. X. Bedford (Wellington) beat A. D. Brown (Auckland), 6-0, 7-5. Women’s Intermediate Singles FINAL. Miss Margaret Beverley (Matamata) beat Miss Betty Griffiths (Auckland), 8-6, 7-5. WELLINGTON RANKING Matches For February 3 The Wellington Lawn Tennis Association's ranking matches will be resumed on February 3, with the following matches: 1.30: Coombe v. Smith, Roussel! v. IL Ferkins, Bedford v. France, J. McCarthy v. Dyer, Page v. Lyons. Charters v. M. Ferkins, Heid v. B. McCarthy, Morrison v. Fouhy. 2.30: Watt v. Mason, Plank v. Pears, Buckmaster v. Murray, Long v. Lochote, Waters v. Langdon. Dixon v. Purves. The matches at 3.30 and 4.30 will be announced at the conclusion of the above. There will, be no inter-club matches on Saturday, February 2, on account of the Nunnelley Casket competition.