FOURTH DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 1, 2 January 1936, Page 11

FOURTH DAY

NATIONAL TENNIS

PLAY THIS AFTERNOON

The New Zealand Lawn Tennis Championships entered their fourth day at Miramar Tennis Grounds this afternoon in line, bright weather. As the first three days' play had left matches well advanced, play today did not begin until 1 p.m.

A. R. Cant (Canterbury) "took a few games to settle down against E. F. Moon (Australia) and the Australian took the lead 3-0. After that Cant was in better form, driving well, but not being as steady as his opponent, who led 4-1 and broke through Cant's service to take the first set, 6-2. In the second set Moon's length and accurate placing had Cant troubled, although the' Canterbury player kept Moon on the move with some excellent net shots. Moon won the set 6-3. following a series of deuces on the last game.

Cant made too many errors and the Australian, whose service at times was deadly, woii it comfortably 6-2.

Miss T. Poole (Canterbury) continued her aggressive methods in the women's singles semi-final, driving freely and hard, taking the net wherever a chance arose, and holding her own until she dropped her service in the eighth game to be 3-5. Miss Beverley's greater control then gave her the first set 6-3.

In the second set Miss Poole alter being down 2-4 pulled up well by a long-continued attack, and took the set 7-5. In the third set she was ahead 3-0, but at this stage Miss Beverley began taking the set and completely outplayed her, young opponent and won- 6-3.

Mrs. N. St. C. Dickson (Brougham Hill) was playing well against Miss D. Nicholls (Brougham Hill) in the other semi-final of the women's singles, and held the present champion by great, activity, and a long continued bombardment of Miss Nicholls's backhand. Mrs. Dickson took the first set G-4 after her opponent had been hitling very hard at times, but. mainly relying on a chop, which caused Mrs. Dickson to cover plenty of territory. In the second set Miss Nicholls overcame the tendency to net, which had cost her games in the first set. and by clever placing took six games in a row sweeping all before her strong deep shots.

Miss Nicholls continued her winning run in the third set, and was 3-0 taking the set and match 6-2.

E. D. Andrews (England) was pushed hard by N. Sturt (Auckland) and won the set only at 8-6 after a long-driving duel in which Sturt's fine length look a heavy toll.

E. A. Roussell (Wellington) and R. McL. Ferkins (Victoria College) settled down earlier than V. B. McGrath (Australia) and I. A. Seay (United) in one of the semi-finals of the men's doubles, and they took the first set 6-3. When the score was 5-2 Ferkins. who in the other .games had been playing some splendid net shots, missed an easy one to make the score 5-3.

Play in the men's doubles was adjourned owing to a -slight injury sustained .by McGrath, who was struck by a fast ball from- Roussell when the score was 4-all in the second set. ■ •