LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 20049, 14 December 1928, Page 14

LAWN TENNIS

[By E®ooj»^Bh|

THE YANKEE TOURNAMENT, Conditions last Saturday were poor,' and competitors were lucky to get in as much play as they did. Under th< circumstances the officials did well t« find tho sectio. winners in most cases, one or two semi-finals also being played. The section winners were as follow Roslyn Court. —Smith and Misa M‘ln tosh (owe 2). Moans Court.—Harris and Mrs Foxcroft (rec. 9) Anderson’s Bay No. 3.—C. M‘Dougall and Mrs Evims (owe 3). Anderson’s Bay.—Dutbie and Mre Duthie (owe 6). St. Kilda.—Lindsay and Mrs Harraway (rec. 7). . Anderson’s Bay No. I.—Sutherland and Miss Smith (rec. 7). North-east Valley.—Fish and Mi« Barton (rec. 12). Anderson’s Bay No. s.—M‘Lennon and Mbs Jefferson (rec. 6). Anderson’s Bay No. 2. Smith and Miss Wrockley (owe 1). Anderson’s Bay No. 4.—J. A. Pearce and Miss M'Namara (rec 2). First Round.—Smith and Miss M‘lntosh (owe 2) beat Harris and Mrs Foxcroft, 30-25; Duthie and Mrs Duthi® (owe 5) beat M'Dougall and Mrs Evans (owe 3), 30-25. Second Round.—Sutherland and Miss Smith (rec. 7) boat Lindsay and Miss Harraway (rec. 7), 30-20; Pearce and Miss M'Namara (rec. 3), beat M‘Lennon and Miss Jefferson (rec. 6), 30-21. It will be seen that those receiving a generous handicap are well represented apiong the section winners. M‘Dougall and Miss Pattison (owe 15), the backmarkers, had two wins, but went down to W. Hislop and Miss Todd (scr), 30-18. The losers therefore caught up only throe points on their opponents, a curious result. Hislop and Miss Todd then went down just as badly to J. Pearce and Miss M'Namara (rec. 2), this pair winning 30-20. Guy and Mrs Guy combined well, and scored two good wins from the owe 8 mark, but found Sutherland and Miss G. Smith (rec. 7) too tough a proposition, the St. Kida pair winning 30-21. Sutherland played well in all liis matches. He has a severe service, and a fast, if somewhat erratic, backhand. He is a young player from Central Otago, and one who should go far in tho game. Miss Smith also played an attractive game, hitting out whenever tho occasion demanded. Smith and Miss M'lntosh, who have twice won at these tournaments, are still unbeaten, having reached the semifinal. There were several 30-29 wins, one of the most interesting being that of Blackburn and Miss Paine (rec. 8) over Dr Moody and Miss Partridge (owo 12). At 29 all, it was odds on the stronger pair, but the younger players carried the day. C. M'Dougall and Mrs Evans (owe 31 won by tho odd point against M'Millan and Miss Duke (rec 7), but later went do>vn to Duthie and Mrs Duthie, 30-26. Dickinson and Miss Parnell reached 29 all against Sutherland and Miss Smith, but the latter pair won. Field and Miss Hartman (Otago) also notched a 30-29 win. Tlie Auckland provincial ladder at present stands as follows: Men; ] Bartleet, 2 Johns, 3 Griffiths, 4 Sturt, 5 Stcdman, 6 Lamb, 7 Morrison, 3 Entwhistle, 9 H. L. Robinson. Ladies; 1 Miss Marjorfo M‘Faria no. 2 Miss Ramsay, 3 Mrs Shroff, 4 Mrs Scott-Watson, 6 Miss M. Miller, (5 Miss Marion M'Farlano, 7 Miss E. Miller, 8 Mrs Napier. Miss Knight is not playing this year. Four well-known exponents of the game in Wellington recently mot, when Melody and Mrs Melody played Penlington and Mrs Penlington in singles matches in an interclub fixture. Both Melody ann Mrs Melody got home by narrow margins, the score in the men’s game being 4-6, C-3, 8-6, and in the ladies’ single, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 Something of a record was put up iu Wangarui recently by Miss Mary Purcell. Although only fifteen years of age, she entered for the event for girls under eighteen, and succeeded in carrying off tho prize with five successive wins. Further than this, she did not have a single game scored against her in all five matches, three of which were 7 up and two 9 up. By winning 39 games to Jove, she is emulating some of Mile Lenglen's performances at Wimbledon. THE NEW ZEALAND CHAMPION- . SHIPS. Tho Now Zealand championship tournament to be held at Auckland at Christmas has attracted most of tho leading players of the dominion. In the absence of OUivier, who has turned professional interest naturally turns to tho men’s championship singles, in which a now champion will have to be found. Auckland naturally hails Bartleot as the most likely winner, pointing out that ho ran Ollivier to live sets in the final last year. This season he has not shown his best form, and his displays against tho Englishmen wore not convincing. However, that was early in iho season, and as he has since been getting in some solid practice he must be considered a dangerous contender for the title. Auckland has another possibility in Stedman, the New Zealand university champion. Young, and with plenty of speed in his strokes, ho had a most successful season last year, including victories over several of the dominion’s leading players. He is unlikely to win the title, but should go far, and is just the type to effect an upset. Sturt is another who should do well. Wellington is a strong contender for the singles title, with Malfroy, Wilson, and Leu France competing. Don France will be an absentee, but the other three Wellington representatives should give a good account of themselves. Malfroy, last year, led Bartleot two sets to love, and was robbed of a 3-1 lead in the next set by a bad decision. Bartleet thereafter wore him down. But Malfroy is in better trim this year. Aligns is Canterbury’s hope in the singles, and he is going up to Auckland a week or so early to get in some practice on the courts. Malfroy defeated him comfortably in the Wilding Shield match last year, but Angas may turn ’ thv tables on him this time. He is tho most active player in New Zealand, according to the visiting Englishmen. Seay, who is just recovering from an illness, will not bo a competitor. On present form, Malfroy looks as likely as anyone to win tho title, if he can stand up to a sequence of hard matches. BartJcet’s form at Christmas is sure to bo better than that displayed against the Englishmen, and should he prove victorious it would he a most popular win. Wilson is apt to be erratic, wffiilo Angas is tho only other player likely to trouble these three. Chisholm kind Watson (Otago) intend to compete, and have paired up {or tho doubles. Other doubles combination* are Bartleet and Lanreuson (holders), Malfroy and Sturt, Len Franco and Angas. Wilson it at present without a partner. Malfroy and Sturt look tho likeliest winners here. In the ladies’ singles Miss Spier* will be defending her title, while her chief opposition will come Horn Mrs Adams and Misses M'Farlane and Tracy. Mrs Adams and Miss Tracy should bold the ladies’ doubles, Misses Speirs and Wake being the next strongest pair. Wellington has also two strong pair* m the mixed doubles in Wilson and

Miss Tracy (.holders) and Lcn Franco and Mrs Adams. Angas and Miss Spiers may play together, and are likely to trouble any pai*v Miss N Fleming (Otago), holder of the junior singles, will unfortunately not bo defending her title. Wellington should do well in this tournament, and will bo unlucky not to win the shield for the prcvince winning most points in the various events. T. W. Patterson (Christchurch) may be a competitor at Invercargill at Christmas time. D. Dobie (Wellington) is "'.lso a possible entrant, and if these two tea n up in the doubles, they will make u strong combination. Kntnos for ‘lts l Cl ago championships 'i: ■ V-. ; ■ :r , ,u:'M r. Vi ■ ccr"!,r-i! Fit- - ::u ■ ic?■ a: u dr: 1 ,-, will uik". puuv snoflly British-made for Empire players—Ayrea’ Championship Stitchlees Tennis Balia. Officially selected by the Otago Lawn Tennil Association for use in its championship tournament this season. Refuse substitutes. jftfAdvt.}