Badminton NAPIER TOURNEY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 24, 21 October 1937, Page 9

Badminton NAPIER TOURNEY

"Drop-Shot.")

Champions of Champions Deeided SPURDLE AND WILS0N

(By

Last Friday night the 1937 badrninton season was bxought * to a . close with a "champion of champions" tournament. Held in the •drill hall at Napier, this tourney ■was the first of its kind in Hawke's Bay, and the Badrninton Associa- . tion hopes to make it an annual 6vent. For a competition of this type entries are accepted only from those who have won a club championship, and it is hoped that next year all the clubs will complete their chanipionships ' rather earli^' than usnal. One of last Friday 's most outstauding efforts Was that of L. Spurdle in his single against Noel Wilsou. Although Wilson won in straiglit sets, the closeness of the scores rellects great .creuit on Spurdle 's play. - Although theiu are other' men in the district who can beat the Baptist Club champion, for some t reasoji he.Can score. more points against Wilson than any other local player, in the North Island championships he put up another good shoWing against .the Hawke's Bay champion. A player who shows distinct promiae is Miss McClennan, of the St. Paul's Club. She makes- good use of her wrist, and should with practice get a lot cnore , power into her shots. The women 's double, in which the Misses Webster and McClellan defeated the Misses Smith and Nelson, was , an interesting match, but in adopting the "up-and-back" formation, .both these pairs ma,de #a tnistake.- As there were few drop-skots to occupy the players at the net, the long rallies meant too much work for the back-court playera, The ultiinate winners of .this event, the Misses Lancaster and Macdonald, tised the ' ' side-by-side formation. " Many of this pair's winning shots came from Migs Macdonald 's very effectvc smash. Mixed Doubles. Both the semi-finals 'and final of the mixed doubles were close and exciting. In the first semi-final Gosnell and Miss Lasseit did well toi take' a set from Hall and Mrs Mawson,' the Napier pair, who won the event. Miss -Lassen is very good at killing any weak service, but her her own servico -needs practice; her low serve could be-kept nearer to the top of the net. In the second semi-final Vesty and Miss Macdonald beat. Spurdle and Miss. Nelson. Although Miss Nelson made some good recoveries, she stood a little too far from the net; besides missing a few drop-shots she oceasionally hindered her partner. The inost interesting match of the evening was the final of the mixed doubles, in which Hall and Mrs. Mawson defeated Vesty, and Miss Macdonald in tWo close sets. The winners showed superior steadiness, and by keeping the shuttle low they avoided Vesty 's over head. A Difficulty. Tho only difficulty in conneetion with last Friday 's entries arose from the faet that several players, members of two clubs, had won the doubles championships of both clubs, but with ditferent partners. This, of _ course meant that when the "champion of champions" tourney was played oue pf the partners was left out of that particular event. Next year there should be a definite ruling on this question; it might be advisable to prohibit players from competing in the > championships ' of more than one club. W-hile this writer is not'in favour of rigid regulations, in this case. the elimination of oue or two leading players might add interest to the competitions run by the smaller clubs. Fihals' Results. The following is a list of the finals played last Friday night: — Men's Singles. — N. E. C. Wilson (Hastings) beat A. Hall Napier) , 18—13, 15—4. " Women 's Singles. — Miss J. Macdonald (Hastings) beat Mrs. W. Mawson (Napier) 11 — 6, 11 — 7. Men's Doublas. — -W. Eead and L. Vesty (Hastings) beat Hall and Mawson- (Napier) 15 — 11, 15 — 4. •Ladies' Doubles. — -Misses Macdonald and Lancaster (Hastings) beat Mrs. Mawson and Miss Bradley (Napier) 10—13, 13—2 11—2. ■Combined Doubles. — Hall and Mrs. Mawson (Napier) beat Vesty and Miss Macdonald (Hastings) 15 — 10, 18 — 15.