HASTINGS TOURNEY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 82, 30 December 1937, Page 3

HASTINGS TOURNEY

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Higher Standard of Play Evident COOMBE'S TITLE WIN

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In the tournament concluded this morning in Hastings the tennis was of a much higher standard than was the case last year. Well-known visiting players- included D. C. Coombe, the present New Zealand champion, Max Ferkins, of Wellington, and Hay-Campbell, for some years a leading Wanganui player. In the early rounds the most interesting match was tlie combined double in which Read and Miss Budd defeated Lowry and Mrs. Hassall. As a doubles exponent Miss Budd seems to have gained a lot of confidence since last season, and in the third set against Lowry and his partner she and Read were clearly pnperior. In his single against Ferkins, Read played his best tennis of the season, and if Ferkins had not been in his best form Read miglit easily have won. Hay-Campbell, of Wanganui, whose court manners are conspicuously eorrect, used his attractive ground strokes to great advantage in his single against Lowry, whom he defeated in three sets. In the semi-final against Coombe the Wanganui man put up a stout resistance which made the game well worth watching. For one who. has not played much tennis in recent years Hay-Camp-bell did extremely well throughout the tournament. \ The Finals. In the men's singles Coombe 's better strolce equipment proved too much for Ferkins, who relies on a heavily topped forehand drive. Prior to the final Coombe 's play had not bee'n . impressive, but against worthy opposition he produced deep and accurate drives to prepare the way for a devastating overhead. While Ferkins' backhand is comparatively weak, his opponent is equally strong on either wing. The men's doubles final was the best match seen in Hastings for several years. Although Lowry and Coombe were expeeted to win this event rather easily, they were forced to a 7 — 5 third set in the final by Ferkins and HayCampbelL, The latter, who had not previously played together, had earlier defeated Read and Sharpe, the formet title-holders. Although in the final all four men had periods of brilliance, the two outstanding features of the match were Ferkins' forehand drive and Coombe 's overhead. Lowry, while lesS reliable than usual, was still able to produce a winning shot when one was really needed, but he was repeatedly beaten by his opponents' fast drives. Women's Final. Tn the first set of the wOmen's singles final Miss Glenny outplayed Mrs Milburn to win 6 — 1, but the Napier lady, as she has often done before_ made a great recovery to win the next two sets. In her first set against Mrs Mawson, in an earlier round, and in the first set against Mrs Milburn, Miss Glenny 's tennis was the best seen in women's matches dnring the three days' play. The second two sets of the final, both sternly fought, were won by Mrs Milburn 6 — 3, 6 — 4. It was thought by many people that Miss Budd should have beeu "seeded" in the opposite half of the draw from Mrs Milburn, but the committee's judgment was endorsed by results. Miss Budd, who is usually capable of extending Mrs . Milburn, was for once unable to cope with the Napier player 's aggressive tennis, and in their semi-final Mrs Milburn had an easy win. The women's doubles were won by Mrs Cotterill and Mrs Milburn, who won their final against the Misses Glenny and Budd by the peculiar score of 6 — 1, 1 — 6, 6 — 0. In the first and third sets Mrs Cotterill, who did not compete in the singles, played brilliant tennis, and on their play in Hastings she and Mrs Milburn should win another title in Napier. The final of this event in Hastings was better from a spectator's viewpoint than most women's doubles, i'or at no stage of the proceedings did the players sacrifice their strokes to the principle of "safety-first."

Combined Doubles. As these notes are written the combined doubles have ye/t to be completed. In one semi-final Sharpe and Miss Glenny scored ' a surprisingly easy victory over Coombe and Mrs Mawson, 6 — 3, 6 — 1. This result was mainly due to the faet that Coombe was unable to intercept any of Miss Glenny 's ground strokes, while Mrs Mawson 's slower chopped drives were an easy target for Sharpe. The final of this event will be between the winners of the FerkinsMrs Cotterill versus Read-Miss Budd semi-final and Sharpe and Miss Glenny. As several hours of play were lost through rain, the Buccessful completion of nealry all the championships was a great credit to those- in control.of the tournament. In this connection splendid work was done by Mrs Cotterill. Messrs J, B. Wilson, H. Fisk, N. Harding, and several others, and tq these the coinpetitors would like to tender their liearty tlianks.