TENNIS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 May 1922, Page 1

TENNIS

‘ IT7BTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. CANADA AND DAVIS CUP. OTTAWA, May 5. Tlic Canadian Tennis Association has announced that Canada will withdraw from the Davis Cup, defaulting to Fiance, owing to insufficient time loi selecting and training a team for a trip to Europe. THE SYDNEY TOURNEY. SYDNEY May 7. The Championship Tennis Tourney w a continued on Saturday in bright warm weather. Miss Curtis beat Miss Boyd in the Ladies’ Singles’ Championship. Miss Curtis employed ft cross-court drive frequently and successfully. She displayed the keenest discrimination in measuring her strokes. The New Zealander maintained the mastery through, out the first set. Miss Boyd won three games straight in the second set. Then a thrilling bout of rallying terminated in favour of Miss Curtis in the fourth game of this set. Miss Boyd, however, won the next three games, and thus the second set. Tne third set called for a special effort, and Miss Curtis provided it. Starting cautiously neither took risks Miss Curtis drew first blood by means of fine cross-court driving, combined ■ with excellent playing. Though not displaying the coolness or assurance of the champion, the New Zealander, in all other respects, was faultless. Miss Boyd, who is remarkably strong botn in her service and in driving, kept Miss Curtis on the run several times, but, just when the ball seemed bevond reach, the New Zealander, extricated herself with beautiful backhand strokes, incidentally embarrassing her opponent. At the fifth game, tlio score was four games to one in favour of Miss Curtis. Miss Boyd lost heart thence onward to tho end. 'l'iie weather alter lunch was a contrast to the morning. Rain threatened, with a cold wind, and it sprinkled slightly during the final, but it was not sufficient to interrupt the game. THE FINAL. In the final bliss Curtis beat Mrs Molesworth, the previous champion 10-8, 5-7, 7-5, after a remarkably brilliant exhibition. The New Zealander’s victory was immensely popular. She was chaired to tho dressing rooms byMessrs Green and Hartmill, amidst great enthusiasm. The first set was remarkable for constant fluctuations, bliss Curtis was unperturbed, and she tackled tho .champion with the same calm, casual manner winch has characterised her play throughout the Carnival. Her opponent always played with the confidence and assurance of a champion, hut, despite her excellent service, possessing considerable pace, blrs Molesworth repeatedly failed to rattle the New Zealander to put her off her game. The games in the first set not only fluctuated alternatively to the 18th, but the play hovered round “Deuce” in a remarkable number of instances. Tho set took 50 minutes to decide. Eventually it terminated by Mrs Molesworth double faulting. In the second set, bliss Curtis repeated her cross-court drives, and l»er net volleying, blis Molesworth then recovered, through her service and won five games on end, she finding the corner of the Court frequently, by the closest margins. The tension was at a high pitch when the third set commenced, but bliss Curtis was less concerned than were the spectators. She always had Mrs bfolesworth on the defensive, and whenever she was placed in difficulties she always appeared to reverse the tables from almost impossible situations. Several times she failed to complete neatlyexecuted movements by tapping the ball into the net. At other times, she lost strokes through not judging the back lino to a nicety, but, on the whole her cross-court drives and volleying combined with her inexhaustible supply of grit and determination, enabled • her to cope with any rally, no matter liow forlorn it seemed to the onlookers. Her backhand returns repeatedly cliang. ed the situation for her particularly in the last game, when sli e triumphantly-, emerged from several rallies worthy of the occasion, and worthy of the best players in the world. Though the victory is for the championship of New South Wales, in view of tho inter-state competitors it actually means that bliss Curtis is champion' of Australasia.

The New Zealand party present were overjoyed, one remarking: ‘T knew she would win. A black eat nestled in her clothes in the dressing room bel'or the final started!”