TENNIS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 234, 26 April 1928, Page 8

TENNIS.

WAIKATO BANNER. As the Hamilton Lawn Tennis Club was unable for the third occasion, on the 14th inst., to send its team to Matamata as arranged, to play the final Waikato inter-association match, the Waikato Banner will most likely be awarded to the Waikato Last sub-association, which has not oeen deieateu this season. XE AEOEA TOURNEY RESULTS. The finals of the North Island championship doubles and handicap doubles weie played at Hamilton on Saturday. The News writer describes the games as follows: — Cha.. kinship final. “In the uiial of the women’s North Ifaiai.d championship doubles, Misses Knight and Clousto’n (Auckland) met Misses N., and M. Beverley (.Matamata). The Beverleys had first service and though the Auckland pair nearly broke through Miss N. Beverley’s service, taking the game to deuce, the Matamata 1 air led I—o. However, Miss Knight’s service took the next game easily, with the Misses Beverley taking but one point. Miss M. Beverley serving against the wind then lost her service, and then followed a hard fought game off Miss Clouston’s service. Miss B. Beverley and Miss Knight had a great volleying duel at the net after two deuces and the Matamata girl at last netted. A iob which the wind carried out gave the game to the Auckland pair and they led 3—l, having taken three games on end. Nothing daunted the Misses Beverley set out to wipe off the deficit, and Miss N. Beverley won .(r service to love, twice smashing u inners past Miss Clouston as Miss Knight fed her from the base line. Off Miss Knight’s service the score went to deuce, when Miss N. Beverley again rushed to the net to pass Ibe Aucklanders with a beautiful smash down the centre of the court. A ball driven out gave the game to the Matamata pair and the service was 3—3. The two younger girls were going well at this s r nge, Miss N. Beverley particularly o;it-general-ling her opponents on numerous occasions with well placed consistent volleys. Miss M. Beverley won her service to love, her sister again clinching the game with a smash worthy of many men players. This was the crucial stage in the match. _ The Misses Beverley were leading 4—3, and the score was love—4o, Miss Clouston serving. The Matamata pair appeared to break up and lost the game in five points off their own errors. It was the mistake of the set for with the score 4—4 the Misses Beverley won only two more points in the next two gamef and lost the set 6—4.

Miss M. Beverley commenced the serving in the second set and the game went to Misses Knight and Clouston. Miss Clouston’s service was productive of a long game, deuce being called three times before Miss M. Beverley won the game with a lob which Miss Knight “ outed.” The next game off Miss N. Beverley’s service went to deuce also, but the Matamata combination had settled down again and forced the Aucklanders into error. Miss Ivnight opened her service with a double fault and took the game to three deuces to eventually win it by clever cross-court volleying by Miss Clouston at the net. Again the games alternated, Miss M. Beverley winning her service and Miss Clouston replying in like manner, making the score 3—3. Miss N. Beverley again won out on her service, twice scoring earned points with lobs which forced Miss Clouston into error. However, Miss Knight’s service was too much for the Matamata pair, and the score was brought to 4—4. The Misses Beverley fought hard in the next two games, but the Aucklanders experience told and they just won out 6—4

again, taking the set and match and championship. The Matamata combination is to be congratulated on fully extending the Auckland pair, whose experience is much greater. The Misses Beverley should be heard of again in the future. Handicap Final. The same pair met in the final of the women’s Easter handicap doubles and again, after an even and more bitterly contested game, the Aucklanders won out, 6—l, 5—7, 7—5. It was a stirring encounter and was anyone’s game in the last two sets, when both pairs were fully extended and when every shot meant the game won or lost. The reduced handicap handicap made the Auckland pair owe 4/3. In the first set the Misses Beverley went to pieces and constantlynetted or “ outed,” and though Miss M. Beverley won the first game off her service the other pair won six games in a row, four of which, however, went to deuce. At this stage it looked to be an easy' win for Misses Knight and Clouston with one set in 6—l.

In fact, when the Aucklanders simply flew away to a lead of 3—o in the next set it seemed long odds on their winning, but a real surprise was in store. The reverse seemed to tighten up the Misses Beverley’s play and they set off by breaking through Miss Clouston’s service. Then Miss N. Beverley won her service, and after a deuce game the Matamata pair won the deciding two points, the last after a great rally in which Miss Clouston’s well-known chop shot just over the net rolled back on the wrong side. The Misses Beverley led 4—3. Miss M. Beverley lost her service in a game without handicap, and then Miss Clouston made amends by winning her service, to give the Aucklanders a commanding lead of 5—4. However, Miss N. Beverley won her service in a game without handicap, and then Miss Knight lost the next game in which she served two double faults. Owing 15 in the next game the Aucklanders could not make up the leeway. Miss M. Beverley won her service which gave them the second set, 7—5. It was a grand recovery and a splendid effort. The final set was a gruelling one, both sides being keyed up and looking for openings. In this set, strange to say, the Misses Beverley won but two games when their opponents were handicapped out of the eight in which such was the case. The games alternated with the services until 44, when the Misses Beverley 7 led 54, off Miss Clouston’s service. However, Miss N. Beverley lost her service and with the score at 5—5, the Matamata pair did not win another point in the next two games. Miss M. Beverley gave the match point to Misses Clouston and Knight when she served a double fault. It had been the best vvomen’s double match of the tournament.