TENNIS CHAMPIONS RETAIN TITLES

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5300, 13 January 1947, Page 6

TENNIS CHAMPIONS RETAIN TITLES

(Press Assn.-

WILDING PARK F1NALS ROACH TAKES McKENZIE TO FOUR SETS

-By Telegravh — Coyyriuht. )

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Bofcfr men's and women's singles champions retained their ■ Lb? yesterday at the New Zealand lawn tennis championships a.i, W iMmg Pafk. R. S. McKenzie (Hull Vall y) neat J. Roach j 4 Waikato) m the men's singles t 'il- 6, B — 1, 6 — 3. Miss MarKaret Beverley (Matamata) also had Httle difficulty in winning ihe final of the women's singles againet Auckland's leading woman player, Miss E. G. AttWt - Cy ?. . i ! . ' .. ■ "tt, -1 • '■ v\' ' •! .• o- »'.> ,v; • : ' ; s t ' 5 ?«: V"' , n ' ;-lay \ t *! : V.; ' ->0 good i »-"■ . • " 'nning the 3. 6—1 "«'•*• h- '-. : h- final, McKenzie ap-pc-arcd to be playing well within himself, and did not produce more than a few glimpses of his bes form. He -.t.iri.cd csTa.chily, and Roach settled • • V ' - tf'ce 'he first game. ■> i » ' • 'incentrating on his ' s ■ ■ .i . : n spite of some excel- • • ; • i b? "ould not prevent !> ... >o-.- going into ame. McKenzie ... vi smashes and drop- - .'i Roach was unable to re- • over. Play was confined mostly to the baek line at this stage, and McKenzie played steadily to take the set 6 — 2. Pace Not Severe McKenzie was lnaking good length with his shcts to "he ccrner, although his pace was not severe. The set gradually deteriorated into an uninteresting duel of baseline shots, with Roach's steadiness enabling him to win the rallies and go into a 4 — 0 lead. McKenzie made many mistakes in this set. His form did not compare with the steadiness displayed by the Waikato player, Roach winning an exciting match withotft losing a game. In the third set, Roach was getting more pace into sorae of his forehand drives, but good serving gave McKenzie a game to take the score to 1 — all. At this stage McKenzie started to take the net. He forced the pace and won the set 6 — 2. In the fourth set, Roach scored with sorae good placements, but McKenzie came in close and, smashing heavily, led 3 — 2. Roach seemed to be rattled by McKensie's net approaches and fell into errors, the champion nunning out an easy winner G — 2. Miss Beverley's Lead Miss Beverley retained the women's singles championship by strong forcing play which Miss Attwood could not quite rnatch. Miss Attwood was forced into errors in the early games in the first r-i ' ir'1 ~ok Inr-.jrer than Miss Bever- " r - ''owr. The latter won ti first: hroe games before her onponent fcnnd her length. In the nexfc game Miss Attwood won a good point with a beautiful passing shot down "he sideline, and after both -players had held advantage, Miss Beverley hit her opponent's (first serve over the back-line to give the Auckland girl her first game. ?di=s Beverley by now had found V- ,'"'c-Lh, ( -vas clipping the net r • .. '• drivf"8. • h little bounce to ■ * ■ • 1 op-or "uniiy to •• r • •••' in retum. Miec Attwood was not dancerous : h V-«* socmd serve, which was not far.t enouc'h to worry the champion. One point-winning stroke of the Aucklander was the forehani volley fi-om mid-cnurt. which several times "ancht her opponent out of position. ■'i . o •.*.*••11 exenuted shot, combin- -• d -fi'-h nlace'^ent. Only once •• a ch did Miss Attwood to score with it. There were times when play v-ar>hed a very high level, and the iaTo-e fra]iery frequently applaudcd ,o-fi wllies by both players. This as oa ecially so in the fifth game of the second set. Games Score Evened Miss Attv/ood went to 5 — 4 in the first set and had set point, but Miss Beverley slid a short cross-court shot over the net which her opponent was just unable to reach and the game score was even. Miss Beverley won the next game without much difficulty on the first serve, after losing the first point, andi

iliss Attwood could only get to 15 in the final game, Miss Beverley winning 7 — 5. Miss Attwood appeared to tire halfway through the second set. Miss Beverley was too steady and used her feet to good advantage in the cenre of the couxt. The match was contfined chiefly to the back line with very few forays to the net. Here both players made some good shots and also lost points with netted balls, although Miss Attwood was not afraid to go for placements when pressed, and won several good points in this fashiom She could not stand up to the forcing pace of her opponent and towards the close of the second set was clearly at a psychological disadvantage. Miss Beverley was not greatly troubled to take the score from 4 — 2 I to 6 — 2 for set and match. j Other results were: — Women's Doubles Semi-Finals: Misses M. Beverley (Waikato) and B. Potter (Auckland) beat Mrs. J. H. Adams (Southland) and Miss M. L. Kerr (Otago) 6 — 4 7 — 5; Mesdames J. Robb (Hutt Valley) and K. Hart (C-anterbury) beat Misses M. F. Burrell (Canterbuyr) and E. G. Aitwood (Auckland) 6 — 2, 6 — i. Final: Misses Beverley and P'tler beat Mesdames Robb and Hart Men's Doubles • ■ - inals: 0. M. Bold (Hutt Valley) and J. E. Robson (Otago) beat A. R. Cant and W. J. Smith (Cantei'-;-y) 6 3, 10—8, 6—2; R. S. McKenzie and N. V. Edwards (Hutt Valley) beat J. Barry (Auckland) and P. Smith (North Auckland) 6 — 3, •3 — 6, 10 — 12, 6 — 3. Final: Bold and Robson beat McKenzie and Edwards, 4—6, 8—6, 6—3, 6—2. Mixed Doubles: Semi-Final: J. W. Gunn (Auckland) and Miss M. Beverley (Waikato) beat 0. M. Bold (Hu t Valley) and Mrs. K. Hart (Canterbury) 6 — 4, 6 — 1. Final: R. V. Robb and Mrs. Robb (Hutt Valley) beat ,j Gunn and Miss Beverley 7 — 5, 6 — 3. Men's Plate Semi-Finals: E. D. White (Canterbury) beat J. E. Hamilton (Wellington) 7 — 5, 5 — 7, 6 — 4. Final: J. Robson (Otago) beat White 6—1, 6—5. Women's Plate Final: Miss J. Wallace (Auckland) beat Miss J. MacGibbon (Canterbury) 6—4, 3—6, 7—5. Miss J. Burke Wins Girls' Singles AUCKLAND, last night. The second victory by Miss Juay Burke, Bay of Plenty women's champion, within two months over Miss Valerie Johnson, runner-up in the national junior singles- last season, was the highlight of the final in the girls' singles at the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association junior championships on the Stanley Street courts yesterday. The earlier win by Miss Burke was in an exhibition match at Tauranga in November, in which she was the victor by "9 — 3. Though she lost the first set yesterday by 4 — 6, Miss Burke was steadier in the next set and won 7 — 5. Following a spell the match was continued, Miss Burke winning the final set by 6 — 2. They are paired for the girls' doubles in the coming junior national championships at Lower Hutt. While Miss Burke won the Bay of Plenty championship at Christmas, her opponent met with outstanding success in the Auckland Christmas tournament, in which she won the handicap singles, the combined doubles with M. Otway, and the women's doubles with Mrs. G. Pennell. The first set was marked by a lack of errors by Miss Johnson, whose overhead work was more accurate. Fortunes fiuctuated in the next set, which Miss Burke won by two games. The turning point was when the score stood 5 — 2. and 30-all to Miss Johnson. The umpire ordered a doubtful baseline ball by Miss Johnson to he replayed, Miss Burke winning this and the next point to bring the tally to 5-all. Playing more confidentiy she passed her opponent on several occasions to take the set 7 — 5. After the spell Miss Johnson won the 'first game but Miss Burke continued to run up the tally to 5—2 and lead 40 — 15 in the eighth game. Miss Johnson saved the first match point, but a weak lob from the baseline was decisively smashed by Miss Burke. jM. Otway, Mount Albert senior champion and senior secondary schools' champion, was extended to thrce sets by P. Healey, Sacred Heart junior champion and intermediate champion of West End Club, in the final of the boys' singles Details of finals: — Boys' Singles: M. Otway beat P. Healey 4—6, 6—1, 6—2. Girls' Singles: Miss J. Burke beat Miss V. Johnson 4 — 6, 7 — 5, 6 — 2. Boys' Doubles: M. Otway and A. Mowbray beat A. Cash and P. Healey 6—4, 6—2. Girls' Doubles: Misses Burke and Johnson beat Misses E. Huckstep and E. Becroft 6 — 1, 6 — 3.