New Champions

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 266, 31 January 1928, Page 13

New Champions

KNOTT BEATS THE BEST Lawn Tennis Finals AUCKLAND TOURNEY CONCLUDES MOST tennis people believed in Bartleet, second in Dominion ranking to Ollivier; some said Laurenson would-wear down anything; a few thought of Sturt, New Zealand semi-finalist. But no one gave Les Knott a serious chance of beating the best and providing the best games of tie Auckland championship tourney.

T AST year’s champions have gone the way of withered laurels, not one of them surviving. True Miss May Speirs was not here to defend the singles, and A. W. Sims did not partner Miss Beryl Knight in the mixed doubles, but the other titleholders, Bartleet in the singles, Bartleet and Robson in the doubles, and Misses Knight and Colebrook in the women’s doubles, all went down. The one player who cannot be included in the general tumbling down is Miss Marjorie Macfarlane, who was in England last' year. She took the women’s singles for the fifth time, her other wins being in 1921, 1924-25-

FIVE TIMES CHAMPION. —Miss Marjorie Macfarlane;, who won the Auckland singles title for the fifth time yesterday. With Mrs. Marshall, she also won the women’s doubles championship of the province. 2G, and she was virtually defending her title. The new champions of the Auckland Province are: Men’s Singles: L. G. Knott. Women’s Singles: Miss Marjorie Macfarlane. Men’s Doubles; L. G. Knott and N. Sturt. Women’s Doubles: Miss Marjorie Macfarlane and Mrs. Marshall. Mixed Doubles: Miss Dulcie Nicholls and H. Brinsden. KNOTT’S GREAT FORM Of the finals, the men’s singles was by far the exciting. Knott made the pace from the start and all through Laurenson hung on gamely. “Can Knott hold his burst of brilliancy against the doggedness and experience of the ex-champion?” was the question which thrilled the spectators. It seemed that he must let up, especially when Laurenson hung to him grimly in the third set, evening the games time after time. But Knott was out to win by force and not to be worn down in a gruelling five-set i atch of comparative “soft-stuff.” He reproduced His amazing form against Sturt and stepped o the court the man who had shown himself the best singles player of the tourney. The French influence had evidently made itself felt in Knott, for he found his most effective attack in the slammed forehand, the quick run in and the smash into the corner. Laurenson was outplayed, but he was always an unknown quantity, .capable of coming back with a fine recovery. The first two sets were plainly Knott’s. His over-spun forehand straight down the line or across court could be covered by only a weak return, even if Laurenson could get to them. The Matamata medical man is usually quick to anticipate, but Knott had him out of position time after time. With his back against the wall at I—31 —3 in the third set, Laurenson showed what he was made of, and going in to the net treated the crowd to some delightfully angled volleys. Knott, taking his service, took a Iqve game to lead 4—3, but Laurenson made sure of liis serve, and fought hard to even the score at 5 all and 6 all. It is to the colt’s credit that he did not let up the pace at this critical stage, but still punched his shots and won his serve. Two brilliant volleys and a fine smash by Knott put Laurenson down o—lo0 —10 on his service, and at 15—40 he netted, and “game set match'’ was called, amid a burst of cheering. It was a popular win. CHAMPION AGAIN Starting with a love game on Miss Knight’s service, Miss Marjorie Macfarlane beat her opponent in the next with three nice backhands down the line and led 2 —o. She was ahead 3 —l, but in the next game Miss Knight’s cut forehand gave her trouble. Finishing a love game with an agled volley, the Remuera girl was ahead 4 2. In the important next game Miss Knight returned the punched drives and smashed well to win it after a deuce. Winning her service Miss Macfarlane was leading 5 —3, but tlie Eden and Epsom woman notched a love gan)p on her service. Forceful serving and driving gave the set to Miss Macfarlane 6 —4. The second set was not as interesting, both girls making more errors. Miss Macfarlane ] stepped out into a long lead at 5 —2. The last game. Miss Macfarlane serving, went to five deuces before game, set and match went to Miss Macfarlane. BRINSDEN’S TACTICS H. Brinsden has not been mixed and men’s doubles champion of Auckland on several occasions for nothing, lie is the shrewdest head in city tennis and his driving, and smashing carry all his weight behind them. In tlie final I of the mixed doubles he was backed ! by Miss Dulce Nicholls and the two I of them were too much for Miss Beryl | Knight and M. L. Lampe. There was some crisp tennis in this game, but neither of the beaten pair struck top form. In the first set Lampe went ahead, 3 —o and 4—l, but Brinsden evened at 4 —4. Again Lampe led 5 i, but Brinsden made sure of his service and came ahead 6 —5. Lampe evened, only to lose the set. 6—B. The second set showed a falling off for Miss Knight and Lampe, Brinsden getting ahead. 3—l and 4 —2. Miss Nicholls was playing good tennis and Lampe was missing overhead too often. TWENTY-TWO GAME SET } Courarge to go to the net at every ! opportunity gave the first set to Mrs. Marshall and Miss Macfarlane in the [ final of the women’s doubles, in which

they met Miss Ramsay and Miss Nicholls. The tennis was. not spectacular. too many errors spoiling the rallies. Miss Macfarlane was sure overhead and Miss Ramsay was on her game, but tlie other girls were erratic. Mrs. Marshall led 2—l, 4—2 and 5 —3. and took the set 6—4. Superiority of placement gave Miss Macfarlane leads of 2—o and 4—3 in the second set. She dropped her service to go behind 4 —5, but Miss Nicholls did the same and the score was 5 all. Again Miss Nicholls led 6 —5 and the games were evened. Coming ahead 7 —6 Miss Macfarlane lost the match game and then led B—-7, only to lose the even game again. The match see-sawed on until 10 all at which stage Miss Macfarlane came ahead to win 12 —10. These 22 games were not marvellous tennis, Mrs. Marshall being decidedly off overhead. FIVE HARD SETS Errors spoilt the first set of the men’s dokibles between Knott and Sturt and Griffiths and Brinsden. The combination of the colts was not clicking in its usual style, while Brinsden played a sterling game. Knott took the first game, and led 2—l, but the older men gathered themselves,, and forced the pace to lead 4—2. Sturt was losing his serve regularly, and he was off with liis driving, tvhile Knott was missing easy volleys. Brightness came in patches. Griffiths ran out, 6—3. The second set saw the colts' picking up their game, and becoming accurate overhead. They led 4 —l, and made the sets 'l all. All players warmed up to the third set:. Griffiths volleying brightly, and Brinsden often beating the others with sideline drives. The games were even at 2 —2, 3 —3, 4—4, and then Knott took the set, 6 —4, and led by two to one. Coming back strongly, the older men notched the fourth set, and they seemed to be lasting the distance better than the others. Knott and Sturt, though obviously tired, made a good finishing effort, and the tennis rose to heights of volleying —allies and pretty drives. Knott and Sturt proved themselves, and "took th.e last set, 6—4. OTHER GRADE FINALS The final of the B grade singles was worth watching, N. W. Bowden (Remuera) and Stallworthy (Parnell) driving crisply and volleying cleanly. Repeating his performance in the semifinal, Bowden pulled the match out, after being down by one set to two. C. G. Bowden (Remuera) played a heady game in the final of the C grade singles against McDonald, and he was altogether too stead:/. The second set was a runaway, McDonald getting five points in the first game, and seven in the next five. A neat snicking of the ball just over the net by . Miss Rukutai was the deciding factor in the C grade women’s doubles, won by Misses Leng and Rukutai. By coming to the net, Miss Knell and J. N. Wilson proved themselves much superior to Miss Harvey and Bates in the final of the qjixed doubles. Results of the play: MEN’S SINGLES Final L. G. Knott beat Dr. Laurenson, 6—4, WOMEN’S SINGLES Final Miss Marjorie Macfarlane beat Miss Beryl Knight, 6—4, 6—2. MEN’S DOUBLES Final L. G. Knott and N. Sturt beat E. W. Griffiths and IT. Brinsden, 3—6, 6—2, 6—4, 3—g, 6 —4. WOMEN’S DOUBLES Final Mrs. Marshall and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane beat Misses Dulcie Nicholls and J. Ramsay, 6—4, 12—10. MIXED DOUBLES Third Round Miss Whitelaw and Turner beat Miss Ramsay and Chisholm 6—3, 6—l. Semi-final. Mrs. Nicholls and Brinsden beat Miss P. Miller and A. C. Johns, 6—4, 5—7, 6—2. Miss Knight and Lampe beat Miss WhitelaW and Turner, 6—3. 6—4. Final Miss Nicholls and Brinsden beafe Miss Knight and Lampe, B—6, x 6—2. MEN’S SINGLES, B GRADE Final N. W. Bowden beat Stallworthy, 4—6, 6—2, 3—6, 6—l, 6—2. MEN’S SINGLES —C GRADE Final C. G. Bowden* beat G. McDonald, 6 —2, 6—U. WOMEN’S DOUBLES —C GRADE Final Misses Leng and Rukutai beat Misses Bryant, 6-—2, 3—6, S —6. WOMEN’S SINGLES, C GRADE Final Misses C. and D. Bryant decided to toss rather than play for the-title. MIXED DOUBLES, C GRADE Final Miss Knell and j. N. Wilson beat Miss Harvey and Bates, 6—3, 6—2. FRANKLIN MATCHES WAIUKU BEATS MAUKU (From Our Own Correspondent) WAIUKU, To-day. Waiuku defeated Mauku by 10 matches to 4. Results: — Men’s Singles.—Ohlson 9 beat Willis 4; Smith 4 lost to Fulton 9. Men’s Doubles.—Ohlsori and Howden 9 beat Willis and Fulton 7; Smith and Munro 9 beat C. Willis and Wright 5: James and Barriball 9 beat Gillon and Zinzan 8. Women’s Singles.—Miss Meiklejohn 6 beat Miss Zinzan 2; Miss Arkle 6 beat Miss Care 2. Women’s Doubles.—Misses Meiklejohn and Arkle 4 lost to Misses Zinzan and Care 6; Misses Brighouse and Glynes 6 beat Mrs. Swinbourn and Miss Willis 0; Mrs. Barker and Miss Dohnt 4 lost to Misses Knight and Holder 6. Mixed Doubles.—Miss Brighouse and Howden 7 beat Mrs. Swinbourn and Willis 1: Mrs. Glynes and Munro 7 beat Miss Willis and Wright 6; Mrs. Barker and James 7 beat MiSs Knight and Gillon 4: Miss Dohnt and Barriball 6 lost to Miss Holder and Zinzan 7.