Down to Semi-Finals

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 550, 31 December 1928, Page 11

Down to Semi-Finals

Excitement at the Tennis

SPLENDID WOMEN’S DOUBLES

|>EDI CTION to the semi-finals of the women’s singles and I* doubles tennis championships was made to-dav in dull weather at Stanley Street. A feature of the afternoon s plav was the splendid doubles m which Misses Nicholls (Wellington) and Howe lost to Misses Wake and Speirs (Canterbury). The other three pairs in the doubles semi-final are Mrs. Melody and Miss Myers, Mrs. Adams and Miss Traev and the Misses Macfarlane.

INTO the semi-final of the women’s singles are Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland), Mrs. Adams (Wellington), Miss Speirs, the holder (Canterbury), and Miss Tracy (Wellington). In the fourth round of the men’s singles are Bartleet, Angas, Stedman, Malfroy, Sturt, France and Glanville, with one match of the third to play. In the semi-finals of the women’s singles Miss Macfarlane meets Mrs. Adams, and Miss Speirs should beat Miss Tracy. Sturt and Malfroy play Angas and France in the top semi-final of the men’s doubles and Stedman and Charters wait for the winner of the Bartleet- l>aurenson v. Johns-Morrison match. All the best men are into the fourth round of the men’s singles. Bartleet Angas, Laurenson, Stedman, Malfroy, Sturt, France and Glanville.

STEDMAN BEATS LAMPE With surprising ease the young Aucklandex' A. L. Stedman disposed of the Wanganui veteran in the third round of the singles this morning. Stedman played forceful tennis, outdriving his opponent. Lampe began •with a love game on service and quickly ran into a 3—l lead. Then Stedman struck his game and took five games on end and the set. The second set gave Stedman a 2 —o lead. Lamoe broke through service to take the third, but the Aucklander romped to the end of the set, losing only another eight points. He was 3—o in the third set and 4 —l. A love game on service gave him the sixth game and the last he took to 15. The Wanganui man was outdistanced and his tactics could not baffle Stedman. STURT GOES WELL

Norman Sturt (Auckland) was going in excellent stylo against Lowry (Hawke’s Bay), and he dispatched him with the loss of only four games. Lowry won service to love and dropped behind I—s, length and force of driving forcing him into errors. The games were all short ones. He again took the first game in the third with good serving, but Sturt led 3—l and 4—2 and took the set with the loss of another three points. The third set went to the Aucklander wiL out even a deuce.

FRANCE’S CUTS Baffled by France’s tactics and by his splendidly placed chops and cuts, Watson, of Otago Varsity, took only four games in the three sets. In the first two sets Watson won his - service twice. The third began more hopefully for him, and he led 2 — o. The Wellingtonian, playing his shrewd quiet game, made the Otago man do all the chasing for the next six games, which went to France. Angas (Canterbury) did not lose a set against the Auckland colt Gregory, who had been lucky enough to get defaults in the first two rounds. A WELLINGTON AFFAIR

An excellent match to watch, full of hard driving and vigorous rallies, was the Wellington affair between Rhodes Williams and Malfroy. The first set was a marathon running to 18 games. Williams, beginning with a lone game, was ahead ’2—l. but Malfroy caught and led him 3—2 and 5—3. Taking three games on end Rhodes Williams was in striking distance of the set, but Malfroy came level and got the advantage at 7 — 6. Williams, sticking to the other man and playing a fine game, led B —7, but his fight was unavailing. Malfroy taking the next three games. The tight continued with vigour at the beginning of the second set, but Malfroy wore down the opposition to take it, 6 —l. Williams came buck strongly in the third to get a 4 —l run. The sixth game was tremendously long, but Malfroy turned the corner and took the next five games and the match. GLANVILLE WINS

As was expected. G. Martin (Auckland) hung on grimly to Canterbury’s second man. Glanville. The Southerner kept a game ahead to 4—3 in the first set, and then notched the last two games. In the second he led s—l, but Martin slogged in his serve and played a great game to catch up and get ahead 6 —5. Glanville responded by collecting the next three games. The opposition was broken in the third set. BARTLEET EASILY Against the Maori player Jones, Bartleet lost two games, both in the second set. in a very uneven exhibition, Auckland’s hope in the singles driving and serving with force and Precision. ENTERED SEMI-FINALS With a 6 —o rush Miss Tracy opened out in good style against the other Wellingtonian, Mrs. Melody, in the third of the women’s singles. The games were a little more even than the score indicates, but the older player found her strength of cutting was too well known to Miss Tracy. Mrs. Melody steadied down to take the first two games in the second and to lead 3—2 and 5—4. Miss Tracy evened and took three games on end, the last two being won with the loss of one point. SOUTHERNER OUTED

Miss Marjorie Macfarlane romped through another round at the expense of Miss Gibson, the Southern hardcourts expert. There were some good driving duels, but Miss Macfarlano usually finished these off with u shrewd Placement. Miss Gibson was weak on her back-hand, and ran round a great many balls to use her forehand, a procedure that opened up too much court for her own good. Miss Macfarlane won easily with the toss of only three games. LOST AFTER LEADING

To fail after gaining substantial leads in each set was the lot of Miss Myers (Wanganui) in her game against Mrs. Adams (Wellington), the champion of 1926. The Wanganui girl, hit- \ IT *S her forehand well, led 2—l and °—2 in the first set, and the set looked tmain at 40 —0. But the Wellington "oman staved off four match points and went to gather the next four games ‘tPd the set. 7—5.

Failure to keep plugging away at the Wellingtonian’s back-hand seemed h> turn the scale. Mrs. Adams was in better form in the second set and she took the first two games. Miss Myers bucked up and was ahead 4 —3, but she fell behind 4 —u, and then evened 5-all. It was Mrs. Adams’s turn to jose set points and three of them went before she took the match 7—5.

MISS SPEIRS IN FORM "Driving in her best style. Miss May the holder of the championship, "as too strong for Miss Dulcie Nicholls 'Welington. Nevertheless, Miss Nicholls played a heady game, and was ahead. 3—l and 4 — t, int the first net. Pretty placement saved •

Miss Speirs, and she drove through the next four games. The second set was not nearly as even, Miss Nicholls getting only the fourth game. Miss Speirs won the last two to love. ENTWISTLE FIGHTS HARD Retrieving with an energy unrivalled in the morning’s play, Entwistle (Remuera) stuck to Laurenson in a four-set match, the Waikato man losing a f*et to him. Laurenson played with his head, and kept the other man running. Most of the games were fought out. In the second set Entwistle struck a good patch to lead 2—l and 4 —3. Going for everything in the third set, Entwistle got a 5—3 lead and after being passed at 5 —6 he took three games on end. Laurenson was plainly superior in the fourth, LEFT-RIGHTERS TOO GOOD Charters and Stedman started a wulk-away against Lowry and Glanville* and when the score was five love the Southern combination had scored only two points. They took the next game, but lost the set on the following game. The Southerners put up a better performance in the next set, but w’erc not equal to the other combination of right and left-handed players, and in the third set the local pair again ran away to win 6 —l. Lowry and Glanville made far too many errors.

Turner and Turner, two varisity players, played a bright best against France and Angas, seeded players, but they fell a long way short. France let the Canterbury man do most of the work, and he seemed to enjoy it. There were some good rallies. VARIED FORTUNES Johns and Morrison had tilings very much their own way in their first set against Lampe and Rhodes-Williams. The Eden and Epsom pair were lacking in some of their combined efforts, and Johns was guilty of poaching on more than one occasion, but lie made up for this by playing a game for which he is establishing a reputation as a doubles player, and he was well supported.. Rhodes-Williams was noticeably off his shots. The next set saw more opposition, and it went to advantage before it also fell to the local players. However, the third set saw Rhodes-Williams and Lampe walk away to s—love and then the set at 6 — l, but this wa% wiped out after the spell by Morrison and Johns taking the fourth set and the match without losing a game. CHAMPION EASILY,,

An easy win fell to Mrs. Adams and Miss Tracy, the holders of the doubles title, in the second round. They were much too strong in all departments for Mrs. Arneil and Miss Ramsay, who, though a good pair, played their usual steady game. With Mrs. Melody cutting off at the net and Miss Myers sure of her ground strokes this combination of Wellington and Wanganui accounted for the two Canterbury girls, Misses May Andrew and M. Gibson, in the second round of the doubles.

The older pair quickly had their opponents defending and they took the first set with the loss of one game. Lobbing nicely and placing with better skill, the Southerners went much better in the second set. Thd*y led 3 —l and 4—2, and then fell back into defence again, to allow the others to win six games running. Miss Gibson played a remarkably steady game, but Miss Andrew did not reproduce her first day’s form, and Mrs. Melody’s cut troubled her. EVERYONE LAUGHED "" One of the most delightful matches of the tournament so far was between Misses Nicholls and Howe and Misses Speirs and Wake, the latter winning on an advantage third set. The first set went to the Canterbury pair, 6 —4, and the Wellington pair took the next, 6 —2. All the players were playing lip to form and there were frequent bursts of applause. The third set, from a spectator’s point of view, was delightful. Misses Howe and Nicholls started with a lead of 2 —love, and the scores went 2—all and 3—all. Miss Howe then dropped her service, and Miss Wake went to 40—love on hers, only to lose the next five points in a row, and the game. At 4—all there was an extraordinary rally. It went to no fewer than 62 strokes, practically everything being played from the back line. At 40 the crowd was in smiles’. At 50 the crowd was laughing and the players were smiling. At 60 practically everyone in sight was laughing. Then Miss Speirs came in to finish it off and a couple of strokes afterwards she put a full volley over the back line. It was rather a tame end to a remarkable piece of play. The scores went to s—all and then 6 —5 i n Miss Speirs’s favour, and on her service at 15 —40 the pair rallied and won the next four points and the match. To-day’s results are:—

MEN’S SINGLES Five advantage sets. Holder, G. Ollivier (Canterbury). 4 . Third Round —C. Angas (Canterbury) beat J. L. Gregory (Auckland), 6 —o, 6 —o, 6 —o. A. L. Stedman (Auckland) beat M. L. Lampe (Wanganui), 6 —3, 6—l, 6 —l. N. G. Sturt (Auckland) beat J. N. Lowrv (Hawke’s Bay), 6 —2, 6 —2, 6 —o. A. L. France (Wellington) beat J. A. F. Watson Otago), 6 —l, 6 —l, 6 —2. H- F. Glanville (Canterbury) beat o. Martin (Auckland), 6 —3, S—6, 6 2. C. E. Malfroy (Wellington) beat T. Rhodes Williams (Wellington), 10—S, 6 1, 6 —4 . E. L. Bartleet (Auckland) beat P. te H. Jones (Maori), 6 —o, 6 —2. 6 —o. J. T. Laurenson (Waikato) beat VV. H. Entwistle (Auckland), 6 —2, 6 —4, 6 —S,

- MEN’S DOUBLES Holders. E. L. Bartleet (Auckland) and J. T. Laurenson (Waikato). Second Round —A. C. Johns and M. M. Morrison (Auckland) beat M. L. Lampe (Wangam*) and T Rhodes-WUUams (Wellington). 6 —2. « —o, * —b. b —u. Third Round—A. C. Stedman (Auckland) and J. C. Charters (North Auckland) beat D. F. Glanville (Canterbury) and J. N. Lowry (Hawke’s Bay), t>—l, jJ’’ l. France (Wellington) ami C. \neras (Canterbury) beat A. K. Turner and E. H. K. Turner (Auckland), b—l. 6 ■■ -I, b — l.

WOMEN’S SINGLES Holder. Miss May Speirs (CanterbUThird Round —M iss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) beat Miss M. Gibson (South Canterbury), 6—l, 6—2. Mrs. R. P- Adams (Wellington) beat Miss M. Myers (Wanganui), 7—5, 7—,5. Miss M. Speirs (Canterbury) beat Miss X) Nicholls (Wellington), 6 —4, 6 —l. Miss M. Tracy (Wellington) beat Mrs. W. J. Melody (Wellington), 6 —o, 7—3.

WOMEN’S DOUBLES Mrs. W. J. Melody (Wellington) and Miss Sr. Mvers (Wanganui) beat Misses M. Andrew and M. Gibson (Canterbury), 6—l, 6—4. Mrs. R. Adams and Miss M. Tracy (Wellington) beat Mrs. Arneil (North

Auckland) and Miss J. Ramsay (Auckland). 6 —l, G—l. ..ADD Second Round Results Misses Speirs and Wake (Canterbury) beat Misses D. Howe and D. Nicholls (Wellington), 6 —4, 2— 6, S— 6. -MIXED DOUBLES Three advantage sets. Holders: Miss M. TracS r and X. R. C. Wilson (Wellington). First Round—Mrs. H. Jones and J. D. -Tones (Maori) won by default from Miss P. Miller and A. C. Johns (Auckland). Miss D. Nicholls (Wellington) and N. Sturt (Auckland) won by default from Mrs. Napier and I. D. Coster (Auckland). Second Round —Miss Marjorie Macfarlane and C. E. W. Macintosh (Auckland) beat Miss D. Howe (Wellington) and E. W. Griffiths (Auckland), 7—5, 7—5.

Miss Nicholls and Sturt won by default from Mrs. Jones and Jones. Miss Myers and Lampe (Wanganui) beat Miss Whitelaw and A. Iv. Turner (Auckland), 6— 2, 6—3. Mrs. R. P. Adams and A. I-. France (Wellington) beat Mrs. Scott-Watson and A. C. Stedman (Auckland), 7 —3, 6-- 4. W. J. Melody and Mrs. Melody (Wellington) beat J. C. Charters and Mrs. Shroff (Auckland), 7—5, 6—o. Miss M. Tracy and C. E. Malfroy (Wellington) beat Miss T. I). Newton and T. R. Turei (Auckland), 6—o, 6—l. GIRLS’ SINGLES Holder, Nancy Fleming (Otago). Second Round —Molly Hooton (Auckland) beat Ida Nixon (Auckland), 6—4. 6— 4. Phyllis Conway (Auckland) beat Barbara Stedman (Auckland), 6—o, 6— 2. Esther Dickson (Auckland) beat Ethel Thorn (Auckland). 6—2. (J—o. Third Round—Madeline Eliot (Canterbury) beat Mavis Howe (Wellington), GIRLS’ DOUBLES Best of three advantage sets. First Round—Madeline Eliot (Canterbury), and Mavis Howe (Wellington) beat Esther Dickson and Betty Rich-White (Auckland), 6—l, 6—3. Lesley Adams and Ida Nixon (Auckland) beat Barbara Stedman and Cecily Bell (Auckland), 6—l, 6—3. Mary Hall and Ruth Taylor (Auckland) beat Joyce Travers and Kathleen Milne (Auckland) by default. Molly Hooton and Betty Griffiths (Auckland) beat Marie Colson and Patricia Buddie (Auckland), 6—4, G—3. BOYS’ SINGLES Three sets, last one advantage. Holder, H. A. Barnett (Canterbury). Second Round—H. A. Barnett (Canterburv) beat B. G. Thomson (Auckland), 6 — l, 6 — 2. W. G. Robertson (South Canterbury) beat E. A. Roussell (Wellington), 6—4. 6—5. J. S. Wilson (Auckland) beat J. L. Moir (Auckland) by default. B. W. Brownlee (Auckland) neat T. N. Keeps (Waikato) by default. L. George (Auckland) beat T. Burns (Wanganui), 6—l, 6—2. R. Howe (Wellington) beat J. Knowling (Auckland) by default. B. W. Brownlee (Auckland) beat L. George (Auckland), 6—o, 6—o. R. Newman (Nelson) beat M. Ferkins (Wellington), 6—4, 6—4. R. Howe (Wellington) beat W. H. McDonald (Auckland), 6—l. 6—4. It. Howe (Wellington) beat W. McDonald (Auckland), 6—l, 6—4. THIRD ROUND R. Howe (Wellington) beat J. S. Wilson (Auckland), 6—o, 6—o. BOYS' DOUBLES Best of three advantage sets. R. Newman (Nelson) and H. A. Barnett (Canterbury) beat J. L. Moir and J. S. Wilson (Auckland) by default. W. G. Robertson (Canterbury) and E. P. Drew (Otago) beat D. E. Scott and W. H. McDonald (Auckland), 6—l, 4—6. 6—l. A. L. Morpeth and B. G. Thompson (Auckland) beat F. B. Court (North Otago) and R. F. East (Wellington), S—6, E.’ A. Roussell and R. Howe (Wellington) beat R. R. Lees and W. B. Sutherland (Auckland), 6—4, 6—5. Second Round—W. G. Robertson (Canterbury) and E. P. Drew (Otago) beat R. S. Milne and S. R. Walton (Auckland), 6—2, 6—3. H. A. Barnett (Canterbury) and R. Newman (Nelson), beat A. L. Morpeth and B. G. Thompson (Auckland), 6—2, 6 — 2. A. D. Long and M. Ferkins (Wellington) beat T. H. Wilson and L. G. Wilson (Auckland), 6—4, 6—2. J. Cooke and B. W. BroAvnlee (Auckland) beat J. Heets and T. Heets (Waikato) by default. E. A. Roussell and R. Howe (Wellington) beat J. Cooke and B. W. Brownlee (Auckland), 6—o, 6—o. JUNIOR MIXED DOUBLES (Three Advantage Sets.) First Round—Jean Chambers (Auckland) and F. B. Court (North Otago) beat Esther Dickson and J. Dickson (Auckland), 6 —4, 6—3. NEW ZEALAND PLATE Holder, C. Angas, Canterbury. First Round —J. C. Charters (North Auckland) beat S. J. Robinson (Auckland), 6—3, 6—2. M. M. Morrison (Auckland) beat R. P. Adams (Wellington), 6—l, 6—l. A. M. Nicholson (Auckland) beat S. C. Thorne (North Auckland), 6—3, 6—3. H. B. Howe (Wellington) beat R. MoL. Ferkins (Wellington), 6—l, 7 —5. E. W. Griffiths (Auckland beat A. Iv. North (Auckland), 6—4, S—6. A. K. Turner (Auckland) beat F. R. Chisholm (Auckland), 6—4, S—6.

PLATE FIELD GRIFFITHS THE FAVOURITE The draw for the New Zealand Tennis Plate for players put out in the first two rounds of the men’s singles was made to-day. There are 18 entries, and E. W. Griffiths (Auckland) seems to be the favourite for the event. The draw is as follows: First Round—J. C. Charters v. S. J. Robinson, A. K. Turner v. F. R. Chisholm. Second Round —S. Lamb v. C. C. Chalmers; R. P. Adams v. R. McL. Ferkins; W. J. Melody v. winner ChartersRobinson; A. S. Gray v. winner TurnerChisholm; E. W. Griffiths v. R. A. North; W. G. Robertson v. R. V. Bundle, A. M. Nicholson v. S. C. Thorne.

CHAMPIONSHIPS AT REMUERA The Auckland Lawn Tennis Association began its handicap tournament this morning on the Remuera Club s lawns in Market Road. The results are as follow: MEN’S SINGLES First Round—Brown beat Wilson, 6 —-2, 6 —3; Wilson beat Fernandez, 6 —2, 6 —o: Robbins beat Ernst, 6 —2, 6 —2; Cheal beat Bowden, 6 — 4, 6- —5; Wallace beat McDonald, 5— 6, 6 —4, 9—7; Kerr beat Forbes, 6 —l, 6 —3; Mclnness beat Bartleet, 6 —o, 6 —2; Wilson beat Murray, 3— 6, 6 —l, 6 —3; Bundle beat Turner, 6 —5, I— 6, 6—3; Mclnness beat Cooper, 6 —5, 6 —3. Second Round—Carter beat Potter, r, 5, 4— 6, 6 —4; Bowden beat James, 6 —4, 6 —4; Roberts beat Neal, 6 —3, 6 —2; Sutherland beat Barfoot, 6 —5, 6 —4; Davie beat Hay don, 6 —4, 6 —5; Bush ell beat North, 6 —3, 6 —3; Potter beat Brownlee, o — 6, 6 —l. 9—7. MEN’S DOUBLES

First Round —Upton and Thomson beat Turner and Bundle, 6 —4, I—6, 6—4. WOMEN’S SINGLES First Round —Miss D. Weston beat Miss Hickman, 6 —4, 6 —4; Mrs. Latta beat Miss P. Weston, 6—3, 6—3; Miss Litten beat Miss Gray, 6 —o, 6 —2; Miss Major beat Miss Nell, 6 —3, 3— 6, 6 —l; Mrs Needham beat Miss Wann, 6 —3, 6 —l; Miss Walker beat Miss Chambers. 6 —4, 6 —4; Miss Potter beat Miss Johns by default. WOMEN’S DOUBLES First Round—Miss Nell and Miss Walker beat Miss Johns and Miss Brownlee, 6—7, 6—5.