Eight Titles Claimed

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 552, 3 January 1929, Page 12

Eight Titles Claimed

CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS

May Speirs Wins Two Finals

EIGHT of the tenuis championships were decided at Stanley Street yesterday, May Speirs (Canterbury) collecting two titles. The question to be decided to-day is whether she can repeat her .1925 performance and win the singles as well. Bartleet was much above Laurenson in the semi-final of the singles and to-day he plays the final once again, this time not against Geoff Ollivier, but C. Malfroy, the young W ellingtonian.

CANTERBURY has, so far, won three titles, and had a hand in the winning of three more, while Auckland has taken one championship and the Plate, and helped to win one. Wellington and Otago were both represented in the winning of one event. The three most important events, men's and women’s singles and men’s doubles, are to be played to-day, and Auckland has a fighting chance of taking them all. NEW TITLE HOLDERS The new champions are as follow: Mixed Doubles —Miss May Speirs and C. Angas (Canterbury). Women’s Doubles —Misses May Speirs and M. Wake (Canterbury). Boys’ Singles—Ll. A. Barnett (Canterbury). Girls’ Singles—Ruth Taylor (Auckland). Boys’ Doubles—W. G. Robertson (South Canterbury) and E. P. Drew (Otago). Girls’ Doubles Madeline Eliot (South Canterbury) and Mavis Howe (Wellington). Junior Mixed—Molly Hooton (Auckland) and PI. A. Barnett (Canterbury). New Zealand Plate —M. M. Morrison (Auckland). So far the only one of last year’s title holders to survive the final has been the Southern youth Barnett. Fighting gamely, last year’s doubles champions, Mrs. Adams and Miss Tracy, who won thee event at Christchurch rather easily through the retirement of M iss Speirs, went down in three sets to the Canterbury pair. Misses Speirs and Wake. Miss M. Tracy (Wellington) also made a great effort to keep her mixed title, which

she won with Noel Wilson. She and Malfroy failed before Miss Speirs and Angas. JUNIOR FINALS Sheer refusal to be bustled resulted in Barnett beating the hard - hitting Robertson in the final of the boys’ singles. The Timaru lad was ahead

5 —4 in the first set, and 5 —3 in the second, but he lost them 5—G, beating himself with errors. Ruth Taylor, who plays B grade tennis for Eden and Epsom Club, had a fairly easy win from Betty Griffiths in the final of the girls’ singles, her stroke equipment being too powerful, though the smaller girl hung on and proved that she knew the game. Miss Griffiths was in the girls’ doubles final also, with Molly Hooton, but the combination of Timaru and Wellington was too strong for the Northerners. Robertson and Drew, strong school boys of whom more will be heard, won the boys’ doubles, and

Barnett and Molly Hooton went through ; the junior mixed. Barnett won two out !of the three events ; for which he was eligible, and he was ■ in the three finals. Morrison, Lden and Epsom champion, caught E. W. Grif- : fiths a little off his \ game in the final of the Plate, and went home in two sets, fairly easily.

BARTLEET AT HIS BEST Probably the easiest win he has ever had over the Waikato man and exchampion of New Zealand, Dr. J. T. Laurenson, was enjoyed by Edgar 33 artleet yesterday afternoon. It was Bartleet at his best, his forehand cross-court going with the precision of clockwork, his service kicking up from the court, and his overhead stuff carrying a punch. Laurenson never looked like winning, though he led 5 —4 in the second set. Lack of practice in the town he lives in has had its effect on the doctor, and his opponent’s hard game destroyed his usual equanimity. The lesson of the Auckland championships, when Knott drove Laurenson off the court, had evidently been taken to heart by Bartleet, and lie, wisely, never allowed his game to slow up. Playing as he did yesterday, the Aucklander should beat Malfroy in three sets and claim a title at which he has knocked for years. After 2 all in the first set Bartleet did not look back. Pour games on end went to his hard, wellplaced drives and his splendid service. Laurenson’s retrieving powers being broken down by pace and placement. Prom dominating play in the first set, Bartleet fell behind 2 —3, 3—4 and 4 5 in the second, games following service, Laurenson’s backhand going in with effortless nicety, the Auck-

lander’s cross-court fireworks and his services came to light again, and his angled volleys were good to see. Pie took two of the last three games to Waikato was out of it in the thlU A hl t game railing to stand the pace. He also was guilty of grievous errors like double faults. MALFROY’S recovery After failing to strike form in the to light rtf' France, Malfroy came" angled vonl a P r , etty net of tooiv- U. 1 ®. ys and - hard smashes. He loos me games in a line and wi« ~t be befo™ R thC T in rhe"second egg. “ f ° France broke his duck’s tiUl a r f^^anTcoffling" effeitively had charge at 3—2 As and try to^the t fj Il£ } nd f’ to deserve his eny tu final of the event. MIXED FINAL .lit. .ml Angas. TAera .was little

between the pairs, and the beaten couple Miss Tracy and Malfroy, lost by a trifle —doubtful decisions going in the balance against them. Then they took a love game, Malfroy being lucky enough to hit Angas with a smash which was going well out. and they

evened at 2—2. Angas got some surprises when Malfroy returned his kills. Malfroy took his serve and ran ahead 4—3 on Miss Speirs’s, Miss Tracy’s lobs being most useful, because of Canterbury’s uncertainty overhead. The Southerners were sure of their ground strokes, and they fought to 4—4 and 5—4. The last game of the set, Malfroy serving, went to four deuces, the turning factors being Angas’s retrieving and smashing, and his partner’s fine driving. Recovering amazingly and plaving tricky stuff at the net, the Wellingtonians had their opponents thinking hard in the second set. Miss Tracy was delightfully cool-headed and Malfroy did his share of the finishing-off. They came ahead 3—l, and should have been 4—2 but for a wrong decision and a double fault by Malfroy. The games went to 3 —3 and Miss f.Peirs took her serve with comparat.ye case to have the advantage 4—3. Wellington took the eighth and Angas i a.n out to 40—0 on his service only to drop it through his partner’s mistakes and lag 4—o. Malfroy lost servico and advantage and the games Canterbur The final two went to The semi-finals of the mixed were also played yesterday. Wanganui played brilliantly to get 4 0 and 5 3 against Miss Speirs

and Angas, but Canterbury steadied down to an uphill fight and- took four games in a line, and the set B—6.8 —6. Miss Myers and Lam pc could not reproduce form in the second. Too many mistakes marred the other semi-final between Miss Wake and Glanville and

Miss Tracy and Malfroy. Canterbury could not get the second set after a 5- advantage. CANTERBURY AGAIN Miss Wake was a tower of strength I for Canterbury in the final of the | women’s doubles, and Miss Speirs had the courage of her ground shots, but she was off badly overhead. Canterbury took the first set fairly easily, only to fall behind o—4 to the champions, Mrs. Adams and Miss T.racy. The Wellingtonians made a success of their one-up and one-back game in spite of its obvious weakness, to take the set 6—3. Canterbury came again in the third to 2—o, and play was remarkably even to 6—6, net duels between Misses Speirs and Tracy being frequent. For a Dominion final the play was not up to high standard, too many errors coming in. Results of yesterday’s play: MEN’S SINGLES Holder: G. Qllivier (Canterbury). Semi-finals: E. Malfroy (Wellington) beat A. L. France (AVellington), 3—6, 6—l, B—6, 6—2. ,E. L. Bartleet (Auckland) beat J. T. Laurenson (Waikato), 6—2, 7—5, 6—2. WOMEN’S DOUBLES Holders: Mrs. R. P. Adams and Miss Tracy (Wellington). FINAL: Miss M. Speirs and Miss M. Wake (Canterbury) beat Mrs. Adams and Miss Tracy (Wellington), fi—3, 2—6, S—6. MIXED DOUBLES Holders: Mrs. Adams and Miss Tracy (Wellington.) Semi-finals —Miss Speirs and Angas (Canterbury) beat Miss Myers and Lampe (Wanganui), s —6, 6—2. Malfroy and Miss Tracy (Wellington) beat Glanville and Miss Wake (Canterbury), 6—2, 7 —5 FINAL: Miss Speirs and Angas beat Miss Tracy and Malfroy. 6—4, 7 —5. BOYS’ SINGLES Holder, 11. A. Barnett (Canterbury). Final—H. A. Barnett beat W. G. Robertson (South Canterbury), 6—5, 6—5. GIRLS’ SINGLES Holder: Nancy Fleming (Otago). FINAL: Ruth Taylor (Auckland) beat Betty Griffiths (Auckland), 6—l, 6 BOYS' DOUBLES FINAL: W. G. Robertson (South Canterbury) and E. P. Drew (Otago) beat R. Newman (Nelson) and H. A. Barnett (Canterbury), 6—3, 6—3. GIRLS’ DOUBLES FINAL Madeline Eliot (South Canterbury) and Mavis Howe (Wellington) beat Betty Griffiths and Mollie Hooton (Auckland), JUNIOR MTXED DOUBLES FINAL: Molly Hooton (Auckland) and Barnett (Canterbury) beat Rutli Taylor and Walton (Auckland), 6—4, 6—3. NEW ZEALAND PLATE Holder C. Angas (Canterbury. Final.—M. M. Morrison (Auckland) beat E. W. Griffiths (Auckland). G—3. HANDICAP TOURNEY FINAL RESULTS The final results yesterday afternoon in the Auckland Tennis Association’s

handicap tournament were as follow: Men's Singles—Robbins, pwe 2-ti 15, beat Davie, scr, 6—4. 2—6. 6—2. Woman’s Singles—Mrs. Latta. scr, beat Miss Knott, owe 30, 6—l. 6—-4. Women's Doubles—Final: Misses Potter and Knott, owe 30, beat Miss Major and Mrs. Gay, owe 50, 6—4, 6 1. Men’s Doubles—Cheal and Wallace, rec 2-6, beat Melnness and Mclrmes, rec 15, 7—5. 6—3. Mixed Doubles—Roberts and Miss Major, scr, beat Potter and Miss Potter, owe 15 3-6, 6—4, 3—6, 6—4.

TARANAKI TOURNEY .(From Our Own Correspondent) NEW PLYMOUTH, To-day. The Taranaki championships began yesterday, the chief surprise being: the defeat of A. G. Wallace, former Dominion doubles champion, by 11. Wills, of Hawera. France is expected to arrive for the singles. Aucklanders in the singles are: Entwistle, Stednian (*2). A. IT. McDonald, V. A T . llubble and J. C. Charters and L. T. Pickmere, Wharigarei, and A. E. McCracken, Hamilton. Visiting northern lady players include Misses B. Campbell, Ramsay and MeCrea, Auckland. Mrs. Arneil and Misses JTigglnson, Mathieson and Stevens, Whangarei. Mrs. R. P. Adams has entered, but whether she will arrive in time to play is still doubtful. Results are: Men's Singles—First round: A. E. McCracken beat G. C. JLegard, 3—6, 6—l, 7—5; c. B. Webster beat S. White. (s—o, 6—o. Second round: McCracken beat G. Wills. 7—5. B—6; H. Wills b*a t A U Wallace, 3—6. 6—4. 7—5: V. N. Hubble beat L. K. Thompson. 6—2, 6—2. Women's Singles—First round* Miss Mathieson beat D. Raker, 6—3, t>—l : Miss Higginson beat Miss P. Baker, 6—4. 6—2. Second round: Miss M. Stevens beat Mis? O. Shaw, 6—l, 6—2; Mrs. I. Grant beat Miss B. Campbell. Women’s Doubles—Misses Higginson and Nutling, Misses Campbell and McCrae. and Mrs. Arneil and* Miss Stevens all won their first round. Mixed Doubles —A. IT. Richards and Miss Mathieson and Pickmere and Mrs. Arneil had easy victories. Hubble and Miss Haase were beaten bv Stratford Berg and Mrs. Berg. 7—5. 6—3