CHAMPIONS DOWNED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 600, 28 February 1929, Page 11

CHAMPIONS DOWNED

EDEN AND EPSOM WIN INTERCLUB TENNIS A TWO-SET MARGIN By a margin of two sets in a keenlyfought inter-club series, which finished five matches each way, Eden and Epsom regained the club premiership from Remuera on Saturday after a lapse of two seasons. Surprising in a way. Remuera’s downfall might be attributed in some degree to the absence of Miss Marjorie McFarlane. New Zealand champion. and H. L. Brinsden, but as against that, Eden and Epsom deserved its splendid win, and with a bit of luck, might have made it even more in its favour. Right up to the last match, the two clubs were lighting a ding-dong battle. : Remuera had five wins and Eden and Epsom four when Griffiths and Robson and \. R. Johns and Rowlands came . out to contest the final match. Remuera started off well, taking the first t •4 b ~ 1 * Johns a nd Rowlands rose to it in the second, which they won 6—4, and the fate of the championship hinged on the result of the final set. It was a great tussle all the wav, the games running evenlv to a 6—5 lead by Remuera. only to end in Eden and Epsom taking the set. S—6. It was a splendid finish to an evenlycontested series. Rowlands, who has considerably improved his doubles play this season, was exceptionally good over-head, his smashing being strong and deadly, while his volleying was sound and well-placed. Johns played ms usual solid, consistent game, and it was no disgrace to Griffiths and 1 Robson to lose to the Eden pair the j losers putting up a great fight all I through. The other doubles match between Bartleet and Sturt and A. C. Johns and Morrison produced some brilliant tennis. The match was even till the last set, when, chiefly as a result of line serving and driving by Bartleet, and clever net play by Sturt, Remuera won the set, 6—3.

Bartleet played erratic tennis in his singles match against Morrison. The Remuera champion, however, started brilliantly, his serving and driving being much too severe for Morrison in the first set, which Bartleet won 6—2. Morrison rallied well in the second, his greater accuracy giving him the set by the odd game. In the third, Morrison hung on grimly to the champion, and, taking toll of Bartleet’s high percentage of errors, led at one stage, 3—4. He was unlucky to lose the next game after leading 15—40 on Bartleet’s service, but the latter rose to it finely after that, and won 7—5. Morrison deserves credit for the way he extended the champion. V. R. Johns started oft' brilliantly against Sturt, the former leading s—-2 in the first set before Sturt started to pick up the leeway. Johns, however, won 6—5, and started off again in the second with a strong lead. Sturt finally won by the odd set, and in the linal showed that he had something in reserve by putting down his tired but plucky opponent with strong placements to the tune of 6—3.

Eden and Epsom secured two good wins in the ladies’ singles. Miss Ramsay shaded Mrs. Scott-Watson in a long and strenuous tussle by her slightly greater accuracy, and Miss Newton was too steady for Miss Marion Macfarlane.

Iho doubles, on the other hand, both went to Remuera. Fine combination by Mrs. Shroff and Mrs. Scott- YVatson was the deciding factor in their game against Miss Ramsay and Miss Newton, although the former especiallv made a splendid fight of it. Miss Macfarlane and IVliss Wilson won by a convincing margin against Miss Griffin and Miss Maxwell. Miss Wilson volleyed nicely, and she and her partner were too good at the net for their opponents. In the combined doubles (both of which went to Eden and Epsom), A. O. Johns and Miss Maxwell won in two straight sets against Robson and Mrs. Shroff, the Epsom pair working splendidly together. Rowlands’s smashing and net interceptions were the dominating feature of the other game, in which he and Miss Griffin proved too good for Griffiths and Miss Wilson. INTER-HOUSE TENNIS LANDS AND SURVEY TEAM TAKES CUP Lands and Survey tennis players won the final of the Pascoe Cup competition last evening at Clive Road tennis courts. After its good win against the Bank of New Zealand in the semi-finals. Lands and Survey was expected to make things difficult for Auckland Savings Bank, which had notched Macky, Logan’s in the other semi-final. The win was decisive, as Lands and Survey won all the sets. Play was fast and was a fitting final to the business houses’ competition.

Details are, Lands and Survey play ers being mentioned first:

Aldred beat Harrison, 6—3. 6—4; Crocker beat Ewen, 6 —3, 6—2; Roberts and Storey beat Barrett and Wilbourne, 10 —8, 6 —4.

After the match, the cup was presented to the winning team by Mr Hugh Thompson.