A DAILY SURPRISE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1939, Page 6

A DAILY SURPRISE

AT N.Z. TENNIS TOURNAMENT BIGGEST UPSET YESTERDAY. AUSTRALIAN WOMEN BEATEN IN DOUBLES. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 5. The New Zealand lawn tennis championships at Wilding Park have produced their daily surprise, but today came the biggest upset so far. Misses M. Hardcastle and T. Rice, the visiting Australian players, who were expected to dominate all the events in which they competed, were beaten in the semi-final of the women’s doubles by Misses I. and T. Poole, Canterbury, in one of the best matches of the tournament. It was a hard-fought match in which the home players proved just as sound as the visitors in all-round play and rather more enterprising in their work at. the net. The Misses Poole who won the championship two years ago, will have as their opponents in the final Misses D. Miller (North Otago) and R. J. Wilson (Southland), who gained a decisive but not altogether expected win ovei’ Misses P. Cooke and B. L. Bishop (Auckland). Results in details: —

WOMEN’S SINGLES. Semi-final. Miss M. Hardcastle (Australia) beat Misses D. Miller (North Otago), 6-2, 8-6. MEN’S DOUBLES. Semi-finals. E. A. Roussell and R. McL. Ferkins (Wellington) beat H. A. Barnett and A. R. Cant (Canterbury), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. J. W. Gunn and N. F. N. Bedford (Auckland) beat A. D. Brown and C. Angas (Canterbury), 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2. WOMEN’S DOUBLES. Semi-finals. Misses D. Miller (North Otago) and R. J. Wilson (Southland) beat Misses P. Cooke and E. L. Bishop (Auckland), 6-4, 6-1. Misses I. and T. Pool (Canterbury) beat. Misses M. Hardcastle and T. Rice (Australia), 2-6, 6-2, 7-5. WOMEN’S PLATE. Semi-finals. Miss P. Cooke (Auckland) beat Mrs C. B. Beatson (Nelson), 7-5, 6-8, 7-5. Miss N. Beverley (Waikato) beat Miss J. Douthett (Wellington), 6-4, 6-3. TODAY'S SEMI-FINALS. CONCLUDING PLAY TOMORROW. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) 'CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. High-class tennis was witnessed by a large gallery at Wilding Park this afternoon when players who had survived the eliminating rounds in the New Zealand lawn tennis championships were matched to decide who should be finalists tomorrow, when the tournament concludes on the centre court.

This afternoon’s series commenced with the women’s singles semi-final, the contestants being Pre slightlybuilt Australian girl, Miss Thelma Rice, and Miss Rebe Wilson, of Southland, who caused an upset earlier in the week when she eliminated Miss B. L. Bishop. H. A. Barnett, who has only once beaten C. Angas, and that victory was gained on a hard court, tried to repeat the performance this afternoon. Angus was equally determined to win, for victory today would put him into the final and give him a splendid opportunity of regaining the title which he held in 1929 and 1931 The conditions were fine and warm, and the courts were very fast, following on a week of dry weather. Play began a 1.30 p.m.