BRILLIANT TENNIS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 January 1939, Page 6

BRILLIANT TENNIS

NORTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURE HAWKSWORTH WINS MEN’S TITLE. doubles to ferkins COMBINATION. P. Hawksworth, of Masterton, won the men’s singles title at the Noith Island tennis championships yesterday with a brilliant win over R. McL. Ferkins, fourth ranked Wellington player. Ferkins, who had won the Wairarapa championship for three years in succession, was never in the picture. Hawksworth set a scorching pace from the outset and his vicious forehand drives within inches of the side and base-lines enabled him to gain the upper hand and sweep through to success in three straight sets.

It was almost impossible to fault Hawksworth and his sustained accuracy and blistering pace gave Ferkins no chance. It was not a great tennis final, but as a spectacle it was outstanding. Hawksworth simply swept through at hurricane speed, serving driving, smashing and volleying immaculately. He was complete master of every situation and his dominance never allowed Ferkins to rise above the role of a mediocre opponent. It was the first time that a Wairarapa player has won the North Island title and it was also the first time that Hawksworth has reached the final of the Wairarapa championship. Competent judges agree that few players in New Zealand could have stopped Hawksworth on the day.

S. Painter was not at his best in his semi-final with R. Ferkins and he went under in two quick sets. Hawksworth and G. A. Pearce lost their 7 Wairarapa doubles title when they went under to Ferkins and Ferkins in a keen, sparkling three set match. The holders won the first set easily, but then the Ferkins brothers came on to their game and by storming the net gradually broke up their opponents’ game. In face of the speed and accuracy of the Ferkins pair Hawksworth and Pearce fell into errors and by the time the third set was reached they were definitely on the defensive The turning point of the match v/as at 4-all when Pearce dropped his service.

The match provided some delightful interludes- and at times play rose to a high standard. _ . .■. There was an upset in the semi-final of the ladies’ championship singles when Mrs Cotterill, of Hawke’s Bay, defeated Miss Z. Castle, Wellington, in two sets. Mrs Cotterill won because she was the steadier player and throughout maintained an excellent length and a nicely varied pace. Miss M. Glenny and Mrs G. Cotterill played a long drawn out match in the. final of the ladies’ championship singles. It was steady rather than good tennis, both players being content to remain on z the base-line and concentrate on long, deep drives. Mrs Cotterill was inclined to force the pace but she found Miss Glenny sound on both hands and she occasionally fell into errors. Games see-sawed in both sets, with Miss Glenny always playing a shade better.

The final of the men’s doubles was a keen entertaining match. Ferkins and Ferkins, however, carried too many guns for K. W. Dyer and S. Painter and they won in straight sets. R. Ferkins was tiring badly after a strenuous afternoon and it was left to M. Ferkins and Painter to provide the highlights.

A. M. Johns, a promising Palmerston North player, won the boys’ singles final, defeating G. V. Buick, Masterton, in straight sets. The combined doubles, which are well advanced, remain to be completed today, together with several handicap finals. Results after going to press yesterday were as follow: — CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S SINGLES. Semi-finals. R. McL. Ferkins beat S. Painter, 6/3, 6/0. Final.

P. Hawksworth (Masterton) beat R. McL. Ferkins (Wellington), 6/3, 6/1, 6/2. LADIES’ SINGLES. Final. Miss M. Glenny (Hawke’s Bay) beat Mrs G. Cotterill (Hawke’s Bay), 8/6, 7/5. MEN’S DOUBLES Semi-final. R. Ferkins and M. Ferkins beat P. Hawksworth and G. A. Pearce. 1/6. 6/4, 6 '4. Final. R. Ferkins and M. Ferkins boat K. W. Dyer and S. Painter, 6/2, 6/3. COMBINED DOUBLES Fourth Round. Sharp and Miss Glenny beat Pearce and Miss J. Forrester, 3/6, 7/5, 6/3. BOYS’ SINGLES. Semi-final. A. Johns beat A. Andrew, 5/6, 6/4, 6/0. Final.

A. M. Johns (Palmerston North) beat G. V. Buick (Masterton), 6/2, 6/2. (An error occurred yesterday in reporting the result of the final.)

HANDICAPS A GRADE MEN’S SINGLES, Fourth Round. G. McLeod (owe 15) beat H. M. A. Major (rec 15), 9/7. Semi-final. F. W. Morrell (15 4-6) beat G. S McLeod (owe 15), 9/2. Final. F. W. Morrell (15 4-6) boat C. K Long (roc 15 4-6), 9/2.

MEN’S DOUBLES. Semi-final. Final. C. J. Carle and F. W. Morrell (30) beat Barton and Smith (30), 9/6.

LADIES’ DOUBLES rj First Round. f Misses Castle and Sturrock (owe 15 2-6) beat Mesdames Hawksworth and j McLeod (owe 15), 7/6. i Semi-final. c Misses Castle and Sturrock (owe 15 2-6) beat Misses Cavaghan and Ben- ( nett (rec 15 4-6), 7/3. ( Final. Misses Edge and West (rec 15 3-6) beat Misses Castle and Sturrock (owe ] 15 2-6), 7/6. ’ COMBINED DOUBLES. Second Round. Faulknor and Miss Rishworth beat K. Dyer and Miss Castle (owe 15 2-6), 8/4. Third Round. Smith and Miss Bolton (rec 30) beat Clarke and Miss Bell (scr), 8/1; Faulknor and Miss Rishworth (15) beat Brown and Miss Hosking (15), 8/6. Fourth Round. Smith and Miss Bolton (rec 30) beat Marsack and Miss Percy (rec 15), 8/2. B GRADE MEN’S SINGLES. Final. M. Fallooh (4-6 15) beat N. Wyeth (rec 15), 9/8. LADIES’ SINGLES. Second Round. Miss Peg Jameson (scr) beat Miss M. James (rec 15 2-6), 7/6; Miss P. Longton (owe 3-6 15) beat Miss B. Holmes (rec 30), 7/3. Third Round. ! Miss P. Longton (owe 15 2-6) beat Miss J. Mulvaney (15), 7/1. Fourth Round. I Miss P. Longton (owe 15 2-6) beat Miss Peg Jameson (scr), 7/5. LADIES’ DOUBLES Second Round. Semi-finals. i Misses Beavan and Wylie (4-6 15) I beat Misses Bolton and Holmes (30), : 7/4. Final. I Misses F. and N. Wrigley, (30) beat ( Misses Beavan and Wylie (4-6 15), 7/3. i ■ ’ THE LAST DAV t PROGRESS IN COMBINED DOUBLES ‘ HANDICAP AND OTHER MATCHES ’ The concluding games at the North Island tennis championships are being played today at the Masterton Club , courts. ’ Results up to the time of going to press were as follow:— ; CHAAIPIONSHIPS ) - COMBINED DOUBLES. ’ Third Round. 3 P. Hawksworth and Mrs Hawksworth beat R. McL. Ferklns and Mrs Ferkins, 6/3, 6/3. 3 Fourth Round. 1 R. Sharpe and Miss M. Glenny beat K. W. Dyer and Miss Z. Castle, 6/1, 6/2. Semi-final. P. Hawksworth and Mrs Hawksworth beat O. Bold and Miss J. Betts, 6/8. 6/4, 6/1. HANDICAPS A GRADE COMBINED DOUBLES. , Second Round. P. Hawksworth and Mrs G. McLeod (owe 4-6 15) beat G. McLeod and Mrs P. Hawksworth (owe 4-6 15), 8/6. t Semi-final. ’ N. Groves and Miss Holder (30) beat N. Faulknor and Miss Rishworth (15), 8/3.