LAWN TENNIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

TARANAKI TOURNAMENT RESULTS OF FINALS WAVERLEY PLAYERS’ WIN. Although in some cases the eventual winners had a surprisingly easy time, good tennis was seen in the Taranaki tennis championships at New Plymouth on Saturday. The title-holders are:— Men’s Singles.—A. Dickie (Waverley). Men's Doubles.—A, and E. Dickie (Waverley). Combined Doubles.—J. J. McCarthy (Hawera) and Miss B. Griffiths (Auckland). Women's Singles.—Miss Griffiths. Women's Doubles.—Misses Griffiths and A. Graham (Waverley). Boys’ Singles.—R. Payne (New Plymouth). Girls’ Singles. Miss D. Dickie (Waverley).

Disappointing Final. The men's singles final was disappointing, for McCarthy could no,, get going properly. Arthur Dickie was at the top ot his form and after the first half uozen games it was clear that he would win. They were even at three-all in the first set and McCarthy had held his opponent well with his tactics of slowing up the game. Dickie was given lew cnances of driving and had to rely on his service or on placing to gel to the net. McCarthy was not as accurate thereafter and Dickie was able to lake the initiative and hold it. Able to come to the net, the Waverley man was able to tuck away neat volleys for winners. Volleying Duels. As usual the men's doubles provided the best tennis of the day though one of the semi-finals and the final were won easily. A. and E. Dickie did not have to show their best to beat Chapman and Maguire, but there were some good volleying duels. In the other semi-final Strombom and Hale recorded a good performance to beat Nodder and McCarthy, though again McCarthy was not at his best. Strombom played his usual good strokes and when the pressure was on in the third set Hale struck a brilliant patch, being deadly overhead. In the final the Dickies gave their customary fine display and lost only four games in the two sets. Eric was i the freshest of the four and domi- ' nated the first sei, in which he scored, heavily with fast cross-court forehand shots. Strombom played better in the second set, but then A. Dickie came

i up with his brother to drive the other I pair from the net in some sparkling exchanges at close quarters. One of the achievements of the tour-

I nament was the success of Mrs. T. F. Warren in reaching two finals, Ihe women's doubles with her daughter and the combined doubles with A. Dickie, for, in addition to playing her matches, she had to take her share of Ihe organisation of the tournament and assist with the catering. In the combined doubles final she and Dickie [started well against McCarthy and 1 Miss Griffiths to win the first set com--1 fortably. Dickie was powerful oyerhead and his partner played a clever game with many neat interceptions. In the second set McCarthy began to find some of the touch that had been missing all day and, with Miss Griffiths surprisingly fresh after a heavy day, the set went to them. As the South Taranaki players had to get away the deciding set was begun at 7.25, the failing light troubling Mrs. Warren. McCarthy overshadowed Dickie in this set and lie and his partner went on to

a good win. Miss K. O'Sullivan gave Miss Griffiths a hard game in the woman's final. Miss Griffiths was at the top of her form in the first set and clever

placing had Miss O’Sullivan beaten for many points when her powerful driving seemed to be giving her an advantage. In the second set, however, Miss O’Sullivan gave as good as she got, and her hard, fast service, which frequently left Miss Griffiths standing, was a powerful weapon toward her win at 7— 5. That set was the best of the final. In the third set Miss Griffiths used all her courtcraft and her experience told. The match ranked with the girls’ final as the closest of the tournament. Women’s Doubles Final. In the women's doubles final Misses Griffiths and Graham were just 100 strong for Mrs. Warren and Miss Warren. Mrs. Warren, however, made some good interceptions and was sound overhead, which led her opponents into errors through trying to put the I ball out of her reach. They re-[ peatedly drove out and did not steady down to their usual game. Miss Warren covered the baseline vrey efficiently and came up to the net to good purpose when opportunity offered. A minor surprise was created by the win of Miss D. Dickie in the final of the girls’ singles, for Miss B. Warren showed up more prominently at the New Zealand junior championships, where Miss Dickie won the plate. Miss Warren, playing an attractive allround game, took the first set fairly comfortably. Miss Dickie, however, struck a good length with her raking drives and won the second, winning many protracted base-line rallies. The deciding set was hard fought, Miss Warren varying her game to try to break up the play of the Waverley girl. She was not successful and, though it was anybody's game till the final point, Miss Dickie carried off the title.

FOR THE DAVIS CUP THE DRAW ANNOUNCED ENGLAND TO PLAY N.Z. IN SECOND ROUND NEW YORK, Feb. 4. The Davis Cup draw is as follows: First Round.—Australia v. Mexico, the winner playing Philippines. Second Round.—Cuba v. Canada, the winner playing Japan. Third Round.—Brazil playing the winner from all foregoing. Matches in the European zone will be:— Yugoslavia v. Ireland, Rumania v. Hungary; Poland v. Netherlands; Germany v. Switzerland.

Second Round.—England v. New Zealand; Norway v. Czechoslovakia; Belgium v. India; Italy v. Monaco; Sweden v. Denmark; France v. China. AUCKLAND CHAMPIONS WINNERS OF FINALS. I Pei Press Association.J AUCKLAND, Feb. 5. The Auckland Lawn Tennis Association's annual championships were finalised on Saturday afternoon after having been postponed from the previous Monday owing to rain. Results:— Men's Singles.—N. F. Bedford beat N. G. Sturt 6-4, 5-7. 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Ladies’ Singles.—Miss M. Beverley beat Miss E. Plummer (Wellington) 6-1, 6-2. Men's Doubles.—R. W. Griffith and M. T. Wilson beat Bedford and J. W. Gun 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. Ladies’ Doubles.—Misses N. and M. Beverley beat Misses B. L. Bishop and P. Cooke 7-5, 6-3.

The combined doubles had previously been decided, the winners being W. T. Pountney and Miss N. Beverley. Miss M. Beverley retained all three intermediate titles, the girls’ singles and the girls’ doubles with Pountney. A. S. Burns, New Zealand junior champion, won both the intermediate and junior singles and the intermediate boys’ doubles with B. Broun.