South Yorkshire Times and Express, September 1st 1951
Wath Man is Northern Champion
Tennis Success in Veterans’ Event
Percy Farthing of Wath-on- Dearne, well known South Yorkshire lawn tennis enthusiast, set the seal on a long and successful playing career when he won the North of England Veteran Singles Championship at Scarborough last week. This is a coveted title, ranking second only to the Southern Championship for veterans which is played at Eastbourne later this month.
Farthing beat his old friend and Hallamshire clubmate, Ernest Hampson, who is this year’s president of the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Association 6-4, 6-2 in the semi-final. This was an impressive performance in view of the fact that the Wath man was conceding a point a game. In the final Farthing had a keen tussle with R. S. Johnson (Chapel Allerton) and eventually won 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. In the final set Farthing was at one time losing 4-2 and was within a point of being 5-2 down. His characteristic tenacity, however, pulled him through for a very well merited victory.
A former member of the Wath and Mexborough clubs, Farthing has twice won the open singles championship of the Mexborough and District L.T.A. and has also twice carried off the Men’s Open Doubles and Mixed Doubles Championship.
In partnership with Hampson he was also runner-up for the North of England Veterans’ Doubles Championships, the couple losing to C. W. Banks and A. Heron (Chapel Allerton), the holders,