LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2490, 4 December 1901, Page 58

LAWN TENNIS.

BY RACQUET.

The Championship meeting, to be held at Auckland in Christmas week, does not promise to be nearly so interesting as was last year's meeting at Christchurch. Hooper is ill and will not be able to play, and Parker is still in England. With these two formidable players out of the way, Peacock would seem to have a splendid chance for championship honours, aud Aucklanders pin their faith to him.

The presence of the Victorian players at Christchurch made that tournament especially exciting, but it is highly improbable that they will come over again this year. Canterbury, which usually sends a large contingent, will be represented by one or two players, chief among whom are Fisher and Miss Nunneley, who hold the combined championship, and who, in all probability, will carry it off again this year. If Fisher is playing in good form, he will g'ye Peacock a great game for the Championship Singles, and I would not be surprised if he beat him, as Fisher is a most brilliant player when he once gets going. It seeme that these two players are going for the Ohampionship Doubles together, and if this is so the event is almost certain to fall to them.

. The Auckland Association are trying to induce Miss Payten, the lady champion of Wew South Wales, to come over. This young lady, though only 19, is a most brilliant player, and volleys and smashes like a man. If she does come, Miss Nunneley wil lhave to play hard to keep her position as lady champion of the colony, and the contest between the two should prove very exciting. Jf Miss Payten volleys as well as she is reported to, she will probably beat Miss Nunneley, as the latter lady never attempts to volley and cannot lob, but trusts to her beautiful driving, which has always pulled her through. So far as I can gather, no players" from Otago or Southland are going to Auckland, but a fair number both from here and Invercargill are going to Ashburton. I would rewind intending competitors for this tournament that they will have to look sharp and engage rooms at Ashburton, as the place is likely to be quite full. This tournament will be a fine chance for oui players to measure^ themselves against the players of rival associations, and so show whether tennis in Dunedin has improved or not. I hope to see one or two prizes come to Dunedin.

The thirty-second intercolonial match between New South Wales aud Victoria; has

just been played, and resulted in "Victoria winning by 5 points. The courts were very damp *md s-lovr, a«ul put the N.S.W. mm off their game to a grcac extent, which accounts, perhaps, for their defeat.

Dunlop, who holds the championship of New Zealand at present, was badly beaten in all his matches, but he had a big excuse, having played i« the finals of the South Yarra Electric Light tournament the night before, which had played havoc with his eyesight. Brookp?, the Victorian, proved the best man in the match, going through without a defeat, beating such men as Rice, Irving, and Wright, and only losing one sec altogether. Unfortunately for Canterbury. Collins is unable to get away this year. He is now generally recognised to be the best double player in the colony, and he and Wilding, or he and Fisher, would probably have pulled off the doubles "Wellington will be represented by the (lore brothers and Laishley, and these players should give a good account of themselves.