TENNIS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 162, 22 April 1935, Page 3

TENNIS.

HARD-COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS. Provincial hard-court championships were revived for the first time in several years on Saturday, when the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's Easter open and handicap tournament was commenced in Christchurch. The open events will carry a% additional prizes the titles of Canterbury hard-

court championships for the 1934-35 season. Several Ashburton players took part. In the men's championship singles, P. McLauchlan was defeated by H. A. A. Barnett, 6-2, 6-0, in the first round. In the first round of the championship doubles R. G. Pattinson and MdLauchlan suffered defeat by 6-3, 7-9, 8-6 at the hands of M. McGillivray and R. Bell. Competing in the men's handicap singles (second round), McLauchlan (owe 40) beat E. F. Pattinson (owe 15) 9-5. In the mixed handicap doubles (first round) Miss T. Newton and J. D. Coward (owe 15', 4-6) lost to Mrs R. Freeman and W. Thom (owe 15).

ROME TOURNAMENT. AUSTRALIANS SUCCESSFUL. ROME, April 20. The Australian tennis players made a successful debut, Hopman playing at his best. Quist's partner (in the mixed doubles), Mile. Payot, was not quite up to her usual good form. In the mixed doubles Hopman and Jedrejowska beat Brugnon and Goldschmidt, 6-2, 6-2. In the men's doubles Hopman and Palada beat Sabbadini and Deminerbi, 6-3, 6-4, 0-6, 6-3. The Australian pairs, Crawford and McGrath, and Turnbull and Quist, were both successful in the doubles.

F. J. PERRY'S FUTURE.

LAST YEAR AS PLAYER. NEW YORK, April 20. F. J. Perry, the English lawn tennis player, prior to his departure for England aboard the Berengaria, in an interview with the "New York Times," declared that he expected to take part in important tournaments in England during the coming season, starting with the Bournemouth hard court championship on April 29. "This is the jubilee year and I shall do what I can to win the Davis Cup for England for another year," said Perry. He intimated that the current season would be his last active year as a player and that he would probably accept a motion picture contract next year. ( Perry praised the development of young Australian players, adding that in his opinion Australia and America had the best tennis outlook. In another interview Perry said, "I am entirely at the disposal of the British Lawn Tennis Association. Of course it may say, 'We do not want you,' but until it does I ain going to remain an amateur. As to my ■engagement to Miss Maryi Lawn, that is off." Concerning the motion picture offer and professionalism, which might have meant 100,000 dollars to him, Perry said, "Actually I almost signed the picture contract. All I had to do was to put my name on the dotted lino and collect, but I could not do it. Idq not want to be a professional. I know that if I turned professional there would be no question of the Davis Cup going from England. We waited too long to get it to give it up so soon. I think it my dirty as an Englishman to help to defend it again and, besides, this is the King's jubilee year."

THE MELBURY TOURNAMENT. LONDON, April 20. In the finals of the tennis tournament at Melbury H. W. Austin defeated Rogers 6-1,: 6-2, and Miss D. Round defeated Miss K. Stammers 8-6, 6-0.