LAWN TENNIS

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916, Page 16

LAWN TENNIS

The balance-sheet of tie La to Tenuis Association of Anetralasia shows that there is an amount of £3547 3/8 at credit of the Daris Cap account (of which £1,154 17/8 wa3 derived from matches played in Anstralaeia), and the general revenue account shows a credit I balance of £455 S/.

Douglas Stanley, of Montelair, KJ., tells this etory of a "Hun" racket in "American Lawn Tennis":—l thought some account of my friend, F. W. Don-nistho-rpe. and his "Hun" racket, might! be of interest to your readers, as it brings out the necessity of defining and , bruiting the size of a tennis racket. Realising that one loses points b/l missing the ball, hitting it on the wood or any way not in the centre of thn racket. Donnisthorpe. being of an inventive turn of mind, ordered from Slazengere. in London, a racket three inches bigger all around, nine inches I longer and six broader in the face. He had the handle made shorter so that l y e centre of the racket was in the same place as usual. With this horrible weapon he took us all on at the Drive Club. London, and beat us all, including C PDiion, whom you all know over here, in three straight sets. He also beat Cowdrey and Hieronfi at Queen's Club. London, and again, in a return match, defeated C. P. Dixon in straight sets recently. The effect of this racket is that he gets everything back, softly, and h">s a tremendous reach at the net, and he i never miscues. The racket i≤. of necessity, soft, and go there is no "ping" to hie drives, which are as soft ac possible. They come up a very long way. and it feels as if he were doing a sort of lob all tbe time. He has a useful chop passing shot, and with this seems to deal effectively with any volleyer. On the occasions that he has been beaten it has been by very clean, hard, accurate driving. We called it the "Hun" racket, as it seems so barbarous and murderous a weapon to all unhappy people who have faced its deadly fire.

Miss Bjurstedt, the Xorse girl -who is I champion lady player of tie United States, was pitted against X- B. Griffith, the Rochester City champion, in an exhibition match. The match -was played in the covered courts building at the! Exposition Park Bu : ldin<r. The court] was of cement, and "JectricaUy lighted-1 The lady took the first set easily from ber lengthy opponent at 6—3, and her j play was full of aggressiveness and bril- j lianec She led 5—3 and 40 love in tbe ; second 6et —just one ace for match; but Griffith pulled himself together, and with a fine display of all-round tennis saved the pame and won the set at 7—5. although all his frames won went to deuce. He took the third set at 6—3, and thus ! saved his skin. He drove the lady to I repeated faults by sheer exasperating I steadiness, and the mare excited she be- . came the coaler he waj*. One match was enough; he is now looking for a return.