LAWN TENNIS

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 174, 22 July 1916, Page 16

LAWN TENNIS

Lawn tennis has gone ahead by leaps and bounds in the Argentine of late. Some five years ago the British residents of the Argentine ran the game in that country, and played it amongst them selves, as the natives of Argentine showed little interest or curiosity in a match, and they made no effort to play. Xow things are different, for at least 75 per cent of the entries in the open tournaments are from Argentine players, and the percentage is still creeping up. When a visitor plays at first in the Argentine, the peculiar atmospheric conditions puzzle him—the unusual clearness makes the court appear 6hort, making the players misjudge the ball. The courts are made of brickdust—that V, the best grade baked red brick r

crushed, and the dust used. Properly laid down the result ia excellent; the colour is most pleasing to the eye and the balls do not readily discolour. The surface dries splendidly and quickly even after the most violent rain. The courts are marked with hoop-steel stapled every six: inehea, and the lines are painted white, being one and a-quarter inches wide. Most of the courts have a darkgreen background—either an ever-green hedge or a board back-stop painted green. One or two clubs have tried grass courts, but the season during which they can be used is extremely short, and at the beet they are only second-class courts. Even artificially lighted courts are now the rage, and night tournaments have become most popular. Handicap tournaments are the rule in Argentine, because there are so many new playere who desire to improve their game by the experience gained by playing in tournaments, and at the came time they wish to have the sporting chance against the better players. The two finest courts in the Argentine are at the Belgrano Athletic Gub in Buenos Aires. The unusually brilliant li»bt lasts all the year round, and the climate ie 60 ideal, from a tennis player'e point of view, that it is usually posaible to play forty-eight week-end's out of the nity-t wo. The clifunpioriArVii ps, wiiicb carry the title of "Champion of the .River Plate," are held in May of ea-eh rear under the auspices of the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club.

In hie interesting and readable biography of that great patriotic sportsman, the late Anthony Wilding, Wallis Myers makes the following comparison between the two greatest lawn tennis pavers Australasia, and perhaps the world, has produced:—"There is little doubt that Brookes has more inherent genius as a champion than his great rival. He was the artist, Anthony wa= the athlete. As a server and a volleye; the latter ncr approached the master. Brooke6 may be described ac a bom player, although he remodelled one or two important departments before his great eminence was reached. Wilding was essentially a player brought to maturity by arduous practice, the eradication of fundamental faults, the careful protection of his splendid physique. Nevertheless in a series of matches played under first-class conditions, with bobh men in good health, it is probable that Wilding would have had a majority of victories to his credit, for, in order to | l'old his opponent he did not have to! impose such, a Qn.ijj system, . . . My.ownbejief is, and shared by others, that Wilding, as he played against MeLaughlin in 1913, would in a fiveeet match have defeated any other I player who has ever been seen at! Wimbledon. In connection with the' above, it is interesting to record that Brookes and Wilding met each other five times under match conditions. The Victorian beat the New Zealander in the final of the championship of Victoria event in 1906. At the Eiviera tournaments, in March, 1914, played on bard courte, Wilding won, 6— J, 6—2, 6—l, at the Cannes Beau Site meeting, and again at 6—2, 6—2, 6 —2, at the Cannes Carlton meeting. In the grand test, however, at Wimbledon, in July, 15*14, Brookes defeated his Davic Cup colleague in the challenge match for the championship of the world, 6— i, 6—l, ~ —5." In the subsequent practice matches played in America, when preparing for the Davie Cup contests. Wilding was invariably successful, an ali-out match, played at Oswenteia, Canada, resulting in the New Zealander winning at o—3, G—L.

In an interesting article on tennis in New Zealand, a writer in a Christ- ■ church exchange has the following >n 1 reference to the game in 1897, when the 1 Aucklander, J. H. Hooper, was at his ■ best:—During the 18D7 season E. G. Meers visited New Zealand. Mr. Mcers was one of the best playere in England at the time, and was considered one of the greatest authorities on the game. He coached such well-known players as H. S. Mahoney, W. C. Eaves, and E. H. Doherty, two of whom afterwards held the championship of England. Considerable importance can therefore be attached to his criticism. He expressed himself as being surprised at the allround general knowledge of the game, and the style of play compared very favourably with the best English players. Just at that time the game seems to have been particularly strong in New Zealand. iA glance at the names of the aspirants for championship honours will show what a good lot were following the sport. A classification made at the time places the best known players ai follows:—Hooper and Parker scratch, J. M. Marshall, B. D. Harman, and Collins rec i-15; P. Marshall, C. Gore, H. M. Gore, and Fisher, rec. J-15; Styche, Ross. Borrows and Peel. Tec. 15; Garcia, C. F. Adams, Broad, and Harold, rec. 15}. ■ Hooper was New Zealand champion; Parker champion of Christchurch; C. Gore champion of Wellington; and A. Burrows, champion of Otago. A change in the secretaryship of the New Zealand Association took place that year, Mr. F, Kebbell being replaced by Mr. ). Paton. The championships for 1898 were played for in Dunedin. This meeting was notable for the success of several young players who had been showing remarkable progress during the previous season or two. Chief among these was C. C. Cox, of Christchiurch, who beat Parker and J. M. Marshall, and obtained the championship by vanquishing his club mate, J. U. Collins, in the final. Collins had accounted for Gore, who had beaten Fisher. The latter player had earlier in the meeting caused surprise by beating J. C. Peacock in the first round. The next year caw the (Taranaki Association affiliating with the parent body, bringing the number of , affiliated associations up to eeven. There I were also signs of a renewal of life in most of the provincial associations. The efforts of many of the officials apparently were beginning to bear fruit. The game was taking a great hold on the public, and new clube were springing up everywhere. The game had come to stay, and the various associations ■were made busy catering for it. I [Owing to a misunderstanding the i last paragraph of the article appeared last week, which might make it appear

to those not conversant with the game that the championships had been played this year. The names, however, would disabuse followers of the game of this idea, besides which all those interested are aware that all matches have been abandoned during the war.]