LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 76, 29 March 1924, Page 21

LAWN TENNIS.

(By HALF-VOLLEY.*

CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES. Otago—Easter Holidays. 10-.M. Walkato—Eiister Holidays, IKMBirltenliead nnd Nortacote Handicap Tour nn in en t — E lister. Veterans' Championship- End of March. Father nnd Son Cham plonsuip—Knd of .March.

Players of the vurious i-luba took advantage of a tine Saturday and the absence of interclub matches, to play off their "home" games. At Renmera a fair number of enthusiasts assembled to see Griffiths and Robson fight out the semi-final of the club championship. They were rewarded by a splendid ronlest, the result of which was in doubt right up to the last stroke in the fifth set. Griffiths led two sets to one, but Robson. by determined play, took the fourth at"o—4, and squared the match. liobson started serving in the fifth. He was putting a lot into his service and getting a big break, varied occasionally with a fast straight one. Griffiths, however, stood well in and played it on the rise or right oil the top' of the bound with his forehand. He took the first game to love, chiefly owing to Robson's errors. Griffiths' delivery whs very innocent-looking compared to his opponent's, but it was well placed and kept low, giving Robson little opportunity of a winning shot, A good length drive to his opponent's forehand gavo Griffiths the first point. Robson got to the net, where a sharp exchange of shots occurred, Robeon eventually killing a weak lob. Griffiths forced Robson to net after a long rally. He went to the net and was passed with a cross-court chop. Robson chopped the next into the net. Griffiths ■worked his opponent out of position by good forehand driving and went to the. net. Robson tossed and Griffiths netteil a difficult smash with the sun in his eyes. Griffiths then outed a volley, and in trying to drive a heavy chop overhit the baseline. One all.

A long rally opened the next game, Griffiths finally worked his way to the net. Kobson lobbed, forcing Griffiths back to half-court, played one to hia feet which had him in difficulties and then swung a deep backhand drive to Griffiths' forehand corner which foteed him to net. Griffiths then scorec! irith a net cord shot. 15 all. Kobson chopped the return into the net and outed a backhand. Robson went to the net and Griffiths drove fiercely down the line, Robson dived across and brought off a brilliant volley. 30—40. Robson chopped out. 2—l. Griffiths leads.

The sun was troublesome at this stage. Robson won with a heavy chop to Griffiths' backhand. Griffiths got to net but was forced back by lobs, when Robson netted a forehand chop. Robson pulled a cross-court backhand into the net. Griffiths rushed the net on a forehand drive;, but missed a smash. 30 all. Robson then hit out and then netted. 3—l. Griffiths leads. Robson chopped steadily from the back of court and Griffiths outed a forehand drive. Robson then netted a chop. Griffiths netted a fast service and outed the next. Griffiths played short and Robson, racing in, just failed to reach it. Robson took the next point which Griffiths netted 3—2.

Robson was caught half-way in and beaten. Griffiths outed. Robson chopped to his opponent's backhand but Griffiths ran round and lobbed, Robson outing a fierce smash. Griffiths won with a fine I forehand drive. 40—15. Griffiths netted. Griffiths went to net, Robson lobbed twice and then passed him with a backhand which caught him on the wrong foot. Robson scored with a. heavy chop which slid along the ground. Robson outed. Griffiths outed a forehand. Eobson netted. Griffiths netted a heavily-cut return. Griffiths had Robson on the run with well-placed forehand drives, but the latter recovered with a I good lob and Griffiths outing, Robson took the game. 3 all. Griffiths outed Robson's first service and netted seoond. Love—3o. Robson scored with a severe chop across court. Griffiths forced Rob- ! son to net with a hard drive to his I banckhand. 15—40. Griffiths rushed the net, but Robson lobbed him back and ■went in at top speed to kill a weak ! toss. He outed his hackhand smash, at the same time being seized wth cramp. On the resumption of play Griffiths forced the pace and had Robson just making recoveries of hard drives. The latter finally netted. Deuce. Robson outed a smash and then Griffiths outed a backhand shot across court. Robson netted a backhand pass and then double-faulted. 4—3. Griffith leads. Robson forced Griffiths to net with a severe chop to his backhand. Robson netted one of his rare forehand drives. He got to net but failed with a backhand volley. Robson chopped out. 5—3. Griffiths leads and things looking blue for Robson. After a long rally Robson chopped into the net. Griffiths outed a forehand. A severe serve won for Robson. Robson was caught at service line t and he netted. 30 all. The next point was Robson's on an error by Griffiths. The latter rushed the net. Robson tossed twice and Griffiths outed his seoond smash. 5—4. Griffiths served from the sunny side and Robson chopped out. Griffiths sent over a faster service than usual and caught his opponent with the change of pace. 30—love. Robson then outed a backhand. 40—love. Griffiths hit the net hard next shot. The ball hesitated for a moment and then dropped the wrong side. A lively rally followed with Griffiths on the attack driving from side to side. Robson finally netted a chop. Set and match to Griffiths. The full srore in Griffiths' favour was 6—l, 2—6, 6—l, 4—G, 6—4.

Ou looking back over the match one is at once struck by Robson's failure to drive at any stage of the game. Frequently Griffiths was a yard or so out of court on his backhand side, but Robson's chops to the openings, were not speedy enough to win. A strong drive would have assuredly won him many points on Saturday. The seventh game in the final set, when Robson led 40—15. and missed a smash for game was the turning point of the whole match. Matches are lost and won on just such a shot as Eobson outed. and who knows but that there might have been a different tale to tell if that one shot had gone in.