LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 103, 4 May 1925, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS.

The defeat of Gerald Patterson by G. A. Hone in the interstate matches in Adelaide caused a mild sensation, c-nciially as it was a win in straight sets, but by common consent tbe Victorian champion was in one of those listless moods that we have seen seize iiiin when notjiing on the result. The match *-as well won for his side already. Nevertheless, one must realise l hat. when be plays Hone, Patterson comes up against the sort of stuff that lie meets with against no one eLse in Australia—that is. a hurricane sen.;", and a smash that rivals his own in severity. To Pat Wood, say. in playing Hone, there is nothing new. He has met serves like Hone's, aye, and better ones, too, time and again when opposed to Patterson, and knows all there is to know about playing them, on those occasions when he can get his racquet on to them. So, being iv many ways Hone's superior as a tennis player, in' has bad little drfliculty in beat ing him. * We are so used to" the spectacle of one fast bowler being utterly unable to play tbe howling of another that it i J no surprise to find Patterson no more fond of fast serves than the general run of players, and rather lcs< accustomed to them. Hone's will will stand to bis credit, and in estimating it we nm<t not forgel that in prior interstate inn: ches in Adelaide Hone has been within a poinl of scoring over the Victorian captain. Apart from this win of Hone's, ihero was liitle of note in the men's matr-lie.-. Bob Sciilesingor. as one migbl expert who saw bis form in the autumn championships, made mincemeat of the South Australian tbird and fourth men. and hud a love sel in each 01 his niat.be.-. Apart from Hone. Guy Fisher was the best of the Smith Australians in singles, beating Wise, and taking .1 set from .strange, who made a good 'debut in Adelaide tennis. _^