LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 37, 13 February 1926, Page 25

LAWN TENNIS.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Probably unique in the history of lawn tennis is the holding of a tournament at which the competitors will be entirely natives or their descendants. At Rotorua on April 3 and the succeeding four days a tournament will be held at the Government Gardens under the auspices of the Arawa tribes. The gathering is 'called the New Zealand Maori championship and handicap tournament and in conjunction with it will be played the Marumaru and Hinerapa challenge cups. Entries close on March 31, with the secretary, Arawa Lawn Tennis Club, Box 66, Rotorua. The officials are all natives and only Maoris or descendants of Maoris are elegible as competitors. The events include the usual men's and women's championships customary on paheka programmes, whilst in the handicap events the contest is sixty points up. The committee reserves the right to rehandicap after the first round only. All events are to be played in accordance with the rules and regulations of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association. The Arawa Club is affiliated to the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association. Visiting playes can be accommodated at the Ohinemutu pa. All tennis enthusiasts will join with the writer in wishing this new and novel venture run entirely by Maoris the fullest success, and echo the hope that the event will become an annual one. Dates for the annual match with the Taranaki Association have not yet been fixed.

Owing to the large number of "sons" who will be attending to their cadet training in military camp about the 20th of this month, it is probable that the father and son tournament and veteran's doubles will be postponed until the inst. '( Some of the- contests in the interclub matches are proving very close this season, and the match in the B grade on Saturday last, between Parnell and One- . hunga, is still undecided as these notes are being written. The score stands at six matches each, rind the deciding event will depend on the result of the combined event still to be played. One of the biggest events of the year in New South Wales is country week. Once every year teams representing the country districts and comprising both men and lady players, assemble in the capital and play matches one district against the other. Tremendous enthusiasm is shown by both players and their supporters, each team having its own following, and the barracking of the latter sometimes needs considerable cheeking from the umpires in charge of the matches. In the contest recently finished the Barraba team after about a week's competition, won the tournament from Jhe Dubbs team, which ha 3 been successful for the last three years. Following the teams matches the contestants indulge in a country championship. This event has unearthed some excellent talent in the past. New South Wales owes to country week the prowess of the Davis Cup players, Clarence Todd and F. Kalms, also Miss Cox and Mrs. Martin, who, as Miss Gray, waa a member df the last New South Wales ladies' team that visited New Zealand. This year a great struggle ensued in the final between Kalms, of Wyalong, and A. Seiler, of Argyle, from near Goulburn, the score reading 6—2, 1.3 —15, 6—2, in favour of Kalms, whose trip with the 1924 Davis Cup team greatly improved his game. In the ladies' singles Mrs. Martin triumphed, beating her opponents somewhat easily. Reports on Mrs, Martin's play indicates that she is a greatly improved flayer, and it is considered that she is capable of extending any of the Australian ladies. Tbe visit of Miss Helen Wills, the American star, to the Continent to study art, and incidentally play tennis, adds a zest to the matches that will be played between the brilliant American and Mdlle. Lenglen. The cabled announcement that one enthusiast has laid three to one in hundreds that Miss Wills will not take more than six games when they meet in the Cannes tournament, about sums up the difference between these players last season, but the risk must be taken of Mdlle. Lenglen's health, and the chance of Helen Wills improving. The fact that the latter has sailed with twenty racquets in her tennis trousseau is amusing, to say the least. la she expected to play with each in turn, and are they already strung Up to concert pitch? The news that the American Lawn Tennis Association is seriously considering the sending of a team to Australia will be welcomed by New Zealanders, for no doubt an effort- "will be .made to entice the players to the Dominion. It is now the custom of the American Association to finance the expenses of players tp Compete at tournaments abroad, and Australia, England and France are to •be favoured. At least two of the leading Americans will compete in next year's Australian championships. The benefit to the nation holding the Davis Cup is manifest ;n the healthy state of tbe American Association's finances, the assets of which now stand at approximately £20,000. The profit made out of the national singles totalled £7000, and that of the Davis Cup cha* lenge round £1200.