LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 67, 20 March 1926, Page 25

LAWN TENNIS.

NOTES ON THE GAME. In vie - * of the closing of the season on grass, tournaments of all deseripI tions are being hurried on and many jof the concluding matches were clayed !on Saturday. At Titiranzi the *••:.:"* S of Auckland's talent was pitted -gainst j each other, tne lons hand c* r> men havj ing succumbed in the earlier rounds. S?me soc-d matches were witnessed. Sims for a while held Bartleet ani he took the first set at 6—3. Lack of practice, however, told its tale and Ba.;leet, who is in excellent form, took the next two sets with the loss of only one frame. The Robson—Griffiths match was ■sell fought, although in the first became more accurate in the second and i "with set all a grim fight, ensued, ending ) :n Robs-;'*: breakins his opponent's service at five all and winning his I own, took the set at 7 —5. a better j fight than at the Auckland champion-1 shsr>s when Robson was in better form I and had a comparatively easy win. In [ tne r.nal Bartleet t-iavri a brilliant I rame and quite eclirsed Robson. winning ** —?. 6—3. Bartleet now holds for a season the Hagley Cup. presented three years ago. by some Christchureh visitors -*" appreciation of entertainment received at the club. The Father and Son tournament was advanced to the final stasres and the Thomsons met the Meadman- in the final this afternoon. At tbe Remuera Club a semi-final of considerable interest -was rlaved between H. L Robson and H_ Brinsden, The latter is playing fully 3-6 of 15 above his form of last year, aud nis ground strokes on Saturday last *vere too severe for Robson to do much with. and made gcoo> orenings for his brilliant volleying. The score was 6—2. 9—7. 6—l. in favour of Brinsden. who now plays E. L Bartleet in the final. During tbe ■week Brinsden met Knott in the final of the series of mat.-'-ie? on ihe night courts at Clive Boad between tbe soft goods warehouses, the former representing Macky's and the latter Sarsrood"?. A snlendid match resulted, despite the fact that Brinsden was nlayinor with a strange racquet, having broken his own in the third set. TTm> first set went to Brinsden at 6— _, and this player led 5—3 in the second, but Knott evened at 5 ail. and won at 7 —5. In the third set Brinsden led 5 love, only to be overhauled at 5 a!L At 6 all Brinsden annexed Knott's service, and. making no mistakes about his own. took the set and the march at S —6. The contest was won by Mackey's by six game" to two Players are now preparing 'for tbe taster tournaments, and there are plenty to choose from. Considerable interest will be taken in the Maori chamrdonstiD and handicap meeting at Botorua, the first of its kind, and probably as a meeting devoted entirely to and managed by natives or their descendants, it Is unique in the annals of the world's tennis. Hawke's Bay provides a eharnnlonship and handicap meetin? at Xapier. and there are others further South at Dunedin, Christchureh and Wellington. the latter being held on the new hard courts at Mir_mar, where probably sixteen courts will be used. Xearer to hand is the annual Easter handicap tournament at Xorthcote. In addition to the usual events this club features an open junior championship for lads under 21 years. The Waikato cxamiponshiD handicap tournament will be held at Frankton, and will draw a lot of local players. and a strong contingent from the Eden and Epsom Club will be present. The Xorth Auckland Association is running a similar tourney at Whangarei on the grass courts at their new home established this season. In Pickmere, Peat, Charters, and others this association has some first-crrade players, and with the addition of visiting talent from surrounding districts and the Auckland players an excellent tourney is assured. The annual match between tie Taranaki and the Auckland Association has been abandoned for this season on account of diSieulty being exnerienced by the former association in setting a team away. It is proposed to play it next December, a return match to be played early in 1927. Three Auckland teams were engaged to-day in the matches with country associations. Visiting teams journeyed to engage the Hauraki and the Frank"in Association, and a match was played at Stanley Street against the Manukau Association. These activities of the Auckland Assodation do a lot of good to tennis generairv and are enjoyed by the players. Inter-club matches are in their concluding stages. The A grade was won by Eden and Epsom. The B grade final will be played between Parnell and Eden and iipsom on the 27th inst. In the C grade the sectional winners are Eden and Epsom and Onehunga, also St. Helier's and Remuera. These teams have been drawn to play in that order on the 20th inst. In the outside suburbs, Papatoetoe and St. Helier's have reached the final, and should the later team be free on the 27 th the match will be played on that date Owing to the great number of matches in which, the players of clubs are engaged, the Dunlop Shield matches, played "on Davis Cup lines, have been abandoned for this season, T_e matter of a coaca has occupied the thoughts of tennis authorities in the Dominion for many years. The difficulties have proved insurmountable to most. The Wellington Association, however, has now aopointed a new secretary, C. W. Cobham, who has had considerable experience in tennis management and conduct of tournaments in | England, and is also a good player and j a capable coach. He is prepared to gUpe lessons to those who desire them on payi ment of a coaching fee. He should be welcomed by young players, and the j experiment will be watched with interest ! by otner associations.