TENNIS YEARS AGO.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1934, Page 12

TENNIS YEARS AGO.

WOMEN PLAYERS,

During the last week of February the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's championship tournament will be held at Wilding Park. For 44 years, since its foundation in 1890, the association has worked consistently in the interests of tennis in Canterbury.

From the formation of the association women's events took a prominent place in the championship tournament, and in those early days Canterbury had the honour of winning the women's title for several years in succession. Proof of the grow'th of popular interest is shown by the fact that in 1880 there were only six entries received for the women's singles; in the 1933-IS4 tournament, completed last week, there were 39 entries. The first champion was Miss Lance, one of three sisters, members of a well-known Christchurch family, which lived at "Okeover," Riccartoti. One of the sisters afterwards married Mr. Alan Scott, and the champion was afterwards Mrs. Tanner, of Hawke's Bay. Miss Lance, with Mrs. George Way as partner, also won the women's doubles. The next year, when tho championship tournariient was held nt Lancaster Park, the Harman family, representatives of which are still keenly interested in tennis, played a prominent part. Miss Evelyn Harman, now Mrs. Maync, of Hawke's Bay, won the championship, and with Miss Emma Gordon as partner won the doubles. Miss Lance and Mrs. Way, who had also been a Mine Harman, did not defend the title, the runners-up being the Misses Orbell, from Otago. In tho final of the men's singles Mr. Richard Harinan had two sets in and was leading 5 —3 in the fourth set, but he missed the match point, the set, and ultimately the match, which was won by Mr. P. C. Fenwickc, o—4, 2 —o, 4—o, 10 —s, o—2.0 —2. But Mr. Harman, with Mr. Wilding as partner, won the doubles title. The mixed doubles were not played that year. Miss Emma Gordon.

In the succeeding years Miss Emma Gordon established a record that has probably been equalled by no more than three players in subsequent tournaments. Stic won the singles two years in succession, the doubles four years in succession, and with Mr. Wilding the mixed doubles.

Miss Gordon, who was born in Springfield Road, still lives in Christchurch, and has lively recollections of tennis in Christchurch 'more than 40 years ago.

"I enjoyed my tennis very much," she said to a representative of the "Press." "I first remember playing at Lancaster Park; Mr. Robert Pinckney tried to teach me, but after a while exclaimed despairingly, 'You'll never play!' But I'm Irish, and thank God for it, and I was determined to learn," said Miss Gordon, "and I did.

"Some of my pleasantest recollections," said Miss Gordon, "are of playing at Lancaster Park witli Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ollivier, parents of Mr. Geoff. Ollivier, afterwards the seven times champion of New Zealand. I still think that Mrs. Ollivier was one of the prettiest players I have ever seen, and she was charming to play with, too. High Collars and -Hatpins.

To members of the present generation of women tennis players the marvel is how women played at "all in the clothes they wore 45 years ago. How, indeed? Miss Gordon remembers that she used sometimes to wear a striped skirt and a polonaise, but when she won the championship in Napier in 188S she wae more quietly attired. It was, she still thinks, the hottest day she has ever experienced, and her most important match began at noon, and lasted till about 2.15. She wore a white cashmere blouse with high collar, a black skirt, almost touching the ground, over several almost equally long petticoats, and a wide straw sailor hat, securely speared to her hair by true and trusty hatpins. ,«. Even in those leisurely days, when "nerves" were supposed not to exist, occasional diverting incidents occurred on the courts. One day, in a match at Crannier Square, Miss Gordon's partner, a player with good stroke equipment and abad temper, wrathfully threw her racquet at her. Miss Gordon dodged, and the racquet missed its mark. On another occasion, in a club match, Miss Gordon was playing Miss Beatrice Loughnan, a sister of Mr. H. H. Loughnan, of Avonsidc. The umpire gave the match to Miss Gordon, who sank down on a seat to receive the congratulations of her friends. Then the umpire found he had made a mistake in the score, the match wae resumed, and Miss Loughnan won.

Another player, prominent in more recent years, describes amusing incidents which took place in a Dominion championship match, played at Lancaster Park, probably in 1904 or 190,3. The weather was as bad as it was the week before last in Christchurch. Mr. H. A. Parker was playing in the championship, and rain caused one string after another in his racquet to break in rapid succession until the ball literally went clean through the racquet. He won the title with a borrowed racquet, The same day Miss K. M. Nunneley kept slipping on the wet court. She "took off her shoes, put on men's socks, and, undaunted, continued the match. Needless to say, she won. Neither rain, nor slippery courts, nor even men's socks, could stop her triumphal march. For 13 years in succession she held the championship title.