THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXII, Issue 16, 20 January 1910, Page 4

THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

NOTES BY "FOOT-FAULT."

The tournament of 1910 promises to be the most successful yet held under the auspices of the local club. The entries are far away ahead of last year's, which in their turn were in excess of those of previous years. Something like 250 entries have* been received, and I believe this must constitute a record for any small meeting outside the four centres. That our tournament is becoming well-known throughout the North Island .is shown by the wide range from which the players are 'coming—far away Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington, Wairarapa, Gisborne, Napier, and even Blenheim in tbe South Island, are all sending representatives, and they, too, are v representatives of no mean prowess. Nearly all the provincial champions are appearing. Then, again, the fact that the Hawke's Bay championships are set down for decision at this meeting adds great interest, and besides this raises the standard of tbe tournament from an ordinary club tournament to a provincial championship meeting. It now only remains for_the Rev. C. D. Bates to consult the powers that be and arrange for Old Father Sol to shine forth in all his brilliance tomorrow and Saturday. Then, if this can be fixed up by our kind weather prophet (and I am sure he will do this little favor for tis), then, I say, will the seal of success be set upon the best tennis tournament in the Dominion. In view of the great interest being shown this year, a few words concerning the leading players appearing here will not be out of place. No doubt the chief attraction at the tournament from the spectator's point of view will be Mr F. M. B. Fisher, M.P., the well-known Parliamentarian and Wellington player. He should be in tip-top form, coming straight from the New Zealand and Auckland championship meeting, where he was most successful. With Peacock, also of Wellington, Fisher is the holder of the New Zealand champion doubles, and was runnerup to Wilding in the singles event. He is a left-hander and is well equipped with the ordinary American service, and local players and others unfamiliar with these Yankee twists will, me thinks, find some difficulty in negotiating his service. He varies his play considerably, playing hard straight drives and twisty screw shots with equal facility, and withal is a most attractive player to watch. I think Mr Fisher should win the singles event. Upton, the Auckland singles champion, plays quite a different game from Fisher, and a contest between the two should prove extremely interesting. He is essentially a backline player, and possesses very powerful drives, both back and fore-hand, and a good straight well-placed service. If he is in good form he will make Fisher go all he knows, but I pick the latter to win. Dickie, the Taranaki champion, is well-known to all followers of tbe game. His style is similar to Upton's, being a back-line with hard drives. He is an ex-doubles champion of the Dominion. and is a very pretty player. Another new player to D'annevirke is E. Prouse, of Wellington. He is another player of the hard driving type, and will prove a hard man to beat. Partnered with Fisher the two should win the men's doubles championships. Besides these well-known players who are. all new to Dannevirke, Ebbett, the Hawke's Bay crack, and Swainson, one of the prettiest players on the courts, are again visiting us, and will put up good games. Among the ladies, the singles event should be most interesting, as there are several ladies entering who will all make big bids for the premier honor. Miss Brathwaite, of Hawke's Bay, who, to my mind, with proper practice would be the best lady player in the Dominion, will go very near to winning. Miss Hughes, of Pahiatua, is in fine form and will also make things merry. Miss B. Hindmarsh, Miss Hartgill (our own champion), and Miss Ei. Wellwood are all in the running, and shoxdd make the ladies' singles event the most interesting of the tournament. Our most distinguished lady visitor is 'Miss Ruby Wellwood. She is one of tbe young players who are rapidly coming to the front in lawn tennis. She has the distinction of being one of only two ladies who have defeated Miss Nunneley, the thirteen times champion of New Zealand. This was last year, when she gained the Wellington provincial -championship. She ought to be in very good form, having just returned from tbe New Zealand and Auckland meetings, where she was very successful. Miss Wellwood should win the ladies' singles championship, and partnered with Ebbett, will, I think, capture the combined event.

Now, lawn tennis players and spee-tators-to-l>e, and all other charitable persons, pray for fine weather tonight, and to-morrow and Satnrday yon will he able to witness as good tennis as there is to be seen anywhere in tin's Cod's own country.