LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 November 1907, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS.

; (Bγ iNTEit-Cujß.)

The only,, jnter-club . match played on Saturday was the'postponed racquet match, betn-een the".'.Murit'ai and Brougham Hill Clubs. The match was played on tho Day's Bay courts whjch were playing better than on the previous Saturday, Muritai defeated tho town.club.by. 5. sets to 2. . Howdeii-aud Murdock had a.long vantage set, both players . being. .very . keen ■and' much about the same strength. : After . 711 ' all miscalled, Hoivden,. with an extra effort, secured- the ' next two games aud set at 13—11. Miss: .Sa\ s on was very steady in her single, and defeated Mrs. Rndclill'e, 7 —2. Miss Saxon is a promising player who will, with a little coaching and good practice, improve quickly. .Wright arid Arclen had a. very even game, the former winning 9 —7; some of the latter-play-er's cut drives' were very' tilling on the grass. Miss Smith and Sanson-.. were just too good for Miss Kellaway and Arden, and after a closely contested , game won, 7: —o. Misses Saxon and Kellaway played with good combination and defeated Mrs. Radcliffo and Miss Smith, 7—2; Brougham Hill lost two games by default. ' :■'

The team which visited Feilding and played a match against the Oroua Club on Monday, speak very highly of the treatment and hospitality received from the country people. Tho outing was a most' enjoyable one, and it may be tho means of. bringing some- of that young club's members to competo at our annual tournaments hero. The town team, which included Messrs. Beero, Anderson, Watkins, Morrison, Jones, Lewis, and Sheppard, won fairly easily, by ton rubbers to nil, but all. the games were keenly ■ contested. Tho match between Sheppard and Tingey was drawn, onu sot apiece. Wellington and Brougham Hill meet in the first. round of tho Shield Contest today. Both clubs havo secured two wins, each having beaten Victoria College and Nowtown. If both clubs play their best teams a pretty close ..match should bo the result, with Wellington just about winning. Vict>.-ia College is to'meet Newtown, and thi? also should be a.very close and interest-

ing match, but Newtown will have to put forth its very best efforts to win.

Miss Eily Smith, a young player who wa3 unearthed in Wellington at a public school championship,, arid afterwards played for one of the city clubs, has joined the George Street Club in Dunedin. Playing in the Otnjfo Association's Inter-clnb contests, this young player's staylo and keenness has been highly spokon of by our Dunedin correspondent, who predicts a brilliant future for Mis» bmith. ■ , ■'■■

Six of Wellington's best players,' Messrs. fisher, Swanston, Laishley, Peacock, Didsuury and Thomson, journeyed to Mastcrton and played the local club on Saturday. Cox is showing: splendid form, and played a brilliant game, against -Fisher, defeating him, 6—5; Cox's not play was one of his strongest points. Peacock and Aitkon had a good three-sot match, Aitken, an ex-Chnstchurch player, : giving Peacock all he wanted, the latter, ; being' only three games ahead in the aggregate. LaisbJey, who, by the way, seems to be getting into a little better form, beat Garwith, and Swanston disposed of Bunting, the popular secretary of the Masterton, Club. Didsbury defeated Sclanders, and Thomson boat Caselburg after, a hard three-set match, ■Iho doubles were all won by the Wellington players, but Cox and Aitken gave Fisher and Peacock a very hard match, the latter pair being at' their best to win,'lO-β: 6—4.

, Now that town and country players have made, a start with these matches, there is overy likelihood that more will be arranged in the future. '. . .

: An ..enthusiastic meeting, of the Otago Lawn Tennis Association and teachers from the city primary and secondary schools was held in Dunodin last weak. Mr. A. C. Barraway (president of tho association) was in the chair. The meeting was called to discuss the best' means of introducing tennii into the schools, and thus improving the gamo generally. Mr. J. S, Sinclair, 'ono of the prime movers in the question, was asked by the Chairman to lay before the meeting his views .on tho subject, which he did at great length. He spoke of ? the advantage to be derived both from a health as well as a tennis standpoint. On Ms motion, a committee was formed for the purpose of taking immediate steps to start the game in the schools. Several schools were not represented at tho meeting, but letters were received from most of .them apologising tor absence, and promising .hearty support. The representatives of. the various.. clubs signified their willingness.to get their :; clubs ..to donate nets, - racquets,. orJmlls where- possiblp. Nearly all the city clubs are willing ti allow school children the use of their courts on Saturday mornings, with the pro* Visothat they are in charge of a teacher.

Young Parker, who formerly ployed for tho Karori Club, has been showing fine form m:the inter-club matches played by the Port Chalmers Club. Having had the advantage of. good practice,-.Parker has considerably improved since he left Wellington.