LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 455, 13 March 1909, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

(By Inter-Club.) Last Saturday was a perfect day for tennis, and, although the shield contest is over, a good many matches —cup, pennant, and racquet—wero got off. All cup matches woro won by a largo margin, owing to tho four strongest teams meeting the four weakest.

Wellington's solid win over Brougham Hill (11 sets to 2) was not unexpected. • The losing club was unfortunate in having to default two matches. Watkins, after playing omorgency for tho shield team,' was unable to got a transfer back to junior. This player has certainly been playing well, but he is not in tho club's first six men, which constitute the senior team. M'Nicol had moro winning shots than Howe> who has a tendency to soft hitting. Besides, ho did not servo with much pace. Ward's accurate driving and well-placed smashes only allowed Laurence to take three games from him, whilst Shcppard outran o,'Lcary to the extent of 9—2. Miss Morgan played well in her single, and Miss Dimant responded willingly, but was troubled from the start with her opponent's peculiar cut stroke, which the loser-repeat-edly drove into the not. The sot went 7—4 to Miss Morgan. Miss Howard proved too steady for Miss Farmer, getting everything back high, and seldom hitting into the net. Her left-handed serve is rather deceptive at times.. Shand and Sheppard romped over Herd and O'Leary, and Fcrnio and Ellcr did much tho samo thing with Laurence and Uren. Misses Morgan' and Farmer had a hard-earned win over Misses Dimant and Howard. Misses Hannah and Francis were pushed hard by Mrs. Burton and Jliss Rothschild, and only won 7—5. Both combined doubles wore won comfortably by Wolling-

Nowtown defeated Potone by 10 sets to 3. Redward could not withstand Hawkins's persistent return of everything, and was unable to -take ono game from his steady opponent. Hawkins, when in the mood, is a regular stonowall to work through. Tho events Naglo v. Green and Jones v. Cornell woro both very close games, Newtown in both cases just holding sufficient strength to carry them through. Mrs. Naglo. scored a big win (7—o) against Miss Horn, hut tho latter was not playing at her best. Mrs. Grady and Mrs. Hawkins- had in -.very.' even fight, tho Newtown lady coming out winner, 7—5. Sim put moro pace into her drives than her opponent. Tho first men's double, Redward and Naglo v. Hawkins and .Green, was anybody s gamo , until tho last stroke,- Petone having the luck to win. Cornell and Parkinson added tho third win for tho losing team by defeating Jones and Lewis, 9—6. All tho other games wero won by Newtown without much trouble. Jones is the first player to put Cornell out tin's season.

Hutt-simply wiped out the Brougham Hill B team by 13 sets to love. Williams put up a very good light against Jackson, running his score up to 7—o. Clero soon got Marriner s measure, and won as lie pleased. Hurley put up a--, .particularly good fight against Callendcr, only taking defeat after the full seventeen games had been played. Miss Ross and Mrs.- Wagg had tho experience- which proved too- much for Misses Davis and Crombio in both singles and doubles. Foreman and Miss Hayes gave Trpadweh and Mrs. Murphy an uncomfortable time in the combined, scoring 5 games against them. .

Victoria Collogo defeated Karori by 10 sets to 3. Two 10-8 sets wero both won by the College. Putnam and Kolso both scored wins in their singles for tho suburban team, and Putnam, partnered with Douglas, defeated Eicholbaum and Smith in the doubles, and thus contributed tho College s third win.

Pennant.—Muritai beat Brougham Hill by 4 sots to 3, most of the games being very close. This was a great win, and makes tho contest a most exciting ono. Newtown defeated Victoria College B by 4 sets to 3. This was a very closo match, there only being a difference of four games in tho wholo match.

Bidwill Street has been looked upon as winners of the Racquet Competition for some time back and few dreamed that Brougham Hill would defeat them on Saturdav, but a strong team was put together, and it came oft—a closo win, but, nevertheless, a Wl £>n Brou S ham Hill—4 matches to 3. U Connor was a strong string fora racquet contest, and so was Hutehinson. Tho ultimate, result of this contest will bo well worth watching, as all tho top teams nro now- going "full speed ahead" for wins. • Iho Easter Tournament tin's' year should prove very attractive. Every "inducement is being mado to get tho ladies' representative, team (which leaves Wellington on tho 1' riday following Easter for Sydney) to compete at tho provincial championships. It is understood that Misses Powdroll and Mmneloy, Ward and Wellwood, Travors and Gray will play as partners. The fact that tno two last-mentiqned pairs each contain a not player will make tho play much moro interesting, and the tedious rallies,' so often tho feature of a ladies' double, will bo cut short. Misses Powdroll and Nunneley should mako a splendid double, if they eomo to somo definite understanding. 'Miss Powdrell would not, for ono moment, countenance any poaching on tho part of Miss Nunneley, who has rather a weakness that way in a ladies' double. Neither of -these ladies has a fancy for net play. Although the new lady champion can volley, and volley well, sho seldom does so, and' it is a wellknown fact that Miss Nunneley will not take an overhead ball, if it can' bo played off tho ground.

On tho day following the Taranaki-Auck-land match, n party of visiting plavers, accompanied by a few friends, wero driven to the North Egmont Mountain House, with tho idea of climbing Mount Egmonfc. Tho day did not nromiso well, but, about noon, tho rain cloudsjifted. nnd a magnificent view "f tho mountain and tho surrounding country was obtained. Eleven of tho party set out at noon and reached tho top. Tho trip v/as done under six hours. A meritorious climb wns mad" by Mrs. Payne to tho trig station. Tho climbers wore Mrs. P.nvno L. Pnwrlrell. Messrs. Dickie. Wnllaco. A. Powdrnll. R. G. Sellnr (Tarnnaki), Misses Harvey. Walker, and Parsons and Mr. F. ft. Hiokson (Auckland), and Mr. Spraggon OVollington). Tho visitors wore onraptuml with tbo beauty of Kgmoiit, particularly the four miles of bush alonf, tho track. Sniiin of tho narty loft boot and shoo leather behind in their climb, but nono wero much tho worso for their outing.