LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 461, 20 March 1909, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

(By Inter-Club.) Despite the gloomy weather on Saturday morning tho Shield Committee decided to phimatches in the city. This was a wise decision, as-tho Day's Bay courts were too wet lor play. The Cup and the Eacquet competitions were' practically decided on Saturday, jN'ewtown winning the former with the fine record of 11 wins and 1 loss, and the Bidwill Street Club carried off tho latter with-ten matches won out of eleven played. The Brougham .Hill Club, which finishes second with 9. wins and 2 losses, was the only club to dsfeat the champions, and, had it been able to play the team it has had in' the field for tho past two weeks, the competitions would have been much' closer. As far as tho Pennant competition is concerned Muritai and Brougham Hill are "fighting it out. The former has'won seven and lost three matches, and the latter has Avon eight and lost three. Should the Bay team be able to defeat Victoria College A team to-day they will have to play oil' with Brougham Hill. Brougham Hill B'secured its second win this season by defeating Karori—lß sets to s—there only being a difference of eleven games between tho two teams, O'Leary playea well against Putnam, and took five games in succession at an early stage of the contest. . The Karori player improved as the game advanced, and, when his opponent led 8; —4, took two advantage games. O'Leary went after tho next game, which meant set to him, and took it at game 15. Marriner, with greater experience than Kelso, ran up a win, 9 2, although there were two or three long advantage games played. Douglas gave Hurley: all he. required, though the latter is playing very well, and has achieved, some very creditable wins this season. Eoberts and Henderson had a close encounter, which ended in favour of Karori 9—7. Miss Webb, after leading (3—l) from Miss Smythe, failed'altogether, not taking another game, arid five of the ■ following games won by Miss Smythe were won at game 15. Miss Bennett was just too good for Miss Crombie, who played a very: plucky game right up to the finish. Two of the men's doubles, and both combined doubles were won by Brougham Hill. Kelso and A. G. Henderson worked better together than Eoberts and Edwards, and made' the most', of their opportunities, their efforts being rewarded with a win—9—6. Misses Smythe and Bennett won their double 7—3— the same score that Misses Hayes and Sullivan put up against Misses Clark and M'Kenzie. For some unforeseen reason Brougham Hill failed to put in a team to piay against Newtown, which consequently won by default. Although there could be no, doubt about the ulti-mate-result of this match (Newtown would probably beat the Brougham Hill senior team this sdason), it'mufet h&V&'been very ing to the Newtown players, who are still with-" out courts of their own, to bo unable to get a game. Although Brougham Hill is drawn again to play Newtown to-day, it is a wellknown fact that tho former club's players were told that the team had defaulted to Newtown last Saturday. Tho Brougham Hill Pennant team had a runaway win from Victoria College. Hutckings was the only man to score a win for the Col-, lege-team. All the .other games were won by a big margin by Brougham Hill. 'Bidwill Street A, by winning tho Eacquet Championship with .such ease,..will have a claim to. play Pennant next year. Hamilton and Miss Cunningham aro both decidedly above tho Eacquet grade. ICilbirnie gave Bidwill Street A one of its hardest , fights. . The , winners of tho. Eacquet competition-.Carried ' off 4 sets to 3, and 49 games to.-43. >-De Eoso, Drurnmond, and Mitchell all-played well for ICilbirnie. Brougham Hill had a strong team in, and had an easy win, 7—o, from Victoria College. v Trinity. A, who are fourth in the Eacquet competition, with G.wins, 5 losses, defeated I£il-, birnio B. by. : s sets to 2. .The defeated team was running-level with their opponents when the match started. Both teams , have played well throughout the competition, but are hardly class enough .-for Bidwill Street or Brougham Hill. Tho men's double and tho combined were secured by Kilbirnie. • Misses D'Emden and Carson made a big bid for a win over Misses Hayes and Betty, but the latter pair were returned victors, at 7—5. 1 Bona Bay- had a team out against Day's Bay last week, and the former, with the able assistance of Herdman, Perrih, Levers, Jones, Dr. Issacs, Dr. Gilmer, and Luckie won by 4 matches to 3. Quite a number of tho senior players aro holding back from entering for the Wellington Provincial Championships, because tliey do not care to go across the hurbour at Easter time for tennis. The Thorndon Club has offered its grounds for the senior championships, and, if the Wellington -Association's management committeo wish to see a good entry, and a satisfactory attendance, they will close with the club at once. They should also send the news round, so that competitors will know in plenty of time. Held at the Thorndon courts, tho meeting should indeed bo a first-lass ono. Tour courts will be ample to run tho tournament off in four days. Should Victoria decide to arrauge a match with the New Zealand Ladies' team whilst it is in Sydney next month, a strenuous contest can be expected, and the New Zealanders will require to be qnite lip to their best form to secure, a win.. The Victorian team is considered to be tho best ladies' team in Australia, and it -will bo a pity if a match with New Zealand falls through. Miss Nunneley visited Sydney in 1896, and beat the Victorian and New 'South Wales champions in the Allcomers' Singles, thus securing the New South Wales championship.- Next year the New Zealander asain went to Sydney to defend her title, but was defeated by Miss Howitt, tho champion of Victoria. 6—3, 3-6, 6—l.