Lawn Tennis.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 33, 8 February 1908, Page 14

Lawn Tennis.

[.Br UUKA.] COMING EVENTS. February 21sl and 22nd — Waipawa Open Handicap Tournament, at Waipawa. March 4th, sth, 6th, 7th— Rotorua Championships and Handicap Tournament, at Rotorua. March 19lh and 20th — Hawkes Bay Championships and Handicap Tournament, at Napier. Eastor week— Marlborough Championbhips, at Blenheim. April 17th, 18th, and 20th— Brougham Hill Open Championship nnd Handicap Tournament, at Brougham Hill courts, Wellington. April 17th, 18th/- and 20th— Gisborno Open Championship and Ilaniiicap Tournament, at Kaiti, (Jisborno. April 17th, 18th, and 20th— Canterbury Championships and Handicap Tournament, at Linwood Club's courts, Ghrielchurch. April 18th and 20th— Hamilton Club's Open Championship and Handicap Tournament, Hamilton. April 18th and 21st— Intf>r-University Championships, at Kaituna Club's courts, Dunedin. Last Saturday was an off day for tennis players so far as inter-club matches were concerned, but tho majority put in the afternoon on the courts indulging in hard practice in view of to-day's events, or their own club events. Miss Hilda Hitchings, the well known player, arrived in the city this week, and proposes to makt a short stay. Miss Hitchings leaves for Sydney early next month, en routo for England, where she intends spending tl c summer, and will be playing tor her club there. Dr. Leatham, president of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, was also in tho city this week, meeting his wife and family, who have just returned from a, visit to tho Old Country. Tho doctor is a great tennis enthusiast, and dearly loves tb good, hard match. He hoped to get some time for a few games before returning to Now Plymouth. Players have plenty of tournaments to, pick from between now and Easter. Rotorua will for certain attract entries. Four championship ovenib, and tho usual handicaps are on the card. Six grass courts, real good ones at that, will be used, and threo asphalt ones can bo used if necessary. Waipawa has an open handicap tournament fixed for the . 21st and 22nd ijist. The Hawke's Bay open championship and handicap' tournamont is on tho 19th^ and 20th March, at Napier, and as th 6 Napior carnival is on at that time; tho meeting should, be well patronised. Tho 'Gisborno open championships and handicap tournament will be held at Kaiti, Gisbcrnc, during ' Easter week. At Christchurch, during faster, the Canterbury open championship and handicap meeting will bo played. The Linwood club's courts are to be used. Tho Hamilton club should attract Bosne players the Waikato at Easter. The -'College players will have tho inter-uniycrsity championships to interest them at Dunedin during Easier. Tho Kaituna, club's courts aro to bo used. At present tho Victoria College players hold all tho championships*, aud will no doubt make a strong effort to successfully defend the titles. Tho Marlborough Association intends holding its open championship meeting at Easter, but so far has not issued its programme. The Wellington players will bo catered for locally by the Brougham Hill Club, with an open championship and handicap meeting at Easter. The events will be played off on tho Brougham .Hill courts. The Dannevirke Club's tournamont was tho most successful ono from all points of view yet held by that I'lub. which 13 fortunate in having probably tho finest gross courts in tho colony, and another thing — they know how to look after iham. Fiftyeight ontrie3 were, received for tho championships and 155 for tho handicaps Of course H. A. Parkor, the New Zealand champion, won tho singles a& ho liked, but for all that his olay was a treat to witness, and ho gavo 'tennis players at tho meeting an cduoation in the art. ' Playingagainst J. G. Swaineon in tho seconu round, 'he put up what is almost certain to be a record in open championship events-— he/w6n tho^s/ij ' % 6*lov,fl,'' and ako, all the games, at ' i( game>love;."."' Kwainsnn,who ,is a very fair "player, r could net' ficoro a v single stroke' in tho whole sot. C. A. Adams playe,d ,, l ih the singles championship, but was beaten, 4 — 6, ' ft—l,— l, 6—l, by, G< Kbbett ,of Hafetings. Porker beat Ebbett in the' final. 6—l,- -6—o. --The ladies' singles closed with an entry o\ 16, and Miss 'sHjt'ching3'''was' greatly "fancied 'for. the event ln tho first round &110 had a nesporato content with Miss Hartgill, and just won 14 — 12. The latter player is only about fifteen yearj of ago, and plays a fine game. She is juft the player that should po encouraged to go in for.tournament play, and in all probability' ivili, < with good coaching and practice, become ono of 'our best in a year or fo. Mi.-ss Hindrnarsh played Miss Hitchings^ during a steady downpour of ram, nnd managed to win 9—7.9 — 7. It was au_ unsatisfactory match ; the v rain put Miss hitchings clean off her gauip. Mifs Neville met Miss Hindmarsh, after dip latter had defeated Miss Fitzherbert, of Palmerston r '9 — 2, and, a very long and uninteresting match' was ■the .result. The players, were, afraid .to hit out, and lofted most of tho timo' down tho centro, both waiting for an error ou tho other's part to gain the ace. Miss , Neville y is a sure player. Sho outlasted, her opponent, and won 9—6.9 — 6. Miss K. Hughes, the Pahiatua champion, was beaten by Miss Fitzherbert 9.— -7, in tho first round. Miss Wellwood, a sister of Miss Ruby Wellwood, beat Miss L. K. Hughes 9—79 — 7 in the first round, but fell to Miss N. L. 'Hughes in the second round. Tho latter was beaten 9—39 — 3 by Miss Ne\ille in tho semi-final. Parkor and J. G. Swainson won tho men's doubles easily, Grady (Newtown duty and W. H. Swainson gave them tho best tun, being beaten 6—4,6 — 4, 6—l,6 — 1, in tho second round. Adams and Ebbott lost to them in tho final, the score being 6—3,6 — 3, 6—l,6 — 1, to tho winners. Miss Hitohings. and Parker had a "cake-walk" in the combined 'championship, and they put Miss Hindmarsh and JDbbott out 9—l9 — 1 in the final, Parker, owiug 35 in the handicap singlos, 60 points, went right through without being pushed,' and could easily havo been made to owe 50, and probably have won then. R. B. Vartan (roc 15) beat Grady (rec 20) 60—48, and can be reckoned with in the future. His btyle is froc, and with a little moro experience he will require watcfiiug in open events. D. Drummond alfo plays a ,veiy goodgame, and will come on with practice of the right port. Miss R. Hughes, from scratch, worked through to the semi-final only to fall to Miss M. Ryan (rec 10) 50— 38 Miss Ryan plays a good. bound, safe game, but should try to cultivate aome winning shots In the lower half Mhs Hartgill (scr) met Miss Wellwood (rec 5) aud went out badly 50—37. Tho winner won on experience. Miss Neville ((scr) was too safe for Miss Wellwood in the semi-final. Mis? Ryan hardly gave Miss Neville a chance in the final, winning at 50 — 41. The loser only gained ono stroke on her handicap. Mis 3 Hitchings, with the handicap owes 15, had no chance, but made a game fight with Miss Webber (rec 15), and was only beaten 50 — 45. "Owe ten" was about her mark, and with a share of luck, she would probably havo won from that mark. Miss Wellwood and Parker wero mudo to owe 25 in the combined, and got to the third round, where they were beaten by Miss Grant and W. H. Swainton (=cr) 60—42. The losers scored 67 strokes, which was not good enough to beat a pair like tho winnei'b. The meeting was well managed, and the Hawke's Bay Association might very easily delegate its championships (or some of them) to this club. It would probably do a 100 of good for the sport in that district.

No doubt many local sports would like to get hold of some decent ponies now that the Wellington Pony and Galloway Club is fairly launched. An advertisement in this issue shows that Auckland can cope with the demand. Ninb fashionably bred ponies aro for sale by private treaty, and as the sires include such blue-bloods as Soult, Menschikoff, Phoebus Apollo, Simmer, and iJayntiee (by Castor), the progeny should know iiow to gallop Sungiow, who beat Sistev Anne a length in the Filly Stakes, ib a full sißter to Ronitorm. Sungiow accompanied Armlet to Randwick in the spring, but fioiiKi; amiss d'd nor «mint>.U