Lawn Tennis.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 122, 23 May 1908, Page 14

Lawn Tennis.

(By "Huka.")

Last week the Ladies' Championship Singles was advanced a further stage Miss Travera met Misa Ward in the semi-final and won, after a eplendid exhibition of tennis, by two acts straight. The first let was a ding-dong go. Both ladies were playing well, but Mibb Travers was driving with most power, and, being extremely aocurato, took the sot at 6—5.6 — 5. The winner continued to press in the second set, and although Miss Ward's play was of high merit she could not hold her opponent. Miss Travers probably played ono of her beat matches of the season, and when at her beat is very hard to beat. She won the second set 6—4. Mrs. HiokBon beat Miss Van Staveron in the other half of the draw, after a first-class contest, and the final rests now between Miss Travers and Mrs. Hickson. At present the Otago and Canterbury Associations seem to be considerably concerned over the action of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association in adopting the "Sykes" E.D.B. colonial tennis ball, and judging by "Volley's" remarks in & Southern paper, tho said committee is promised a lively time. In fact, the writer advocates the urgent need for a change in the constitution of tho governing body ; and further states that the Canterbury Association is of the opinion that New Zealand has by this action "committed herself to a policy of splendid isolation." New Zealand haa in the past sent her players abroad, and perhaps it will be news to some that those players did not cavil at using a make of tennis ball to which playera are not accustomed. Tennis balls made by reputable firms are very similar, and it does not take long for an - experienced players to become accustomed to a make that he has not used before. ' "Sykes's" balls are of British make, and ronfonn to tho standard in every particular, ' and it appears to "Huka" that if crack' players from Australia, England, and America will not play in New Zealand, 'there must be some reason other than that regarding the use of a ball they are not accustomed to. Tho ball adopted by the governing body is largely used in tho Northern Counties of England, and has been adopted by the South African Association. Several of the members of the New Zealand Associa- j tion havo beon questioned concerning the change, but they have refused to bo atawnf However, all seem to bo unanimous in the opinion as to tho merit of the ball to bo used at the next New Zealand Championship Meeting. It would also seem that the New Zealand body has not directed any of tho associations that they must use the adopted ball, but has simply informed them that it intends to use the ball at it 3 own meeting. The All England Club u.=ed to select the make of ball to b.used at the All England Championships, which are practically the "Blue Ribbon 1 ' of the world. But this year the council of the Lawn Tennis Association has carried ths following motion: — "In caße of dispute, balls by the same maker, and similar to those played with at the All- England Championship Meeting next urqeedii!*, chill hp used in inter-county and jnter-olub matches." Then it was moved that a particular make of ball be selected iur urn fe.iion 390b, the motion being carried unanimously.. That was at a council meoting — not a general meeting "of delegates. Tho Americans use a ball made m America, which is not the same as was used in the lost Davis Cup contest or All England Championships. The American team did not refuse to play with tl)e English ball when they wore compelled to go to England after tho Davis Cup, N or when their players took part in tournaments at Wimbledon or on the Continent. The players who will bo coming , to Australasia in November are all good sports, and are not likely to taboo New Zealand because it has adopted a particular make of ball for its meeting, provided, of course, the ball is up to tho standard laid down by their respective associations. New South Wales defeated Victoria in the interstate match, .and the details given below are of considerable' interest. Brookes s play was an eye-opener to the Sydney people. Over 300 attended on the Saturday, and tho gate receipts totalled £143. SINGLES MATCHES. First Division. , N. E. Brookes (Vie) beat S. N. Doust (N.S.W.), 6—o, 7—5. /xt 1 !',,?; I | rookes < vie -) neat H. Rice (N.S.W-). 6—l, 6—2. S. N. Doust (N.S.W.) beat R. W. Heath (Vie), 11-9, 7-3. E. Pockley (N.S.W.) beat C. V. Heath (Vie), 6—2, 6—B, 6—2. Second Division. E. Pockley (N.S.W.) beat S. , F. Diddams (Vie), 6-t-2, 6—2. G. W. Wright (N.S.W.) beat, C. V. Heath (Vie), 6—l. 6—4. E- Pockley (N.S.W. beat C. V. Heath (Vie), 6—l, 6—3. G. W. Wright (N.S.W.) beat $. F. Diddams (Vie), 2—6, 6^4, B—6/, Third Division.' ' '. (n j s. w.)f si: vs a) - beafc *■ ' iCam ? bell J. J. Addison (VTc.) beat' A. B. Jones (N.S.W.), 4— 6, 6—o, 7— 5. t A. R. Jones (N.S.W.) beat R. B. Keays (Vie), 6—2, 6—2. A. Campbell (N.S.W.) beiit R. B. Keays (Vie), 6—4, 6—2. .

DOUBLE MATCHES. First Round. Wright and Jones (N.S.W.)'beat Ad djson and Keays (Vie), 6—3, 2—6, 6—3 Rice and Pockley (N.S.W.) beat*Diddams and C. Heath (Vie), 6—4, 6—4. Brookes and R. Heath (Vie.) beat Doust and Campbell (N.S.W.), 6—l. 3—6, 6—l. Second Round. Wright and Jones (N.SIW.) beat Brookes and ,R. Heath (Vie), 4—6, 6—3, Rice and Pockley (N.S.W.) beat Addiaon and Keays (Vie), 6—3,6 — 3, 6—2.'6 — 2.' Doust and Campbell (N.S.W.) beat Diddams and C. Heath (Vie), 6—l, 6—2. Third Round. Brookes and R. >Heath (Vio.) beat Rice and Pockley (N.S.W.), 6—3, 6—2. Wright and Jones (N.S.WI) beat Diddams and C. Heath (Vie), 6—o, 6—3. Doust and Campbell (N.S.W.) beat Addison and Keays (Vie.) 6—2, 6—3. Totals— New South Wales, 15 rubbers, 32 sets, 241 games; Victoria, 6 rubbers, 16 sets, 124 games. Brookes won his singles easily, but lost one of the doubles to Wright and Jones. Heath, his partnor, hardly played up to form in all the \ matches, and was beaton in his singles ,by Doust and Rice. The New South Wales championships started immediately after the oonclusion of the interstate contest, Brookes did not enter, but, with Mrs. Colquhoun, Played an exhibition (combined) against Miss Lee and S. Jones, winning at 6—2, &— 4. In the All-comers Singles, D. Webb, who took part in interstate tennis twenty-three years ago, entered, but after giving a good display as long as condition lasted, retired to R. \TA. Kidson, with the score- reading— 6— 2, 4—6 7—5 2—l. Doust beat Parker, 4—6, 7—5, vT ' l Parker was short of practice through the injury to his arm} and the sJowness of the association's new courts, combinod with heaviness of the damp balls, and their unreliable bounce, through dents in the turf, were -all against Parker's style of play. The rain had made the courts greasy and soft, and the balls became black and heavy. First-class play could not, -onder the circumstances, be expected, as the players could not keep their feet. Pockley was beaten by Heath, of Victoria, 6-8, 6—o, 67-1, 8-6. The loser had a bad fall, injuring both his ankle and forearm. Both players volleyed splendidly Rod Heath beat S. Doust, in the final, 6—36 — 3 3—6, 6— -4, o—6 B—6, The courts were again slow, owing to ram overnight. Heath held the upper hand in the first set, Doust's work being patchy. He played better in the second set, and evened the score, but seemed tired out in the third set. Heath became slack in the fourth set, and seemed to be taking' & rest. This allowed Doust to improve his game, and he took a love set, and was two games up in the final set. Heath then made a move, and some fine play was seen. Heath just managed to snatch the set at B—6, which entitled him to challenge H. Rice for the championship of New South Wales, and, strange to say, the challenger (which is not usual) beat Rice, the holder, 6—3, 6—4, 7—9,7 — 9, 6—4. Some very . closely-contested matches were seeD in the

men's doubles. Doust and Jones beat Colquhoun and Webb, 7—5, 6—4, 6—B, 6—46 — 4- Parker and Bowker beat Sayers and Turton, 4—6, 6—B, 6—2, 6—3, 6—4; Wright and A. B. Jones beat Doust and S. Jones," 6—3, 6—3, 7—5. Then, in the final, the last-mentioned winners defaulted to Parker and Bowker, owing to a family bereavement. The holders, Rice and Pookley, beat tho challengers Parker and Bowker, in the challenge roynd, 6—4,6 — 4, 6—2, 6—3.6 — 3. Rice and Miss Baker (the latter played at New Plymouth last Christmas) beat H. A. Parker and Miss Thomas in tho semi-final of the combined, 2—6, 7—5, 6—2. Miss Baker is in the final'"6f the ladies' championship singles, and was to have met the winner of the Miss Gardiner v. Miss Collings match. Misses Baker und Collings were also to play Misses Gardiner and Dransfield in tho final of the doubles championship. _ The Australasian Association has de~ cided to allow the Victorian Association 10 per cent, of the share of profits received by the Australasian Association in the Davis Cup contest that is to be played in Melbourne about November. The allowance is for the use of the ground whore the contest will be held.