LAWN TENNIS. [By Huka.]

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 137, 9 December 1908, Page 11

LAWN TENNIS. [By Huka.]

Although tennis players aro making Nelson their Mecca at Christmas time, all eager to see the first-class display of tennis that is sure to be given in the championships both by male and female players, and also, possibly, with the desire to have a hit-up against the champions — who will be more numerous this year than in the past — those left behind are' being well catered for by the Wellington Association with a three days' tournament during the New Year week. Entries for the Wellington meeting close on Saturday. The meeting should be a most enjoyable one, and players should rally around the association. The entries for the Now Zealand championships, which start on Boxing Day, close on 18th December. Miss K. A. Braithwaite, a most promising Ilawkcs Bay player, will partner Miss Nunneley 111 the ladies' doubles championship at Nelson, and the combination should be hard to beat. 1 Several ladies going to Nelson are in quest of partners For the combined events. • Their names can be obtained from the New Zealand secretary (Mr. G. N. Goldie). j ' The Nelson courts are now in very good order, and with careful attention should be tiptop by Christmas. The Auckland Association has approached the council 10 try and get courts in the Domain. The sport is advancing with such leaps and bounds j that the authorities are compelled to look ahead and secure more playing areas. At Wanganui two more new clubs — the Gonville and Baptists— have sprung into existence, thereby making a total of nearly 700 players in Wanganui. An attempt is to be made at an early date to form a sub-association, and, with the idea of advancing the standard of play, competitions for senior and junior teams will be held. With the five town clubs and the girls' and boys' colleges competing in the ladies' and men's competitions respectively, a first-class series of matches should be the result. The energetic Mr. G. Pownall is the man at present behind tho gun. Two of the cup matches — Lower Hutt v. Petone, and Brougham Hill A v. Karori — were close and interesting • contests. Green, of the Petone club, seems off colour this season, and cannot be expected to do any better unless he gets better condition. Hawkins still keeps on winning, and sets his team a good example The Hutt team is strong in its ladies, and, taking tho match right thrdugh, Petone secured a- very plucky win. Brougham Hill just won, and no more, from Karori. Putnam looked to have Watkins beaten, but the latter never says die, and came with a great rush at the finish. Whitehorn and Falconer had Watkins and Dart" thinking hard, and won after a stern fight. The winning tea«) just squeezed home in both combined events. Newtown beat Victoria College easily. The Murray and Powell versus Wilson and Cleghom match was anyone's up to the last stroke. The former pair deserved their win. Misses Saxon and Atkinson surprised . Misses Clark and Bedward, and won 7—6.7 — 6. But the greatest boil-over was the defeat of Murray and Miss Clark by Miss Atkinson and Wilson. Wellington had matters nearly ail its own way against Brougham Hill B team. Veen did well to beat M'Nicol, but it was a narrow shave. P'Leary fought well against a superior player — Fernie. Roberts ippeured to ha\ c Shand done, but failed to last it out ;' possibly a bad fall helped to put him off towards the finish. Sheppard kept Hurley at bay, and won on his merits. Veen and Edwards beat Sheppard and Shand by steady play. The latter pair should play more vigorously j it would pay thorn to do so. In the pennant matches Brougham Hill, Muritai, and College A had easy wins from Newtown, Wellington, and College B respectively. In the racket competition, Bidwillstreet A team appears to have it all its own way, and should win the championship. Several of the players are considerably above even pennant class. The Kilbirnie A team is putting up- a good fight, bufrits ladies are hardly so strong as the Bidwill-street ladies, and it is in that department . that Bidwill should just about gam the upper hand. ' The Marton club is still increasing its membership, the total now reaching over 110. The club's tournament, to be held on 22nd and 23rd January, promises to be a great success In reply to "Ajax," re transfer of a player, " Huka " does not desire to comment upon a matter that is still under discussion between the "Shield' 1 ' Committee and a club. My advice is : wait for a final settlement, and do not be rash.