Lawn Tennis.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 77, 2 April 1910, Page 14

Lawn Tennis.

(By "Huka.")

The Easter tennis tournaments through* out New Zealand were favoured by fine weather. Most of them were completed by tho Monday night, and it is now clearly seen that the matter of giving leave to cortain playors is ono to be reckoned with. If players cannot start on the first day, and continue when required, somebody has to pay the penalty, and it is always tho most obliging players that aro either worked to death or compelled to scratch. This should not be; in tho future everybody should bo treated alike. At tho local meeting players who were good enough to play on the Friday were rushed on to tho courts for match after match, and by one o'clock wero clean dono up. Besides spectators expected to ccc play during the afternoon. Another rush took place on tho Saturday morning, and somo unfortunate but easy-going enthusiast was expected to play moro matches than any one could reasonably stand. Players entering for an Easter tournament do not expect to bo rushed to death just to suit ono or two, and if such a stato of things is allowed to continue thero will be fewer omrios in the future. Tho result must naturally be that Easter meetings will fall through, as thoy cannot bo run for the benefit of a few. The wind on the Saturday at the Thorndon Courts was very troublesome, yot the match Swansten v. Cox was a good exhibition. Swanston was very steady, and played most from the base line. Cox volleyed moro than his opponent, and that should have given him tho advantage in the wind, but it was soon seen that he was not so good off the ground as tho Thorndon champion. Cox has retained his crisp volleying powers, but appeared short of practice in his driving. His back-hand drives wero weak and unattractive. His service was a plain hard one, but it was always well placed; in fact, he always had Swanston on the move. Swanston won by superior driving from the base line, and general ullround accuracy. At times when ho did go to the net he scored by the placing of his overhead work; he did not uso pace. Swanston has finished the season woll, regaining the Wellington Association Championship, which he lost to Rice last year. # Miss Travers has figured prominently in tho Wellington Easter tournament for some yoars. In 1903 sho ran Mrs. Payne, the holder, into a three-set match, 2—6, &— 1; 7—5, just failing to beat tho Taranaki playor. In 1904, Miss Powdrell was compelled to play her best to win 3—6, o—4, 6—2, and it was only Miss Travers's umporamont that lost her the second set. The year 1905 saw Miss Tsavers champion, she beating Miss Gore 7—5, 6—l, in tho final. Miss Ward had assisted by beating Miss Powdrell m tho socond round. Miss Ward then foil to Miss Williams, and tho latter was immediately beaten by Miss Travers. In 1906 Miss Ward again beat Miss Powdrell, the latter having nut Miss Travers out. Then Mim Nunncley came on tho scene, and """Miss Travers in tho first round of tho 1&07 Easter meeting. A great match was tho result, the former taking first set, 6—4, but Miss Travel* ovonod at tho same score. Tho third sot was neck-and-neck, Miss Nunneley just scoring it «* 7.-5. Sho then beat Misses Ward and Wellwood somtwhat easily. 1909 saw Misses Travers and Nunneley in tho final, lne last-named player won 7—5, 6—2. The result this year was closer, and possibly was the hardo3t driving match over seen between lady players in Wellington, if not New Zealand. Miss Travors had a good lead (4—2) in tho second set, but drove at everything instead of picking hor shots. She tirod, and became erratic, whereas Miss Nunneley never allowed ?if r j-« to got , excite< * or flustered. All ttto difference between tho two players was temperament. Just that. Mi'sh Nunneley was playing as well as sho has ever dono, and her shots from tho baso line had a ot of pace in them. Several times sho volleyed moro in defence than attack, as she was canght close to tho net: yet hor volleys wore good, and proved that sho could bo very effective at the not if sho practised more at volleying. in tho junior events Eller nroved what lias been often said: "He is a vory promising player." His service was very good, and so was his driving. His -win ot tho junior ohampionship should encourago him to give tho game moro study. Clarke (another of "Huka's" picks as a player who should be above tho ordinary) paired with Eller. and won tho doubles, but thoro was little between this pair and tho Cornell-Dunoan pair. Uarko s driving was a good feature, and Cornolls volloylng pretty and effective, lne four above-mentioned playors havo a good style, and should they take a serious interest in tho gamo their oareers should bo successful. Miss Morgan won tho junior singles, hor hardest fight being against Miss Atmore. Tho scoro ran evenly to "8 all " Miss Morgan then tool: Uvo games in succession, and^ match, 10—8. \xt\ *£■ t} '" >ert i tho champion of tho West Coast, w a s a momber of tho Brougham Hill Club some few years ago. Ho also took tho West Coast championship doubles with A. A. Wilson. •rJ ls »V J> aili o wop tho singles, and, with Misa Enright, the doubles championship. Tho former was tho 1908 champion, and Miss Enright the holder in w^ l (Ll h ? oh Ift1 ftm P ions 1 hi P» were won by tho Westnort Club's playors. Tho ladies' handicap sinplos went to Mrs. W Wilson, of tho Hokitika Club, and the men'a T?nAi° ap tm^ lo T * .t. to L i f ind °P. of Groymouth. M 3? P' ?*% KtfehinKham, of tho same club, took the handicap doubles . Miss Browster, of Taranaki, won tho Wanganui ohampionship tingles, boating Mwß t£ ttv0 ' 6-4. 6-4. Miss Cave won the Wellington ehampionshio just ten years ago. ' ™S- tJttm !3 b e ll w on tho Otago championship, and has a record which will bo <&„ h.° v "ft f fu P r . ovincial championships. Sho has held tho championship sinco 1890 and is the proud holder of the Otago championship singles for the fifteenth succossivo year. Ollivior somowhat easily beat Warno Pearcq in tho final of the men s single. Ollivier and Wilding (tho latter is a brother of the New Zcnland champion beat Pearse (Tomuka). and » f Jer a hard three-sot third It " tO ° k ih ® first and The University tennis championship waa 8 oor« f 'h? Cantc , rbu r v CoU°ge, with a »^,l V i ? ,m, m S n V'ngles 'and doubles mS^u 0 ? IS*!!' won , tho eingles, ?i£« h HH 0 ** 10 ™' th ? combined chW pionship. Jennings, of Canterbury Col. matters all his own way in the singles. H» 16 a player who should be heard of praSfco tUre> lf he ° an gOt real Tho Canterbury championships will bo r£? P W ?'?*& i{ P°«W«- Kiver and C*os6 defeated Watchorn and White-Par-pZ SS h 1 " t d^ Ü bicV champions ' in tho cham -