LAWN TENNIS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1911, Page 14

LAWN TENNIS.

(By "Huka.") A BLANK EASTER. Easter will be a blank time for tennis players in this city, as far as an open tournament is concerned, but it is possible that clubs will cater for their own members. It would appear that the same few hard workers have always to be at the wheel year after year to gefc tournaments going, and when they, for the simple reason that they want to have some pleasure themselves, decide to take Easter off, the tournament is allowed to lapse. The time is surely coming when the players as a whole should now a.nd again put their shoulders to the wheel and assist. The top-notoher player generally — there are exceptions, of course — is the one who wants most attention and does the least for the sport. The winning of honours, big prizes, etc., is mostly for himself or herself. The game could not be kept going by the champion players alone; the many "rabbits." as they have been called, are the ones who keep the sport moving.' The only_ proper way to exclude the professional is to prevent the champions from posing on a pedestal. They 3hould receive the same treatment — fair and square — as is dealt out to the ordinary player, and it should be borne in mind that once a player is pandered to that player ia spoilt., and wants moio attention and privileges. WELLINGTON CLUB'S HANDICAP. In the men's handicap singles, Fraser (scr.) just beat Hill, 62-joO, and M'Caul, late of Wanganui (rec. 5) beat Jefferies, 60—52. The winners met, and M'Caul got home, 60—42. The winner of tno top half— Rofchenberg (rec. 10) meets Coloumbe (ree. 15) in the semi-final— will play off with M'Caul in the final. The ladies' handicap singles have been well advanced also. Miss William* (reo. 5) plays Miss Atmore (rec. 15) in the semi-final of the top half, and the winner meets Mrs. Goldie (rec. 7), who, by her win 52— 50 from Miss Van Staveren (rec. 6), »» through to the final in the lower half. BROUGHAM HILL CHAMPIONSHIPS. Harry Howe had quite a field day last Saturday, and carried off the three club championships. He met Hawkins in the final of the singles, and the latter took the first set, 6—3, but Howe evened by winning the second set at 6—l.6 — 1. The final «et saw both players right out, but Howe got in to the net most often, and cut Hawkins's short stuff left and right. He won at 6—4.6 — 4. This is Howe's first win ia the club's championship singles, and he deserved the honour, playing in a most determined manner throughout. In the final of the combined he played with Miss Kothschild against Miss Davis and Hawkins. Another three-sot go was expected.^ However the first-named pair held their own well in both sets, and won at 6—46 — 4 in each. Miss Davis and Hawkins had put Miss Morgan and J. A. B. Howe out in the semi-final, 10—8, 6—4.6 — 4. Hawkins was too tired to go on in. the 'semi-final of the men's doubles, 60 defaulted to Howe Brothers. Then, the final of this event was put on. -Harry Howe made his third appearance, being partnered by his brother. No one gave them a. chance against Laishley and Hunter, who were both fresh. The first set was an easy one for the latter pair — 6 love — * but Howe Brothers ' freshened up, and evened by taking the second set at 6—4.6 — 4. The third set saw Hunter and Laishley in trouble, and J. A. B. - Howe lobbed well and often. H. Howe had by this time regained all his vigour, and, playing fiaely, the brothers won the set at 6—3, H. Howe thereby taking his third champipnship for the day. His performance was a particularly fine one, as he wts set a great task in being called up 6o often in one afternoon. AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Auckland championships, which have been confined to Aucklanders, purely on account of the events being played over an extended number of weeks, were concluded last week. Miss A. Gray won the singles, beating Miss Gwen Gorrie at the Mount Eden and Epsom courts. 6— J, 6—2. Misses Gray and Gorrie also won the doubles. Miss Gray was particularly clever at the net, and her ground Etrokes have improved considerably of late. The Auckland champion represented New Zealand against New South Wales at Sydney, and would still hold her own against allcomeris for a place in a New Zealand team. Messrs. C. F. Quinneti (late of Brougham Hill Club) and W. Swainson (the latter has also just settled in Auckland) won the doubles, beating Hunt and Henderson, 2—6,2 — 6, 6—4, 6—3,6 — 3, 6—2. H. Morpeth, who first came into notice some ten years ago by winning tho boys' school championship, has forced his way, slowlj but surely, up the ladder. Ho won the championship by defeating: T R. Grigson, 7—5, 6—3, 6—4. M«. Cooper and It. Rainger upheld the honour of the Devonport Club by winning the combined championship of Auckland, defeating Miss Carruth and A F. Billing, 2—6, 6—l, 6—4. Mrs. Cooper played finely, scoring freely, with overhead work at the net. TENNIS BY ELECTRIC LIGHT. The Brougham Hill Club intends holding a plain and fancy dress handicap tournament by electric light next Tuesday evening. Play starts at 7.30, and players generally are invited to attend. A charge of Is will be made to players •and ssectators, and anyone wishing for a good evening' 6 enjoyment should not fail to attend. "Keen interest is already being shown. Some amusing costumes are in course of preparation. Wilding won the 'Cannes singles and doubles, beating .Rahe, tl^German playei, o—l,0 — 1, 6—4,6 — 4, 6—2;6 — 2; and with Ritchie, beat Mavrogordato and Rahe in the dowbles, 6—4. 6—2, 7— 5. Rahe had his revenge in the Col d" Azure event, as he put Rod Heath, the Victorian out in the final, 6—4, 6—4, 7—9,7 — 9, 6—4. Heath put up a real fine performance for his first shot on foreign ground. Eyerj thing vvould be new and strange to him; so, taking all in all, we can surely I look i'or better results from Heath in tho near future. ITEMS. Ruby Wellwood, the well-known Hawkes Bay player, has been in town this week. Tennis players will regret to hear that this general favourite has been ordered by her doctor to quit tennis for some months. Miss Wellwood has not been well for some time ; in fact, was in bad health during the New Zealand championships. But, for all that, she succeeded^ in winning two championships. Her friends will join with "Huka" in wishing her a speedy return to her usual good health. Miss Erma Howe has also been ordered to take, a lest from tennis during the winter. This young player was beginning to show good form, and one regrets her being compelled to stop for a time; but better a rest now, and good tennis in the future, than perhaps a long spell of bad health. A WORD OF WARNING. In addressing a few words of warning to our lady players generally, the writer wishes it to be understood that these lines do not apply to the two ladies mentioned above. Firstly, clubs and associations running^ tournaments should be compelled to pioyide fit and proper dressing rooms for ladies. Owing to want of proper accommodation, such as small private rooms, divided off from the main dressing room, lady competitors, after playing a number of he»vy matches have not consideration given to them as the male competitor has. The lady i 6 inclined to sit about in a draught — if she can find one — in order to get cool. By so doing she is only courting some illness. And, right here, ladies must be told that they are careless of their health. No matter how strong of healthy they are, a chill may ruin their health and their tennis for all time. As soon as tho tennis game is over, a wrap or tennis cosft should be put on, .but if safer methods were adopted all the better. At any rate, it is better to walk about and cool down gradually than to sit down and cool rapidly in a draught. Lady competitors are asked to take the subiect seriously, and if borne of our lady champions, who know that what the vrriter advises is correct, would enlarges upon the subject for J&3 .Jjoaffit fii iiioir jeJJaa; Jadx plfam.

"Huka" would bo pleased to find room for ssunc. DAVIS CUP. '"Huka"' has been challenged to name tho places thai; have claims on the Davis Cup contest. He will reply willingly, and as briefly as possible. Talking it for granted that the places can provide fit and proper courts for such an event, the first to command attention is Wellington, for the simple reason that it is the most central place in Now Zealand — for both North and South Island players and public. Last year Christchurch was mentioned, but it has to be remembered that playera from seven associations besides the Wellington players would have to pass through Wellington to get to Christchurch. Christchurch would, of course, suit spectators from Otago and Southland. Auckland has a claim, 'on account of its being, perhaps, the finest city for drawing a crowd, and, again for its advantages, possibly, as regards weather. It has been contended that the gato must be considered. If it must, then plump for Auckland, even though it is so far north. But as Wellington is almost equal to' Auckand in respect to drawing a good crowd, (and being more central, it possibly has a shade better claim. Dunedin has always been a better show place for sports than- Christchurch, although' it has been corltended that the latter city . has as good figures as .Wellingtou. Take a few sports, for ex. ample. Ch^istehurch was a long way behind Wellington in its big cricket gates ; in football match crowds Wellington is again ahead: In tho match Canterbury v. Wellington at Christchurch the gate was £150 ; a 6imilar match at Wellington realised £300. The return from interclub matches at Christchurch was £327; at Wellington, £1200. Take the New Zealand amateur athletic championships. The gate at Christchurch showed a return of £110 ; when the meeting was held at Wellington, the return was more than double. When the big athletic meeting was held during Exhibition time at Christohurch it resulted in a loss. The Shrubb-Duffy gathering at Christchurch also showed no profit, whereas at Wellington over £100 profit was obtained. As a show town Christchurch is badly out of it, and it will cost the bulk of tennis enthusiasts more time and 'money to get there than to Wellington. • There is no other legitimate claim that can be advanced for the Southern city. Auckland and Wellington can show better returns than Dunedin. The same fault applies to the latter city as to Christchurch, -namely, that the' bulk of the players have to pass through the central city to get to This means extra time and extra cost. Looking at all the circumstances needing consideration, Auckland and Wellington have the best claims, and the latter city has tho advantage owing to its central position.