LAWN TENNIS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1911, Page 14

LAWN TENNIS.

(By "Huka.") DUNLOP ON DAVIS CUP CONTESTS. Dunlop, the Victorian player, who is at present in Engaftd, has attacked the English Lawn Tennis Association for not sending a team to compete for the Davis Cup last year. He has rightly said that Merry England sat tight and refused to send a team unless it could get someone else to foot the bill for expenses; also that England hoped to see America or someone else wrest the honour from Australasia, and then the English team, with the cup nearer home, would bid for it. If anyone should have a good credit balance from Davis Cup contests, England should, and if she has hot then she has not managed her affairs at all well. She should have been storing up her, returns in ease of defeat, and the time when she would be called upon to leave her shorP3 to regain the lost treasure. Dunlop's attack has brought a champidn out, of his shell. He has advised that he is prepared to guarantee thei necessary cash that is required to send a team for this year's contest. But what is the English Lawn Tennis Association's reply? It will send a team to Australasia to i compete in the challenge round should it j be successful against America. One would hardly expect it to send, a team if unsuccessful. But to the point: It is dear that England wishes to meet America north of the ( line,, and does not intend to try conclusions in Australasia with it* opponents in the preliminary round. America stands out hard ahd fact for coming straight out to New Zea« land for all her matches, and it would appear that Ehglahd must fight south of the line or withdraw. _ The opinion across the water, of rather in some quarters in Australia, is that tho American and English teams must come out and play their round in Australia, and that the Aus- j traliaa States and New Zealand will be able io arrange matches with themselves. Also , that the Victorian championship meeting, which is to be held in November, will be attended by players who are to represent America and England in the Davis Cup contest. It is taken for granted that "Dunlop would arrange that." Of course, so he might, but one can hardly see, the American or English players attending tournaments in Australia, playing matches against the States, when they are out purely and solely for one thing^-that Davis Cup. The Americans, at any rate, are solely bent on capturing the tennis f cap. It must be remembered that America can w get a gate of ten thousand for one day in America when playing a team that has a chance against them. It has bfeen done, and the chances are that she will get a bigger gate the next time the cup is competed for in America. As it stands now, England's only chance of coming to New Zealand is to get its preliminary, match in America and win it, America may not b© persuaded to alter her plans, and is possibly not anxious to play anything except the challenge round.. WILDING'S MOVEMENTS UNCERTAIN. The Australasian Association has received word from Wilding, that he is hot sure about being able to teturn in time for the Davis Cup at Christchurch. When Wilding penned the letter he would not be sure as to where the Davis Cup would be played, therefore tho words at the end of th© cable received from Sydney were no doubt colonial padding. Tho words were "at' Christchurch." Naturally everyone is now taking it for granted that Wilding will not be playing. It has already been published in the southern papers that as soon as Christchurch was selected Wilding was written to by his father. If the Davis Cup is played at Christchurch Wilding will be there, unless something goes very badly amiss. Nor* man Brookes is sole selector-, he cannot pass the Wimbledon championship over, and as Wilding all along has said that he would leave tio stone unturned to return and, play in the Davis Cup contest if Christchurch was chosen, he will be there. ALL ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP COMBINED. j The All England combined championship was played for at Didsbury, Man* Chester. The Northern Championship Meeting was formerly played at Old Traflord, but usually had wretched weather there. The change to Didsbury changed the luck, and this year, instead of rain and, mud, competitors were blessed with sunshine and hard oGUrte. J. C. Parke ahd Mrs. Luard, the holders of the All England championship, did not de« fend, and it was generally considered that Mrs. Chambers and Stan Dousfc would win. They have been considered the best combined pair for some time now, but their supporters received a warning in the semi-final, when J, C. ' Parke and Miss Holdei shook them up. Doust and his partner won 6*~3, 9—7, but it was a warning note. Yet when Mayrogordato and Mrs. Parton beat Casdagli and Miss Johnston 4—6, 8-— 6, 6— 2, after a desper> ate struggle, most of the spectators looked upon the final as & sure win for Doust and Co. Tiie English-Australian combination took -tho first set 6^-2, but the Greek-English pair evened by capturing the ,next -at 6— 4— in fact, they were within an ace of the set at s— -2, but Doust, with an effort, stalled them off for a time. In the final set three all was called, then Doust and Mrs. Chambers, with a great effort, captured the next two games, and led 5—3, but their op'ppnente drew level at 5 all, and after a dingdong finish Mavrogordato and Mrs. Parton won at 8-^6. Doust appeared tired, it being his third match of the day, but Mrs. Parton kept the ball away cleverly from Doust at the net by a mixture of lobbing and placing. The courts wore rough and did not trouble the winners so much aa the losers, Doust and Mrs, Chambers have since beaten the champion pair ih tin open combined event at Wimbledoh 6—2, 6--4. NORTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Northern men's singles fell to T. C. Parke, the Irish player, who beat Doust in the final 7—5, 5—7, 6—l, B—6. Parke had too much pace for tho Sydney player. In the semi-final Doust boat Mavrogordato 6—l, 6-3, 4—6, 6—3. In the doubles, Doust and Mavrogordato beat Parke and Stokes in the final 6— -I, 2-~6, 6-4, 5-7, 8-6. AUSTRALIANS ABROAD. Pockley competed in tho East Surrey championship at Eist Croydon, but, after beating M. J. G. Ritchie, 0— 6 t 6—4, 6—4, ih the second round, went down to Barnes 6-~-2, 6—2 in the next round. It was expected" that after defeating Ritchie, Pockley would give Dixon a good run in f the final. Pockley volleyed splendidly against Ritchie, and had command after the first set, but when up agnanst Barnes could not find his ganio. Dunlop and Heath competod in a pool mutch, played under a nort of American system, in which there were three pools— t no players in each pool play each other, and tho two most successful in each pool compete in. the, final. The final players woro Docugis, Raho, Laurent?,, Germot, and the Victoriflns. Tho meeting was hold by the Racing Club of Franco, ami H wn& ft "tournament for , champions." Dccugis boat all hands, with thn low of only ono spt, and that wns to Henth. Laurentz wns second with onn loss only to Dncugis, Dunlop was third, G^rmot fourth, IToath fifth, and Rnho last. Gobnrt. did not ranch tho fihnl pool— lTraMi holpnd to put him out. Laurbnta and Gobnrt won the doubles, Dunlop ntid Uent.li hnirw second and Drcugis nml Germot thm|. Tho winners only just bont tho Viciorinn pair nftor a vory hard fivo-pot match.