LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 138, 7 December 1912, Page 18

LAWN TENNIS

(By Huka,.) INTER-CLUB EVENTS. It was a. good day for tenhis on hard courts last Saturday, despite the hail shower about 2 p.m. In the men's senior competitions, Brougham Hill and Newtown had a ding-dong struggle, the matches being equally divided, and the former club secured ite victory by a bare <>et. Red ward had Hunter more than ex« tended in the first set, and won it after 5-all was called ; but the Brougham Hill player made no race of it in the second and third sets. Harry Howe won from Simpson, but had to go hard all the way. Albert Howe and CreVes Were equal for a time in the first, but the former drew away, and going on, took the second set easily. Martin, of Newtown, held too many guns for Roberts, but the latter battled hard, especially for the first Bet. Both doubles ran to three-set matches. Redward and Simpson took the first set, 6-4, from Howe Brothers, the latter raft away with the Becond set, 6 love, but the Newtown pair came at them again, and scored a win in the third set at 6-4. Hunter and Roberts looked too ,good for Crowes and Martin after taking first set, 6-3, but they were beaten on the post, 6-5, for the second Bet, and the Newtown pair ran out winners with, the third set, at 6-3. In the ladies' senior event Wellington had an easy win from Brougham Hill, but there was nearly a >sehsation, Miss Travers, the ex-New Zealand champion, being all but beaten by Miss Davis. In the Bret set Miss Travers quickly led 3-0 and 4-I,' and took the set at 6-1, scoring 24 aces to 13. Her shots then became erratic, and although she led 2 love en the second set, Miss Davis began to score through the loose play, and when the score was 3 all, playing with more confidence, often caught her opponent napping with real good shots to her back hand— shots that had not only pace but good length and accuracy. With an effct Miss Travers led at 5-3, but the- Broug' ham Hill player took the next three games and set 6-5. Six of the games were advantage ones, and the winner scored 42 aces to 39. In the third set Miss Davis was playing in her beat form, whilst Miss Travers was very in and out —in fact, appeared to be tired out. She led by two games to one, but her opponent evened, then the Wellington player, with some brilliant shots, led 4-2. Miss Davis won a deuce game, took the next also at game-30, and in the ninth game caused great excitement to her supporteis by leading 40-30. Miss Travers made it deuce, and then vantage, in, but hit _the next out, then patted an easy service into the next, and lost the game by outing a drive of her opponent's. Miss Davis led 5-4. Miss Travers was more than careful in the tenth game, and made 6ure of it with a game-15 score. The players were now set all and game all. In the last game both were anxious, and play was of the steady order. Miss Travers led 30 love, then her opponent evened. _ The ! next stroke went to Miss Travers with a splendid backhand shot, but she out the next one, ahd the. game was deuce. Miss Davis saved it three times, but it was not to be, and Miss Travers won 6-5; 43 aces to 39. Total games, 17 to 12; aces 106 to 94. Miss Ttayers was not at alt at home, being afraid to hit with her usual vigour. When shedid the Jiall flew wide. She made the mistake of playing several . hard practice shots on her own courts immediately before i going to play her match at Brougham Hill. Miss Davis double-faulted badly in the first set, but she showed possibly a shade above her best form in the secohd and third sets. She has every reason to be pleased with her good fight. Some may cay, what chance has Miss Travers on such form of winning the New Zealand championship? None whatever ; . but as she will have good even practice from now on, and provided sho does not overdo it, she can be depended upon to show the same brilliance (if not more) ac she has done in the past. All she requires to do is to follow the game closely, watch the score, concentrate her whole mind on what, is before her, take up the correct position in readiness for the next^ervice smartly, and she will have very little to fear. Miss Williams won easily from Misi Morgan, through putting in cutting drives, but Miss Wiliams was active and alert, whereas her opponent seldom, if ever, ran for a ball, consequently she was very soon out-placed. Miss Cock, although a bit at sea playing on courts that drop towards the base-lines, soon found her game and gave a splendid exhibition of placing, which would have beaten better players than Mrs. Howe. The latter worked hard, and did well to score 5 games. Mrs. Goldie Was too tricky for Miss Archer, although the latter scored splendidly at times with some nice drives. In the doubles, Misses Williams and Cock romped over Mrs. Howe and Miss Morgan, 6-0, 6-2, the Wellington pair doing good work. Misses Archer and Davis had Mrs, Goldie ahd Miss Travers anxious in a match that lasted one hour and a half. The Wellington pair were behind from the start, and Brougham Hill led 3-1, but good volleying on Mrs. Goldie's part saved tho situation, and 3-all was called, but the other pair crept away again, and led 4-3. Miss Travers's driving then improved, and her partner scored ace after ace at the net, and they secured the set, 6-4.' In the next set Brougham Hill led 4-2, 5-3. and won set 6-4 . with a love game. They continued their service and were soon 4*l, and within an ace of 5-1, but the Wellington pair steadied. Miss Travers drove cautiously and her partner, with fine stop shots at the net, assisted to make it 4-all, the eighth game being a very long deuce one. The rapid pull up had its effect on the Brougham Hill pair, who could only score an ace in the next two games, and So a match was saved with set at 6-4. Misses Davis and Archer played well, but the good net work of Mrs. Goldis robbed them of many sure aces. In the men s junior evetit Newtown had a closo run with Karori. The matches were 3-all, the sets 8-all, but the winners had seven games in hand. Dick beat W. Henderson, 6-1, 6-1, and that just saved tho situation. In the same competition Brougham Hill beat Trinity easily. The winners are a very even team. Clark and Matheson have not experienced defeat until now for somthing like two seasons. Australasia, after holding the Davis Cup for five years, has lost it to the nation it Was Won from— the British Isles. "Huka," some time b*ck, stated that if Brookes lost a match, tho cup would be lost, and so it has proved. The writer has been asked if Aiistralasia had ita best team. Without wishing to be drawn into a battle of words with the writers who h»ve already crossed swords on the subject, "Huka" is content to bo satisfied with Brookes' selection. He secured the host team possible, and although our player (Ollivier) was not in it. we can vest assured he would have been had he been better or as good as Heath or Jones. As to Dixon's contention that it will be advisa-blo to alter tho rule regarding tho cup being played for in the country of the holder, why wa« that not advanced When tho British Isles hold it for four years. In 1901 America did not compete, yet when Australasia, through no fault of her own, lids a walk-over in 1910, there was a cry to alter the conditions no that the cup could not be retained in Australasia. Under certain conditions, Australasia challenged three times boforo sho won it, each time sending her players without asking for a guarantee ; so it would be well not to attempt any tinkering with tho regulations of the Davis Cup as to where it has to be played, now that it has been run for 13 vcars without any just cause for complaint. Parke cays "Brookes and Wilding would take tho cup back to Australasia for snr? li they were to play for it, next year." Then Dikon, the captain, says : —"Brookes was playing in his best form, and tho British Isles has a good ohanco nf retaining the cup against all-comers next Juhe." Now, who have thpy up their sleeve? Roper Barrett would, of course, improve the team, but they will want something pretty hot in new blnntl to rptain the Davis Cup in 1913. THE ENGLISHMEN IX WELLINGTON. The Englishmen ■will piny a match agaiiist the New- Zealand placers at the Thorndon courts after the New Year. The court will be laid out about the

centre of the ground, and it is proposed to erect stands to accommodate about 400 spectators — the*' others \\ ill have to {.tand. There will/be for sure (weather permitting) two daj's' play. Mr. Berry, the hoHi sec. of the Thorndon Club, h to take charge of the arrangements, und full particulars will be available next week. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. Swanston and Peacock promise to be in great form this year, if they can only get some' fa9t play on good, dry fast courts-*-so far the weather has been against that. Both players have been training hard and are in good fettle. Miss Nunneley will not be a competitor, having strained her arm badly, ami tennis players generally will hear the news with regret. _ It is to be hoped that a complete rest will give her a complete cure, and the, writer still has hopes of seeing her t win another NeWi Zealand championship singles. If pluck would do it her win would be a certainty. Misses Baird and Hartisch have paired for New Zealand doubles, as have Misses Travers and Gray.