LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1913, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

WELLINGTON DEFEATS CANTERBURY QUIET DAY 1 ON ASPHALT. While the Wellington tennis representatives comfortably accounted for a team from Canterbury on Saturday, it must be said for the Southerners that their best side could not get away. The match, an annual affair, was played on the asphalt court at Brougham ' Hill; thfe rain overnight having made the Thorndon grass court absolutely impossible. The change from grass obviously affected many of the players, and the general performances were never brilliant. There was some snappy volleying in the FisherPeacock V. Olliviel'-Ooss double, and certain of the games were stubbornly contested, but that is about the best that can be said for the tourney. Considerable.interest centred on the match between Ollivier (who has been bidding high these last two years) and Swan* ston, who captured the New Zealand championship at Hastings last Christmas. The champion made a promising start when he beat, Ollivier for his service it. th% opening game, but the Christchurch representative soon ran into the lead at 3-1, and ' was ' thereafter not v headed. Swanston , played without any snap, ' while Ollivier flashed spasmodically. He always had his opponent well in hand, but the result of this clash is littla or no indication of the respective merits of the men. These will have to bb tested on a last lurf. Ollivier took the first set 6-3, and the second 6-1. In the Fisher-Goss- match, the Christchurch veteran was within an ace of beating his man two sets straight, but the Minister for Customs woke up, pushed his opponent, who brought off many clever snots, wore him down, and beat him, 2-6, 7-5, 6:3. . Peacock made no race of it with the hard-working 'Pearse, but the Shep-pard-White-Parsons struggle ran to three sets when the former (an ex- Wellington player), staying longer than his man, won out 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. The tennis in this, as in the other games, was but moderate. Fisher and Ollivier sparkled in the doubles. The local men won by 7 rubbers to 2 (both singles)-^-15sets to S. The superiority of the Wellington ladies "Was even more pronounced. They captured both the doubles easily, and lost but one single. Miss Travers fairly outmatched and outgamed Mice Cotton, Mi&s Nunneley was too vigorous for Mrs. Ball&ntyne, but Miss Bloxatn (Canterbury) .pushed Miss Van Staveren (who Was disadvantaged by a badly scalded racket hand) to three protracted sets. Mfcs M'Dougall beat Mrs. Goldie (Wellington) after another drawn-out stubborn battle, the loser, who has had little or no practice of late, fading out ift the last set. Miss Travers /and Mrs. Goldie combined very successfully in their match with Mrs. Ballantyne and Miss Cotton. The Wellington ladies won out by 5 rubbers to 1, and 11 sets to 3. Mr. D. Murray Kean, hon. - secretary of the Wellington Association, managed the tourney hitch. Details are as follow—in every case the , Wellington -representative is 'placed first :— MEN'S SINGLES. 1 R. N. K. Swanston v. G. Ollivier, 4-6, 1-6. F..M. B. Fisher v. W. Goss, 2-6, 7-5, 0-3. J. C. Peacock V. W. Pearse, 64, 6«3. H. W. v ßrown v. — Greenwood,^ 6-3, 6-4. H. White-Pareons v. A. Sheppatd, 2-G, 6-3, 4-6. G. Smythe v. — Seay, 6-3, 7-5. DOUBLES. Fisher and Peacock v. Ollivier and Goss, 9-7, 6-3. 1 Swanston' ahd Brown v.' Pearse and Greenwood,. 6-4, 6-3. White-Parsons and Sftiythe v. Sheppard an Seay, 6-3, 6-4. LADIES' SINGLES. Miss, Travers v. Miss Cotton, 6*2, 6-0. Miss Nunneley v. • Mrs. Ballantyne, 6-1, 6-1. , Mies Van Staveren v. Mies Bloxam, 6-o, 4-6, 6-2. Mre. Goldie v. Miss M'Dougall, 6-4, 4-6, 2-6. DOUBLES. Miss Travers and Mrs, Goldie v. Miss Cotton and Mrs. Ballantyne, 6-4, 6-1. Miss Nunncley and Mifs Van Staveren v. Miss Bloxam and Miss M'Dougall, 6-5, 6-2.