LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 89, 11 October 1913, Page 14

LAWN TENNIS

(By "Huka.")

OPENING OF THE SEASON. Last Saturday, an ideal day for tonnia, was taken advantage- of by several clubs to declare their season opened. Generally, ii would appear that there is extra enthusiasm being shown by all the olubs this year; but what hampers the sport is that none of tho clubs havo half enough courtß to provide for tho players who aro asking: for admission. General opinion in tho city concerning all sports is that the greater the number of playors the better it will be for the city and tho future of the Dominion. That is, we want more people playing rather than a fow playing and thousands looking on. But that cannot be achieved unless tho grounds are obtainable. Private bodies in tho past havo worked hard, and obtained grounds for tennis by putting- up the hard cash; yet tho demand by hundreds to play tho gome of tennis has not yet been mot, and unless those applying can get admission soon into some club, they will drift away, and become tho mere lookers-on at sport. NEWTOWN CLUB. The Nawtown Club, with its courts situated on tho Town Belt, can fairly claim to be pioneers of Town Belt planning Everyone who cares to visit that club s grounds must at once bo struck with tho idea that it is grand to eco so many citizens of both eexes making such splendid use of what was once a. very rough area. What > wo want is more clubs and more' citizens playing. Mr. Luke (the Mayor) opened the courts on Saturday last, and, judging from his speech, he was well pleased with what tho club members had done. The courts and general surroundings are a credit to the olub. After the season was declared open, players were soon hard at play, and ft. most enjoyable afternoon wag spent. BROUGHAM HILL CLUB. Fully 200 players and their friends assembled at tho Brougham Hill ground for tho opening of the season. It was a very gay scene, and the strains of music from a string band enlivened the proceedings, although some of the players contended^ that they could not ''volley" to "two-step" time. Mr. Aitken, tho president of the olub, aftor wishing iho club and its players all 1 success for the now season, with one stroke showed onlookore "how to play the game." Cheera followed, then afternoon tea, and soon the fivQ courts woro filled with eager playors, who kept going until tho light failed. The hon. secretary and hon. treasurer, Messrs. J. A. B. and W. Howe, worked hard to make what was possibly tho most successful gathering yot held by tho club. Visitors from many of tho city and country clubs were prosent, and from conversations heard there is no doubt that the sport is expanding vory rapidly, and that the demand is for moro courts. WELLINGTON CLUB. At the Wellington Club's grounds in Palmer-street, Dr. W. Young, president of tho club, formally declared tho season open.' He congratulated membera on the satisfactory state of the club's affairs, and tho_ ladies' team on again winning the senior inter-club contest. Ho was also pleased to note that there were 60 many new members, v.hich promised well for the coming season, and he, as on© of the first members of tho club— which was formed fourteen years age— was very pleased indeed to find it in s'uoh a flour-, lshing condition. Some 150 playors and their friends wore present, and after the opening all were entertained at afternoon tea. Quito a number of visitors from other clubs wero present, and good form was shown, especially by thoso who had not neglected their winter practice. THORNDON CLUB. The Thorndpn Club, with its alluring grass courts, intends opening the season on the 18th mat. Should that day bo wet, the opening will take place on Ist November. This olub always has a full membership, and also a long list of intending members waiting for a vacancy. The property is freehold, so should be a beauty spot for all time, and a b&on to players who are fortunate enough to be members. . PIRIEjSTREET GROUND. -A deputation of tennis players and their flupporters will wait on tho City Council next week regarding the Piriestreet ground. • DAVIS CUP. The Davis Cup contest is hardly over, when, lo 1 wo hear that preparations are already made to begin again tho attack for it. Brookes and Wilding have agreed to represent Australasia. They will be supported, possibly, by A. W. Dunlop and Start Doust. Brookes and Dunlop leave early in January, for England, where they will play in several tournaments, that will get them fit for the worlds championship in June, at Wimbledon. Then will come tho preliminary matches with Germany, Franco, and others, and should tho Australasian team got to the final, it will havo to journey to America to play the United States' team in the challongo round America ■will havo a groat team, picked, possibly, from tha following: — M'Loughlin, Williams, Johnston, Bundy, and Johnston. This is how tho New York American put it when M'Loughlin and Co. won the Davis Cup: — "Disconsolate to-night, the British jion mopes within his don, his mangy hido furrowed onco moro from an encounter with tho clutohing talons of tho American eagle. With- | out. tho lord of tho heavens ecrcams exultingly, ana the toothless king of beasts giveo thanks that his lair -contains no trophy envied by the bird of prey. Naught but tho crumbling bones of former conquests surround the conquered monarch in his' hour of humiliation. To-day the screaming eagle bore away tho last proof of his, the old lion's, declining power. Britain to-day was shorn of its one remaining token of athletic prowess when tho United States' team lifted tho Dwight Davis Cup, emblematio of the world's championship at lawn tennis." Next yoar the American eagle's screams may be in a. different key, when the kangaroo and tho moa — both good on the bound, on. or off tho ground (suffi ciently good in combination to force the eagle, clutching talons and all, into thin air)— go forth as offsprings of tho old lion in search of prey. BOOMING. Lawn tennis is simply booming in England this year; from every part of the Kingdom comes tho tale or swollen programmes ' and of referees grappling fran- : tioally with tho largo ontrios. Without ! doubt tennis has become the most popular summer game in the United Kingdom, in an ago when holiday-nialcinjj consists, for the right-minded majority, in the activo pursuit of somo form of sport, rather than in loafing and getting bored. MATCHES IN SUCCESSION. "Sam© court, same opponent— in. the mixed doubles this time !" 6aid tho referee, cheerily, to player just off from a 5-set match. "Yes. but a different shirt," rctoAed the player, as he fled for tho dressing-tout to take a well-earned rest. "J.P.,'' an enthusiast, throw* out the following suggestion. "Lawn tennis rackets aro tho weapons, used at Milloo, Victoria, to exterminate sparrows. In the ovoning two members of tho local club, carrying lamps and rackets, walk along tho hedgerows, ono on either side. As the birds nutter from cover, the hunters volley right and left with deadly precision. It is not unusual for several hundreds of birds to be killed in a night. Occasionally starlings are among tho slain. Tho farmers benefit as tho result of tills novel tennis practice, for sparrows take toll of tho wheat when it is nponine, and the wiolders of the rockets gain skul —they aro players abovo tho average." Cannot Wellington players, with plenty o£ Bpaio time, take this hint? It would afford them excellent exercise and meau "thousands of pounds to tho farmers."