LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 82, 3 October 1914, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS

THE SEASON OPENS (By "Huka..") After all, last Saturday was fine for the opening of th© season, and a very enjoyable afternoon was spent at the several clubs' grounds. Newtown and Brougham Hill Clubs carried out tho opening ceremonies, but the Wellington Club postponed its ceremony until today. The two first-mentioned clubs had splendid attendances, and a bright and cheerful afternoon was spent. MASTERTON CLUB. The thirty-third annual general meeting of the Masterton Club was held last Wednesday. The club terminated the season with a credit balance of £9 odd. The credit balance would have been larger, but debentures amounting to £20 were repaid, and liabilities amounting to £10 10s belonging to the previons season were liquidated. The club ran the Wellington, provincial championships in conjunction with the nineteenth Wairarapa Handicap Tournament last year, and, with fine weather for the three days, it was successfully conducted, resulting in a profit of £14 9s 9d. This year the club will be without the services of A. R. Sclanders, who has been transferred to Wanganui. Mr. Sclanders has been a very hard worker in the club for some years pasf, and he wdl be greatly missed. M. E. Denniston, the club's delegate in Wellington, received a vote of thanks for valuable services rendered. Denniston is a real live delegate, and ably represents his club at all meetings. The genial H. M. Boddington is still hon. secretary. HOW, AUSTRALASIA WON" THE DAVIS CUP. By the narrowest possible margin— 3 matches to 2 — Australasia beat the United States for the Davis Cup. Wilding beat Williams on the first day in three sets straight, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3. Williams led 3 love, then 4-1 and 5-3. At the latter stage he had Wilding run to a standstill, but suddenly Williams'a game went all to pieces; he changed from offensive to defensive tactics, became as wild and ineffective as he had been steady and crushing before, and Wilding coming on, with rocklike steadiness or with forcing rapid fire, whichever appeared to be necessary' took charge and won. In the third set, with Wilding leading 5-2, Williams tried hard and made a stand, but Wilding could not be stopped ; in fact 3 he romped home. M'LOUGHLIN v. BROOKES. This match was decided in the first set. It took over an hour to play, and "Mac." won it at 17-15. The eleven thousand spectators were like limp rags after this set, and they could only ask the one question during that set, and that question was "which player will crack up first?" Each player won on his service, and Brookes, who had served first, led 9-8. He made a great effort m the eighteenth game with the American serving, and actually led 40 love, but " Mac." then' changed his service, and sent "hummers" in. They (fairly burned across the net, and Brookes could only stand and see them scorch past, and that is how M'Loughlin made it "9 all." Then the battle of services began again. Each realised the win of the set was very Hkely to mean the win of the match, and never for a moment did Brookes lei up. When the American was a point down he would let loose a fast one and even up. One had to crack up; but it did, not take place until the thirty-first game. Brookes, serving, led 40-15, and had the game well in hand, but suddenly M'Loughlin drove like a fiend and made it deuce. Brookes won on a volley and had advantage, but fierce driving by the American evened it, and he fooled Brookes, getting him on the run in one direction, but sending the ball flying down in the opposite direction. Then he hurled a fast one at Brookes's feet, and, by it virtually won the match. Store 16-15, M'Loughlin leads. M'Loughlin with his service had an almost sure win for the thirtysecond game, but Brookee evened in a deuce game, only to ccc two fast services hurtle by him for the next two points. First set to M'Loughlin, 17-15, and it had taken an hour and three-quar-ters to play. In the second set Brookes had lost his edge, and the younger man soon ran him off hie feet by drawing him to the net and then lobbing over him. Brookes lost the third game on? his service, and it was all over, a« M'Loughhn on his own service led 3-1, and later 5-3. Then he won the las f game olf Brookes's service by hitting with terrific force; in fact it was a love game. The third set saw M'Loughlin lead 2 love, and Brookes, by a great effort, took the next two games, then both won their services, and "3 all" was called, but here M'Loughlin crammed on pace and rasi all over Brookes, and when he took the eighth game on Brookes's service it was the end. The last point was won by M'Loughlin with a terrific smash of a low lob. Set 6-3 and match. M'Loughlin's clever change of pace in his match with Brookes made the latter miss some very easy-looking volleys. He would fall over a simple-looking drive on account of expecting a "hurricane," and vice-versa. The doubles and remaining singles cannot' be dealt with this week, but of one of the latter, that between Brookes and Williams, much can be told. The crowd simply went mad when Williams won the third set, and Brookes had made it so by throwing down his racket and standing in court with his fingeis in his ears to shut out the din when Williams caught him. When Williams won the set the multitude broke all bounds. Brookes showed his displeasure by again throwing his racket down and putting his fingers up to his ears. Finally he sat down on a box of sawdust, and Williams, protesting at the terrific din, ran off the court. Still the crowd loudly applauded,, or cheered wildly, and some shouted at Brookes : "Give him some milk." "Put him off." That sent Brookes to the pavilion, and the two players did not resume for some seven minutes. Brookes had roused the ire of the crowd by querying decisions by word and look, but when he stood for quite half a minute and glared at F. B. Alexander for a decision given, the crowd roared its displeasure. The delay lost Williams all chance he had, as when they stopped he was playing great tennis, whereas Brookes was demoralised. Williams might have continued with eyeD greater confidence, but after the crowd's exhibition the younger man of the two was most upset. Brookes, who sat on the sawdust box by the side of the court almost stupefied, had time to recover himself. He rose and went to his dressing-room,, and came out with hi 3 ?S v .t nimitv recovere d and a clear brain. Williams was cheered again on his arrival in court— in fact, there was pandemonium. Somehow, he never got into his stride properly again. When Brookes resented the action of the gallery, the latter showed its resentment, and the sight of Brookes with his fingers in his ears urged the wilder spirits on, and in a short time there was a concerted effort to complete his demoralisation.