LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 106, 31 October 1914, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS

DAY'S BAY (By "Huka.V) Tho Wellington Association, cannot so© its way clear to pay some sixty -five pounds for tho use of tennis grounds for Saturday afternoons at Day's Bay, but there is a movement on foot whereby players can get the use of court* by paying a stated sum per court. The arrangement is not yot settled, but tho charge proposed m»y bo by tho hour, or the afternoon. In England tho county councils provide grounds with nets erected and court* marked, charging each player sixpence per hour. Should players wish to play a sihgles match the charge is a shilling each. No doubt something of, a similar arrangement would pay tho City Council, but clubs should be permitted to engage courts for tho afternoon, if they desire to play inter-club matches at Day's Bay. In. dividual players should be limited to on« hour engagements, with tho right to reengago in tlioir proper turn. Forty-eight playors would keep the twelve courts full, but with more than that number present players would have to play in their turn. Tho idea may suit the pla.yers at tho Bay, but it will not help the bulk of the playors in the city much. Has the association ever approached the Rugby Union re the Athletic Pal-k? There appears to be a determined effort to tako tennis playore out of the city for tho game, therefore why not the Hutt Park? It would not cost any more to get there than Daa's Bay. To run tournaments successfully from a "gate" point of view, they must be held close to the city, but Wellington players will only wake up to that conviction in the far future. "Gate," unfortunately, must be considered, therefore city grounds are imperative. NOT OVER THE NET. t In a tennis match played near the city difference of opinion arose over a stroke played and an ace claimed. A player was forced well out the side of the court by a cross drive which was good, but the ball bounded so far out that the player was able to return the ball into the opponent's court without playing it over the net. Then the fun started. Some said that the return was right; others contended that the ball had to go over the net. As it is a point that nearly always oauses trouble, "Huka" now quotes the rule to satisfy players. Laws of the game : rule 17. It is a good return — (c) if a ball be returned outside the post, either above or below the level of the top of the net, even though it touch Hie post, provided that it drop into the proper court. AUSTRALASIANS IN AMERICA. When the Australasian Davis Cup team was in Pittsburg some difference arose when at the Allegheny County Club— a fashionable club on the Sewickley heights. Doust and Dunlop reckoned that they should have a chance to play in some of tho Davis Cup matches, but Brookes had decided that Wilding and he were to play in all. A challenge was thrown out, and the Doust - Dunlop . combination beat Brookes and Wilding in a severe match which carried several hundred dollars. Rebollion was in the air, but the officials in charge of the Davis Cup matches managed to quieten the men, and the matter ended, but that match and the hitch was the talk in tennis circles for some weeks. If Bundy and M'Loughlin had beaten Brookes ahd Wilding, there is no doubt that Doust and Duulop would have had something to say. SYDNEY. In the chsvinpionßhip singles of Sydney, L. Todd downed H. M. Rice 10-8, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5; Rod Heath beat Marsh 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 j G. W. Wright heat Todd 4-6, 6-4, 8-6, 2-6, 8-6; then in the final, Heath beat Wright 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The matches were all solid ones. Wright played great tennis, and had ho only had youthful vigour on his eido would have possibly pulled through. Mrs. Ford (nee Kellefc Baker) beat Miss Collings in the final of the ladies' singles, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. In the doubles with Miss Cozens she also won, beating Mrs. Doyle and Miss St. George, 6-4, 6-3. Mrs. Ford is playing as Woll as ever, if not better. BROOKES'S SERVICE POSITION. Tho preliminary walk that Brookes t*kes \ before serving is distinctly characteristic. He Bt»rtß toward the backstop as if to speak to ono of the linesmen. Then he turns toward the court in a littlo circle and takes up his position close to the centre lino, from where he makes his delivery. It is interesting to observe his , front foot when ho is serving. Ho puts his weight on tho outside edge of hie shoe, turning over his foot until » good part of tho sole is exposed. Then up comes his racket, and the ball shoots away with tremendous velocity. HARD HITTER. S. H. Smith, the British player, had tho hardest forehand drive that has ever been known, and no other good player has ever used tho same etance^ — i.e., right foot foremost.