LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 55, 2 September 1916, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS

(By "Huka.")

NEWTOWN CLUB. The Newtown Lawn Tennis Club's eighteenth annual meeting was held on Thursday evening. The report showed that club members to the number of 17 had enlisted with the Expeditionary Force. - With deep regret the club records the fact that Messrs. F De Rose, A. M. Pratt, and E. A. Norris have given their iives_ in the defence of the Empire. The receipts, including the balanco brought forward (£6 9s), amount to £113 13s 7d, I and the expenditure to £112 14s Id, leav- I ing a balance of 19s 6d. Considering I everything the club's position can be considered as very satisfactory, and members are requested to rally around for the new season.' There are vacancies for ladies and men. BROUGHAM HILL CLUB. The Brougham Hill Club's seventeenth annual meeting will be held next week. Over forty of the club's members have enlisted, and already some have fallen in the light. The club was very successful in ,the Wellington Association's Patriotic Tournament, winning three championships and four handicaps, Members are requested to ,at once supply names of new members as' there are several vacancies to be filled for. ladies and men. AMATEUR RULE. The proposed ohanges in the amateur rule by the United States Association arc based on five fundamental principles, as follow:—1. No pla.yer shall deliberately capitalise _ his reputation. 2. No player shall receive travelling expenses for playing in c tournament, team match, or exhibition, except from a club or association which he represents. 3. All team or exhibition matches where gate receipts are charged shall bo under the strict supervision of the executive committee. 4. Players engaged in the tennis goods business, though not made professionals, shall, while so engaged, bo ineligible to compete in events sanctioned by the U.S.N.L.T.A. 5. There shall be a. tribunal to interpret the amateur rule ar.o apply it to each individual case. All the changes suggested are good, and will more than likely all pass, with ease into law except the one under number four. Still, thero is no doubt that it is required, as tennis champions have taken up the "sports depot" business in great numbers of lata years. The United States committee believes that the only proper connection between amateur sport and business is that in which the former furnishes tho health and sense of well-being with which to tackle the problems of the hitter. ITCHIYA KUMAGAE. j Kumagae (pronounced- Koomaguy) has shown his merit, by scoring decisively in J his first important tournament. He ha = won the New York State Championship, and in the contest beat players of class including M'Ellroy, Whitney, and ther Clarence J. Griffin in the final. The fina! was expected to be a great contest, bu! the Jap took the match at 6-2, 6-1, and 7-5. The champion's play was impres sive and illuminating. He stayed fa back of tho base line, waited for the ha* to bound, and then drop ajrain until ■ almost reached the ground, when '■ would start his stroke fnr back, strike tho ball with a big roll or turnover of his racket, and a long follow-throu?' One would think that the waiting wouh allow his opponent to get up to tho no! , bjiOhft J.its7.Jiaws_a's.|:ir*»Ji_a?_l'A*'!«.d,.lue^

opponents with ease when they arrived there. It remains to be seen how his style of game will pay when up against rushers like M'Loughlin, Williams, or' William Johnston^the present United States champion. Without doubt the Jap. is a master of the back court game, but does not excel at the net game. Griffin tried hard, but could only score when the Jap. slackened, or when he pressed in to the net and gave Griffin a target. When the American could get to the net on a forcing shot he could usually score; but otherwise Kumagae had him any time he liked, and made the pace so hot that many reckoned he could not last out for two sets, but he lasted long enough to win three. Of course, tho match^ was played on a hard court. What he will do on grass remains to be seen. It would appear that only a volleyer and hurricane driver like M'Loughlin will be able to break up his game on tho hard court.