LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1927, Page 22

LAWN TENNIS

"■r Huka"

THE WILDING SHIELD

CAN WELLINGTON WIN?

NEW SOUTH WALES BEATS

AUCKLAND

EASTER TOURNAMENTS.

South Mand Championships, at Christchurch,

" April. Maori Championships, at Wanganul, April. North Auckland Championships, at Whangarei, April. Otaco Championships, at Dunedin, April. Waikato Championships, at Hamilton, April. North Island Championships, at Miramar, April. Hawkes Bay Club Championships, at Napier. April.

The Anthony Wilding Memorial Challenge Shield competition has been in existence since 1921, but associations have net given it the pride of place that it is entitled to. The holding of the Shield should be the greatest hon. our of all tennis competitions in New Zealand, and associations should educate their players to hold that view. The Canterbury and Auckland Associations havp held the Shield, and at the present time the former association is in possession. The Wellington Association has challenged the'holders, and the proposed dates for the two days' match at Christchurch is 18th and 19fch of this month. The general opinion held by tennis players this season has been that Wellington lias more than an even chance of lifting the Shield, as it could put in the field a team strong enough to be classified as a New Zealand representative team, but Wellington's chances of defeating Canterbury have been very considerably lessened owing to the dates chosen for the match. E. D. Andrews, the champion of New Zealand, who would be Wellington's first player, is hardly likely to make the trip as the dates selected will interfere with his studies, for an important examination in March, and the association cannot expect, far less ask, its young players to place sport before business. Noel Wilson is also uncertain as he is likely to be stationed at Wanganui for the best part of February. With these two players out of the team, and the remainder of Wellington's best men available, there ia the possibility of success, but with Ollivier, Seay, Glanville, Angas, or Aitken to ' contend against, the chances of winning are not too sure. The Canterbury Association has already selected the following players for practice in view of the match: Ollivier, Seay, Glanville, Angas, Greenwood, Patterson, Loughnan, and Walker, and it can be taken for granted that the team selected will be in thfe best possible form and condition to defend the Shield. Wellington's task would not be an easy one even with its best team, as the challengers are compelled to play the day after a sea trip on a strange ground, and in a light which favours the home team. The whole crux of the matter is that if the best team is required for the job then the players should have to be consulted as to the suitability of the dates before such were definitely fixed. For other reasons, it is yery advisable that only the very best teams should be sent to challenge Canterbury for a Shield that is a memorial to the finest player that ever represented New Zealand. It has also been suggested by Canterbury that the annual match between Canterbury and Wellington teams, composed of six men and six ladies on each side, be played on.2lst February. That will mean that the ladies and two men (the other four men having left for Christchurch on the evening of 17th February so as to play in the Shield match on the Friday and Saturday), would haye to leave on Saturday night at the latest for Christehureh, and catch the Monday night's boat back again. The trip is thus mftde a longer one than usual, and it is a question whether our best players can secure the necessary leave. It will be unfortunate if the chosen dates should spoil Wellington's chances iri both matches, as with the best players available both matches may be won. Seeing that Canterbury has its players chosen for. practice, it behoves the local association to do likewise, and also to inform its supporters as to who are the players that have been selected to practice in view of these important engagements with the South Island Association. Inter-Olub Matches. . The senior inter-club matches of the Wellington Association were resumed at the Miramar courts last Saturday. Some of the club's teams were not so strong as usual owing to players being away. Nqel Wilson has gone to Wanganui for three weeks, and Len-France, Swinburne, Mayo, Cornot, and Misses Tracy and East are attending the Nelson tournament. Brougham Hill had a runaway win from Thorndon, Stan Wheeler being the only player of the latter club to win a match. The Thorndon Club could easily put a much stronger team in the Held, especially amongst the men, and it is a pity that the members do not take more interest in the inter-club contests. The Miramar Ground team had its first win, beating Victoria College by 9 matches to 3. The Wellington Club romped all over the Newtown team, the latter club only winning 3 matches. Miss Brady, for the losers, played very well to beat Mrs. Whitcombe, 6-1, 6-2, and is an improving player. Miss N. Bell, the youngest player in the two teams, also scored a win for Newtown. Miss Maeassey showed good form for the winners, and could be played higher in the team with advantage. Petone and Lyall Bay teams had a close go, and the former club just won the odd match to give them the victory. The Petone ladies won the match for their club by securing six wins, but some of the matches were very close, and the Lyall Bay ladies made a great effort to avert defeat. Wairarapa Championships. The Wairarapa championships^ and handicap tournament were favoured with good weather, and the gathering was a great success from all points of view. In the- semi-final of the men's singles C. E. Malfroy was given a rim by J. Charters, the last set going to 7-5. Charters, some five or six years ago, played in the Wellington public schools' championships, as a representative of the Maranui School, and was successful in the boys' and mixed doubles. Charters is now located at Whangarei, and he played with Pickmere in the New Zealand doubles at Auckland, when Franse and Lampe won in three sets straight. E. D. Andrews won the final and Ihe Wairarapa championship by putting Malfroy out 6-4, 6-3. Mrs. W. J. Melody won the ladies' singles, .beating Miss Snow Clark in the semi-final arid Miss M. Lowry in the final. Mrs. Melody was not extended in any of her singles matches, but with Miss Short in the

final of the doubles had a hard fight against Misses Calver and Myers, of Wanganui. The Wellington pair won the first set at 6-1, but lost the next at 13-11, and just won the third at 8-6. In the final of the men's doubles E. M. Hodder and N. Miller shook Andrews and Malfroy up, the latter pair just snatching the first set at 8-6, and having to work hard to win the second at 6-4. The combined final was an in-and-out match. Miss Fannin and Malfroy took the first set 6-0, then Miss Haggit and Andrews evened with a 6-3 win, but the former pair again romped away and won the concluding set at 6-1. Big entries were secured for the ' handicap events, which were concluded well up to time, and. as usual H. M. Boddington, the secretary, and his hard-working committee had everything going so smoothly that the competitors had a most enjoyable time. The meeting should return a good profit, and the competitors will next year be eager to again renew acquaintance with their friends at Masterton. Hutt Valley Matches. » The Hutt Valley Junior Lawn Tennis Association's interclub matches are progressing splendidly, and in the senior competition. tiie Western Hutt Club is leading with 8 points, and the MethOr dist and Eastern Hutt Olubs are level with 7 points each. The last-mentioned clubs played a drawn match, and the result of to-day's match between the Western Hutt and Methodist should place the winning club in a good position. The two Hutt clubs are to meet on 26th February, and that match will also be full of interest. The Pononga Club has scored 4 points. In the junior grade, section A, the Pctone Central Club has 8 points to its credit, Pononga being second with 7 points, and Knox in third place with 4 points. Petone Central and Pononga have yet to moot, and great interest is being taken in the match, as a win for Pononga should put that club in a very good position. In section B the St. Augustine B team and Methodist A team are running level with 8 points each, and as these two clubs have to meet one another in the next match, there is considerable interest being taken by the .members of both clubs. The association had a field day on 22nd January, and a combined doubles tourney was hold. The pairs were drawn in sections (five in each), and each section pair played one another in the morning. The section winners were: Miss A. M'llvridge and D. Jenkins, Miss M. Fraser and F. Stoupe, and Miss D. Judd and I. Jones. The nrst-menfioned pair represented Western Hutt, and the other pairs Eastern Hutt. In the final try-out during the afternoon these pairs played one another, but as each pair won one and lost one match they are even again, and a further contest will have to take place. The junior players were also catered for in similar fashion, and there were four sections, the winners of each being as follows:—Miss V. Crawford and S. Blair (Methodist), Miss V. Dyer and A. Tilbury (Knox), Miss Selwood and Hastings (St. Augustine's), and Miss Shannon' and Shannon (Petone Central). The two first-mentioned psirs tied in the play-off with two wins and a loss each, but in the final try-out Miss V. Crawford and S. Blair beat Miss V. Dyer and Tilbury, 9-4. The general all-round play in the junior finals was very good indeed, and some excellent contests were witnessed. The players of the Hutt Association aTe showing much improvement in their play, and this has been brought about by the interclub matches, which makes the players very keen. Some of them would more than hold their own with players in the Wellington City Clubs, and the time is nearly ripe for the Hutt Association to seriously think about linking up with the Wellington Association, so that the members can secure experience at the tournaments. Visitors Win. The New South Wales team played and defeated a team representing Auckland last Monday at Auckland by.six matches to wo, 14 sets to 8, and 118 games to 107-. The only matches won by the Auckland team were the two singles secured by Bartleet and Sturt, two of the Auckland players'who were selected to represent New Zealand in the match against New South Wales. Knott did not play in the match' last Monday, and possibly was not available, otherwise he should have been a certainty for the team. Bartleet did well to beat Norman Peach, and it is very satisfactory- to know that he would have strengthened the New Zealand team had he been available for the big match. Sturt's win is also very pleasing, as he is a most promising colt who should be useful for future New Zealand representative matches. Brinsden had a close three-set match with Fitzgerald,- but the Australian outstayed his man. Sims, after taking the first set, was well beaten by Dr. North in the next two, and it is evident that the New Zealand champion of 1923 requires a solid season of good hard tennis to bring him back to his form of past years. Griffiths is not the Griffiths of old, and had _to bend the knee to Brewster, a colt in the visiting team, 9-7, 8-6. Both doubles were won by the Sydney men, Peach brothers beating Griffiths and Brinsden easily in the first set, 6-1, then easing up lost grip of the second set, and had to go all out to win, 12-10. Sturt and Johns appeared to have Fitzgerald and Brewster well beaten, but with the first' set won at 6-2, they dropped the second set at 8-6 and the Sydney pair then made no race of it, winning the third set 6-2. South Canterbury Championships. The South Canterbury championships, which were held at Timaru, were a great success, there being largo entries, many visiting players taking part. C. Angas, a promising colt of the Avonside Club, Christchurch, put up a good performance in defeating K. Walker, D. C. Johnston, G. Ollivier, and V. E. Page. Angas played splendidly against Ollivier. The latter took the first set, 6-3, but the colt played with great dash in the second set, going for his shot whenever an opening appeared, and he often beat Ollivier completely with fast drives or good volleys. Angas evened the sets at 6-3, and Ollivier then retired owing to an injured wrist. The holder of the championship, V. c' Page, was beaten by Angas in sets' straight in the final. It is pleasing to see that the South Island has such a promising young player, and the other southern associations should endeavour to bring some of. the youngsters to the -front. J. B. Macpherson, the Dunedin boy, who contested the final of the Southland championship singles with H. K. Sumpter, is of great promise and only requires good matches to bring him out. Sumpter beat him in three straight sets, but the boy led 5-2 in the second set, and with a little more experience would have won it.

Miss E. Porter jjave ample proof of her quality in the ladies' 100 yards championship at the provincial athletic meeing. She finished strongly and iva s a -winner by two feet. Miss' Swinburn, last year's champion, who was placed second'by the judges, went well over the first part of the distance but was. not equal to Miss Porter'n dash over the ' last twenty yards. Miss Manttau is showing marked improvement.