LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 129, 4 June 1927, Page 23

LAWN TENNIS

BY aHUKA.*

WIN FOR VICTORIA

E. D. ANDREWS—KIA ORA

A WEALTHY CLUB

The interstate contests between Victoria and New South. Wales date back to 1885, when the first match between the two States was played at Sydney in May, and Victoria won by 37 seta to 26. When the two teams met in Sydney at the end of last month, not only was the Mars Buckley Gup at stake, but whieheyeaside won would lead in interstate victories as each had 35 wins to its credit. After 42 years Victoria now leads with 36 wins, having beaten New South Wales in a contest that was in doubt to the very last. Victoria won 11 matches, 24 sets, 243 games, to the New South Wales score of 10 matches, Zi sets, 252 games. New South Wales won the Mars Buckley Cup (this famous trophy is the emblem of lawn tennis supremacy bet-ween the States) in 1909, and this is the first time that Victoria has won since that date. The last previous win Victoria had in Sydney was 24 years ago, and naturally the winners were overjoyed with their latest win, as several of their best players in Patterson, Hawkes, M'lnnes, and Pitchett weie not playiiig. The contest between the two States is of more than ordinary interest to New Zealanders, as in the near future our players may be called upon to meet a team from one of the States. Crawford (N.S.W.) beat O'Hara Wood, 6-0, 6-3; and beat Werthcim, 6-1, 6-4, Schlesinger (N.S.W.) lost to O'Hara Wood at 6-4, 7-5, but beat Wertheim, 6-1, 7-5. Kalms (N.S.W.) beat Dickinson, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2, but was beaten by Haege, 6-4, 6-3.. Willard (N.S.W.) was beaten by Haege, 6-3, 12----12 (retired),-and by Dickinson, 6-1, 6-3. Cummings (N.S.W.) beat Lum, 6-1, 6-2, and beat Wallace, 7-5, 6-3. Williams (N.S.W.) was beaten by Lum at 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, arid by Wallace at 6-4, 6-3. In the doubles, Crawford and Willard beat Lum and Wallace, 15-13, 64, beat Haege and Dickinson, 6-3, 7-5, then Willard retired hurt, and Crawford, paired with Hopman, lost to O'Hara Wood and Wertheim, at 6-2, 8-6. Cummings and Sehiesinger lost to Lum and Wallace at 6-3/ 5-7, 6-4; beat Haege and Dickinson, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and beat O'Hara Wood and Wertheim, 6-4, 6-4. Kalms and Williams were beaten! by Lum and Wallace, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, lost to Heage and Dickinson at 5-7, 6-3, 6-4^ and also went down, to .O'Hara' Wood and Wertheim at 6-2, 10-8. The singles were divided, but Victoria won five out. of the nine doubles matches, 'notwithstanding that New South .Wales ;<;are considered, ■by themselves at least, to be such first-class doubles players. Crawford was the star in the singles, and P. Haege on the Victorian side also performed, remarkably well, winning both singles and. two" out ■of three doubles. Had N. Peach or Dr. North been picked to play for New South. Wales instead of. Williams, it able .ttha t Victoria would have been beaten. Norman Brookes and Gerald Patterson , were interested spectators, .and both were greatly delighted with the great finishing effort that, their team made. With 18 matches/played, New South Wales had won 10 and Victoria B,..but the former State had only to win one of the three remaining doubles matches to secure victory. Victoria won two doubles, and at that stage the score stood as follows:—Now South Wales, 10 matches, 23 sets, 238 games;. Victoria, 10 matches, 22 sets; 226 games. The deciding match was between Haego and Dickinson (Vier toria) and Kalms and Williams. The ■Sydney pair took- the first set at 7-5, but the Victorians ovened with a 6-3 win, and led 5-3 in the third set. When the, umpire announced the score, "5-3, Victoria leads in the third set," he added that the whole contest between the two States depended upon .the match in progress. That information not only excited the spectators, but must have put the players on edge also. From all accounts, Haege, who is of the mercurial type, was affected by the umpire's added information, struck a wild patch, and New South Wales. took the game. The score was now 5-4,- Victoria, leads. It was Dickinson's service, and he put all his energies into his deliveries, besides smashing brilliantly; His last service was to Williams, but it had such pace that Williams never touched it, and the match and contest were won by Victoria. . . -. - ■'

In the ladies' matches, Victoria v. New South Wales, the former State won by 6 matches, 16 sets, 164 games, to 4 matches, 13 sets, 152 games. Mrs. -Harper (Victoria), we'll known t» New Zealanders as Miss Sylvia Lance when she was hero in 1922 with the New South Wales team, was the destroying angel against what was until just lately "her homo State. She beat Miss D. Akhurst (Sydney), 6-1, 6-4, and also accounted for Mrs. Martin (nee Miss Ann Gray, who was also in New Zealand in 1922), 4-6, 6-1, 9-7. Mrs. O'Hara Wood (Victoria) beat Mrs. Martin, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5; but was beaten by Miss Akhurst, 0-6, 6-2, 9-7. Mrs. Gray (Victoria). was beaten by Miss Bickerton, 6-3, 6-3, and also by Miss M. Cox, 6-3, 7-5. Miss Toyno (Victoria) beat Miss- Cox, 10-8, 10-8, and also beat Miss Bickerton, 6-2, 7-5. In the doubles Misses 'Akhurst and Cox (N.S.W.) beat Mrs. Gray and Miss Toyne, 6-2, 4-6, 6.-3, and Mesdanies Harper and O'Hara Wood beat "Mrs. Martin and. Miss Bickerton (N.S.W.), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. The other two doubles were unfinished, but were at such a stage that- even if New South Wales had won both Victoria would still have had the advantage, by one set.

Andrews for England.

E. D. Andrews, the New Zealand champion, intends leaving for England in July. Ho intends to study at Jesus College, Cambridge University. Early this year hu passed his examinations as a solicitor. Tennis enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that the champion hopes to pl;iy in some of the English tourna!ments, and also at: Wimbledon next year, as well as at some of the big tournaments in the South of France. Andrews expects.to.be back in New Zealand by December, 1928, in time for the New Zealand championships, at which ho will make an attempt to regain the New Zealand singles ■championship which he at present holds. If this young champion trains on and improves his overhead work before competing in tournaments abroad ho should be able to give a very good account of himself, and the governing body in New Zealand no doubt will give any assistance in its power to further Andrews Js tennis efforts in England. "With Andrews in England next year it may be possible to challenge for the Davis Cup, if a good playing mate can.,be found in that country, or be sent from here. At any ra,te, the opportunity to try a New Zealand pair out will pre- N sent itself, and it is well worth seri- N ous consideration. Andrews, if he gets the proper practice and coaching when in England, should be able to greatly improve his. game, and, in the writer's opinion, he will be the finest university ■ player which. Cambridge or' Oxford hashad since the days 'of, the late Anthony Wilding. Andrews, who has been located .at Palmerston North during the whole of his tennis career, has not hajd the opportunity of a continuity of good practice, yet he has shown clearly by his achievements in New Zealand and ■ in Sydney that he is a player .above the ordinary and is ( well worth solid backing by the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association during his stay in England. 'He should \<jgmo back- not only improved in his actual strokes but by experience against TBorM'g chamgioni,

and, being quite young, ehonld be a great asset to his homeland for many years, to come. His many friends and well-wishers will join with «'Huka" in. wishing tho young New Zealand champion bon voyage and kia ora in all his efforts, be they in the study or on the field of sport, and a safe return to NewZealand.

All-England Club.

AH tennis enthusiasts and players are familiar -with the name of Wimbledon, and all it means to the game of lawn tennis, but all do not know that the ground so named is the home of the All-England Lawn Tennis Clnb, founded in 1869. The English Lawn Tennis Association, however, only came into being in 1888. The club was the original legislative body, and it was for many years the leading body of authority for the lawn tennis world. When it joined the association, the ngnts of the club to manage the championships, were arranged by mutual agreement, and those rights, guarded, with natural jealousy, still remain with the club to-day. Tho club voluntarily abrogated its legislative functions to the association, and although them hava been differences,- now and then, some heartburnings endured' by both parties, yet in the main there has been, cordial and useful co,-operation. In tha early days of the club there were many lean years, but the club battled alonff slowly but surely, ever btting led by that, progressive spirit which succeeds in the long run. For some years, now all hasibeen well, 'the profits being fairly substantial, and tho office-bearers can loot back with pride upon their labours, for the club has borne its own burdens, and lightened them by its owh management and prevision.' About six years ago the club came to an arrangement with the association, whereby the latter body secures benefits, both materially and morally. Without any initial outlay it now enjoys the use an* amenities of a first-class ground, upon which international matches controlled by it can; bo deoiaed aa a has also secured facilities for holding hardcourt championships, promoted and managed by the association. In addition the association draws annually £17 O nt of every £140 of the gross takings, after the running expenses and debenture interest have been paid. That proportion only applies to the first £7000 profitsubsequent profits will bedivided equally. The profits from the new Wimble C!°i?x? ac, h y^i ar€ now huSe> and the All-England Club is on a very good wicket, but the association ison a better one, as it gets its share of the profits for nothing. The championships at Wimbledon will always be a big draw and although now not classified as tho world s championship on grass, yet all champions, or tho Be aspiring to be c'ham. Pions, look forward to the day -when they will be called to play o* the centre court at Wimbledoji.

"Friendless. '•'

The above heading appeared above ' a paragrapft in an English lawn tennis journal, announcing that the stitched ball had been abolished, "with never a friend, to say a word in.its favour." The Internatioual Lawn Tennis Federation at its last meeting, at which 23 nations were represented, passed, with, out discussion, the report of the committee that the stitched ba)l be abolished^ and that the stitchless ball be used. This means as from Ist January 1928 the stitched ball- will no longer bo used in open tournaments anywhere in the world, and it is quite possible that it will not be manufactured in future to any appreciable.extent. Friendless? The stitched ball has; been a good old friend, and there are many tennis players, champion of champion* at that, who will regret its passing away from use in championships and open tourSalncnts. The federation did not attempt to ask the millions of players through their associations as 'to theirviews upon the matter,, ana now asso*< ciations who run open tournaments will have to, after, this year, bar ttie stitched ball. The bounce of the ball now adopted shall be between 53 to 58 inches; at present it is between 50 and CO inches. The committee" suggested that the bounce should be between 5S and 60 inches, but the Freneadelegates objected.' A doadlock took place, as neither side-was prepared -tt-'give way, and at one time it appeared, aft though. the old .figures, ,w,hich nobody wanted, - would Save to stand. The Frenchmen, wanted «2i to 57}, tSea someone said. "Why not 53 to ,58?" and that proposal caught on. with the result that an awkward situation was disposed of. The first question that playors will naturally ask is, what about the price» That was 6eemingly not a subject for the federation, but there is just a chance that the j>rioe'for the adopted balls will be cheaper than balls were last season.- . ■ . .