LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 147, 23 June 1928, Page 23

LAWN TENNIS

BY "HUKA"

IN GOOD FETTLE ' NEW ZEALANDERS ABROAD THE WIGHTMAN CUP Malcolm Young, who showed good promise at the game in Wellington bcforo leaving for England to attend Oxford University, was not much hoard of in tennis, but this year he has suddenly broken the ice by :>;dofeating Patrick D. B^ Spence in tho Gallery hardcourt championship singles held at Dulwich. Young met Spence in the first round, and beat Him 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, but then fell to D. E. JFussell, 6-4, 6-4. Young is still in his early twenties, and Spence is 28 years of age. Young's victory was a very fine one, as the South African is considered above tho average as a player. He was champion of Scotland in 1922 and 1923- veprcsented South Africa in the Davis Cup contest against England in 1924, and also won the Queen's Covered Court singles and doubles that year. In 1925 ho won tho British hard-court singles championship, as well as the London covered court singles, and was a Davis Cup representative in,1920 and 1927. Last year he beat Brugnou, 4-0, 7-5, 7-5, G-3, in, the semi-final of the hard court' championship singles of Britain, but went down to Laeoste in'the final. Ho also reached the semi-final of the French ? championship after boating Gentien in the fifth round, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, but again Laeoste settled his chances.in the next round. Tho Wellington colt must bo playing a very sound game, to be able to account for such an experienced and able player as Spence. In tho doubles Young played' with S. M. Sikri, but went down to Spence and E. D. Hclmore, 6-2, S-6. < ■ ' ■E. D. Andrews, who won tho Now Zealand championship singles in 192G, was a competitor at. tho Koehainpton hard court championships. Several other players from Cambridge University also took part. N. G. Farquharson, a South African who secured his "Blue" at Cambridge last year,.was beaten by W. H. Botsford in the fourth round, 6-4, 9-7. Andrews beat Botsford in tho semi-final, 6-1, 6:2, and the winner was showing such great form that it was considered"ho would win the championship easily, but he met W.'-H. Powell in tho final, and was beaten 6-3, 6-1. Powell is an experienced player, and is class enough to compete at Wimbledon. Last year de Kehrling, the Hungarian Davis Cup representative,- beat him in the second round, 4-6, 6-0, 10-8, 0-4. Powell, in his match against Andrews, never allowed the New Zealancler to get his deadly base-line drives into ac-. tion, as during the-, whole match he adopted the "centre-court" theory. Pow- | ell is a very steady player who has.a furious forehand drive which, when controlled,, always earns points. The winner was captain of the Cambridge team last year. E. E. T. Young, well known in Wellington, also competed—in fact about nineteen. University players from Oxford and Cambridge attended tho meeting—but he went down to L. Egeland in the second round, 6-2, 4-6, 6-iS. E. 11. Avory, another Cambridge representative, beat Egeland in tho fourth round, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, but Powell boat him in the semi-final, 6-4, 6-4. H. W. Botsford, who wUs beaten by Andrews, is an American player who. qualified'and represented Belgium-in' the Davis Cup doubles against Poland lastyear, and also against Czccho-Slo-vakia in the singles and doubles. J. Kozeluh beat Botsford, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, and 1\ yon Eohrcr also beat him 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. In the doubles Kozeluh and Zcmla beat Washer and, Botsford, 8-0, 10-8, 6t4. Andrews, in thel Rochampton match, beat. Botsford, 6-1, 0-2. Tho New Zealanders arq ,'not mentioned In the doubles,'and if they competed must have been beaten before tho fourth round. The. original dates "f or the Portugal' v. New Zealand Davis Cup match were .10th, 17th, and 18th May, but almost at the last moment a change had to bo made to tho 11th, 12th, and 13th May, as Portugal could not play on the former dates, and insisted that the contest be held earlier, consequently only four clays' practice was possible in Lisbon. P. M. B. Fisher was not available, for New Zealand, and J. C. Peacock, E. D. Andrews, and E. E. T. Young composed tho team. Young and Andrews were both showing good form I in Lisbon, and it was decided that they should play in all the matches,. The Now Zealanders did very well, playing above their practice form in all their matches. Andrews was available for the next contest against Czecho T Slovakia, but Young was not. Evidently Peacock could not strike form, and Fisher not being available, the match which had to bo played at. Prague was defaulted. It was unfortunate, as tlio meeting of Kozeluh and Andrews would have been most interesting, besides the experience , would have been of , great value to New Zealand's young players. . ; The Wightman Cup. • The Wightman Cup is a competition between the women representatives of tho United States and England, and Vas started in 1923. Seven matches arc played in each annual contest—s singles and 2 doubles. In 1923 America won at Forest Hills by 7 to nil, 1924 saw England win at Wimbledon by G to 1,. again in 1925 England won at Forest Hills by 4 to 3, but in 192G America evened the wins at Wombledon by ..a 4-3 victory, and in'l927 won again at' Forest Hills by 5 to, 2. England this year has just defeated the United States' representatives by 4 matches to 3. Both nations have now three wins each. This year's contest was reckoned on being a very even fight, and so it has turned out, as tho home team just won by the odd match. Great interest was taken in the match betwen *the two junior players from tho two nations. . Last year Miss Betty Nuthall, Great Britain's champion junior player, was just too good for the American junior champion, Miss Helen Jacobs, but tho match went to three sets before tho English girl won, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. This year the United States junior champion has turned tho tables in a most pronounced manner, as she defeated Miss Nuthall, 6-3, 6-1. Mrs. Watson, nee Miss'Holcroft, beat Mrs. Molla Mallory (U.S.A.) very easily after losing tho first set. It almost appears that the famous seven times champion of tho United States has lost her staying pow-' ers, as she was beaten,; 2-6; 6-1, 6-2. It is said that Mrs. Mallory does not play. to her truo form away from home, and there does seem to bo some truth in it, as in 1923 she beat Miss M'Kane, 6-2, 6-3, and Mrs. Clayton, 6-1, 8-0, at Forest Hills, but in England next year Miss M'Kane boat her, 6-3, 0-3, as did Mrs. Covell, 6-2, G-7, 6-3. The following year at Forest Hills, Miss M'Kn.no cortainly did boat Mrs. Mallory, 6-4, 5-7, 6-0, but the latter, boat Miss Fry, 6-3, 6-0. Mrs. Mallory did not compete in 1920, but last year at Forest Hills she again boa4; Mrs. Godfrco (uce Miss M'Kano), 6-4, 0-2, and also beat Miss Fry, 6-2, 11-9. It would appear from these results that she shows to advantage on her homo courts. Mrs. Watson first attracted attention by winning tho South of England championship singles at Eastbourne in 1923, and she followed it up by also winning

in 1025, 1020, and 1927. She represented tho British Isles v. South Africa-in 1925 and 1927, and last year was again very successful in the 'South of England tournaments. ''Miss Helen Wills, tho chaiupion player of tho United States, defeated Miss Eileen Bennett, 6-3, C-2. Everyone knows what, a great player the American champion is, but, nevertheless British enthusiasts, had some hopes that the 21-year-old. English girl might hold hero own against her. .Miss Bonnett .yon tho Middlesex junior championship singles in 1924, and performed well in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles in 1926, and again last years. . Miss Wills 'beat Miss Bennett in the third round of tho Wimbledon championship singles last year, 7-5, 6-3. Mrs. Watson- and Miss Bennett scored a good win in this year's Wightman ■Cup contest by defeating Misses Wills and Anderson in the doubles, 6-2, 6-1. Last year Miss 11. Jacobs boat Miss Bcimott, 7-5, 6-4, in tho third round of the American championship singles, and Miss Betty Nuthall in the same round beat Miss P. Anderson, 6-4, 6-3. Misses Wills and Anderson, although good sin r gles players, were not good enough in tho doubles game to extend Mrs. Watson and Miss Bennett in the Wightman Cup contest this year. So far tho results of only four matches/have come to hand, each side having two wins. In the other three matched, which were composed of two singles and ono double, the English players must .have won two to their opponents' one. The results of some of tho French hard "court women's championship singles will be of interest, as comparisons may be made between the English, American, Australian, and Continental players. Miss Boyd (Victoria) beat Mrs. Mallory, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4; Miss Hardie (England) beat Mrs. O'Hara Wood (Victoria), 8-6 6-4 (Miss Bennett beat Miss Hardie, G-4, 3-6, '6-2 in the second round at Wimbledon last year); Miss Bouman (Holland) beat -Miss Boyd, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2,.the winner breaking up the .Australian girl's game by chopping; Miss Anderson (America) beat. Miss Biekerton (Sydney), 6-3, 12-14, 6-2; Mile. Charnelot (France) beat Miss Betty Nuthall (England), 6-4,- 6-4; #Vaulein Aussem,(Germany) beat Mrs.' Watson (England), 2-6, 7-5, 6-0; Miss Wills (America) beat Frauleiri Aussem, 6-1, 6-2; and Miss Wills^won tho event by boating Miss Bennett (England) in the final, 6-1, 6-2. The Americans forgot to bring the Wightman Cup to England, and another cup had to be found for Princess Helena Victoria to present to the winning side. No doubt someone blundered in leaving the cup behind, as, win or lose, the holders are bound to produce the trophy for presentation to whichever side is sucessful.. New South Wales. The annual report of the New Sonth Wales Lawn Tennis Association makes interesting reading, but if it is not more accurate in general than it is as far as the report of the New South Wales v. New.Zealand rnatehqs.aro concerned, then it is of little or no value. Tho report says: "The president of the N.S.W.L.T.A., Mr. Frank Peach, took a .team to Now Zealand, playing a number of matches, and doing much to cement the good fooling already existing. Although the Test match was lost the record of tho team was satisfactory." Now Zealanders fully understood that the team was sent by its association, and that the manager was Mr. M'Kay. Under the heading "lu-tor-Statc Matches, 1927," the following is all that appears of-the team's doings in New Zealand: "New South Wales v. Auckland (at Auckland, January 1027) —Men: J.-M'Causland, J. Fitzgerald, F. Peach, A. L. Nort',, C. Browster, N. Poach.. N.S.W. won by 6 rubbers to 2. ' The above was not an interState match. ' The intcr-Stato match, Now South Wajosr.v. Now Zealand, was played at Wellington in January, 1927, and New Zealand won by 18 matches,to 3. The. error, in the :New South Wales report.may not mean much to that association, but it does to the New Zealand Association, as in years to como it may be thought in Sydney that the match .against Auckland was tho Tost match and that New South Wales consequently won i tho Test match. New Zealand has mot New South Wales in men's matches on seven occasions, witli the following results:—ln 1896, at Sydney New Zealand won by 8 matches to 4; 1904, at Sydney, Now Zealand won by 11 matches to 10; 1920, at Auckland, Now South Wales won by 12 to 8; 1023, at Sydney, Now bouth Wales won by 13 matches to 8--19..4 at Christchurch, New Zealand won by 17 matches to 4; 192G, at Sydney Now South Wales won by 15 matches to 0; 1927, at Wellington, New Zealand won by 18 matches to 3. Of the seven contests played, New Zealand has won 4 scoring 76 matches to 61. When the 1926 contest, which was won by New South Wales, was concluded, each side had won three contests, and the matches were even, '58 each. New Zealand is now leading by. ono contest