LAWN TENNIS NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 14214, 13 November 1909, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS NOTES

' THE CANTERBURY MATCH. The Association were fortunate in having nothing worse than wind—the foe to good tenuis—till 6 p.m. on Monday, when tborain made its appearance, hut Canterbury held a secure position at that hour. The attendance was excellent, and those present appreciated the fine play shown by several of those engaged. We present some figures which should be interesting, as they prove that the Otago players held their own with their opponents from over the border :

Some -nnpiise was manifested at (ho closeness of the struggle, but reference to our last week’s notes will show that our contributor anticipated a veiy close finish, and had the Otago .Match Committee left the arranging of the order in which our players should play in (ho hands of the captain, Otago mu.-t have won. Neither Sinclair nor Braithwnite excel, in doubles play. Ihis was unfortunately home out by results, as these players lost- all the doubles in which thev wore engaged. Another mistake was wie pairing of Misses Bauchop and Hisiop. Both of these ladies are comparatively weak cu the back hand, and their Canterbury opponents deserve credit for promptly finding out the weak spots and peppering them." If bliss CampIvll had pJavod tin the loft court 1, 'with Miss llislop and bliss blarks and bliss Bauchop, Otago would probably have won these Bundle in place of Bra.ith■naite in the. Combined would have made a tast difference. White and Steve Brown beat (loss and Kiver decisively. The Otago pair were Trillium ; White’s smashes and placing were, almost beyond his high reputation, and Brown’s back.-ha.tnl drives and volleying were equally fine. Their soryjees were not, perhaps, so severe as Kiver’s. but they were better placed. (doss played in the form he showed a rear ago. hut on that, occasion (he Brown brothers were on tee defensive throughout, -and (.OSS com rolled the hall. This time Otago attacked ad llitoufth, and the Northern nien were , n difficulties sf ter ihl . iirft ha , f ot the first set.

Olhvier and Bonnington did not bestir themselves « gamed- Sinclair and Braithunite. It was a lackadaisical match, and ynylh.ng but- yhnliing. The Otago pair ad 2-0 n ,| U . final set. but thereafter the vanlerbury pair reeled oil the next ■-tv games yasily. Bumlie .and Kwen dosene erelit- for beating a more experi-e’M-ed )>air in Bonows and Bourse. The Otago men piayrd sound tennis, and toollull advantage of Beaise’s Japs« in hanging alnm t!„ : s.-nice .1 me—the worst- spot on (he. corn-t. Borrows was Al. Kwen hilly .'lined his place, and with good pgr lice should be one ol our he.d. Bundle "a.-, sate. 1 tit much more aggressive than usual, and it, was only by ado| ting such faOies in hie single against. Borrows that he o'ent 111 11 v beat, the veteran cx-()tugo champion. &

111'.' Mixed Double,- -aw (wo splendid Miiili he-. doth \\ liito nml Mi,-.-; Campbell "eie in line form—too vigorous for (he opposition —nil houM. Mis , 'Campbell was in -cr:ous difficulties with Ollivier's selves. !Tev placing was very good, and enabled \\ rote to reap a harvest at (lie net. Olbvier and Mis- Goodman did not get the chance, to do much execution; neither ltd 1 tons and Mis Gerre against S. X. Grown and Miss Maths. ‘ The latter kept (be while sphere away fioni Goss, and Grown got splendirt chances. The oilier tanlerbnry ] airs were move titan a. niateh f<ir their opponents in eaeh instance. In -he Singles Ollivinr heal M bile com fort - eb. and must always do so. White is not strong on the backhand, and some of Ollivier s serves in that region were mink,able. and even if returned Ollivier was catling at, the net to smash. Ollivier's ervice should be studied bv all aspiring players. It is bis greatest ' asset. Much core could be said about his play, but. -pa;c forbids.. While battled 'it out tamely, and at ttines biought flown tlie muse by returning sonic seemingly im-aos-iblo balls. His weak point mentioned chiefly caused his undoing. Steve Giown Towed that he had learnt his last year's : esson from Goss. This time he ' kept every return as low as possible. and Goss ,vas deprived of the feast, of smashes he nul at their last meeting. Grown'.- low, ddmming backhand drives were very tine. 'i'd he tieipacntly scoted ontriirht through heir agency. Goss was as active as evei, md it reijnired a gieat effort., with a, tinge ■ f luck, to get home a winner. After 5 ill in the last set Grown was fiC over-anxiety to gel. in a winning -.tioke ptoved bis undoing. Gorrows. who is still eery difficult to dispose, of. went, off s—o in first set agains! Gundle, At. this stage tbe (Ifago man began to force- the clay, and .soon it was 5 all. but the vote ran by clever placing took the set, Gundle continued to gain confidence, and after a dose- call evened the sets. 'There was some excitement over the final set, hut. Gundle- attacked thioughout, and fairlv heat his man - down. Sinclair, tilwavs a good single player when in form, made a veiy good stand against Kivcr. but- inteics! iii the contest- dwindled wlien if was found that, Canterbury had already won. River played a rockier game, and hit the torli all over the pince. but Sinclair was steadiness itself. Kwen made a fine sin.,wing against I'oarse, and in the. third -ci led /!—l, but here nature gave out. and the brawny Temuka man took live ga.mes more, and won. Bennington proved tco good for Graithwaitc. as after the Kait-una- man had leached c. —2 in the Ihsi set lie only scored 3 out. of the next, thirteen games.. The Ladies' Singles provided disappointments in the defeats of Miss I lic-lop by a narrow margin, and Miss Gaucbop rather easily. Otago expected to win these. Miss Campbell was much superior to Miss Goodman, but Miss Marks was having a hard fight and leading S—7 when Mrs Gallantync was unlucky enough to meet with the accident- which compelled her icliremont. A pleasing feature was tit- willingness of spectators to umpire. It mast ire said, however, that some of the umpires did not see to the fool faults. Ollivier, in his single with While, was a glaring offender. When he had recourse to his second service his foot was frequently on the line, and at times he was almost on. the, run towards the net before delivering the service. Xo player should he permitted smelt an advantage over an opponent. Throughout the, dav play was cart led on in an'agreeable and pleasant manner—not a single hitch beyond the breaking of the net.

( 'aN I KUIU i’.V Wo*. Otaho Won. .M u( ell's. , Sets . (lameMnlfhes. Sets. (1 lame. Meii’s Doui,: s ... 1 2 ej 2 5 86 Moil'd Singles H 10 82 1 5 75 Ladies’ Double.' ... 1 1 14 1 1 1 1 Ladies’ Singles ... 2 2 28 2 2 51 Mixed Doubles 2 /j ' 89 2 5 41 To I:.;.19 19 196 8 18 194 Men’s Singles One miiteli imiinislm, 1 .