LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 15138, 20 March 1913, Page 2

LAWN TENNIS

[By Recohdeh.] The team to represent Otago University in the annual intervarsity tournament, which takes place in Wellington during Easter, should _ have fairly bright prospects of annexing the honors. - From a ’Varsity source I learn that L. S. Jen-' lungs, of Canterbury College, will be an absentee. His presence in a team would, as in tlie past, almost make for victory, for on occasions he has prpved almost the equal of Geoff. Ollivier. Auckland will have at least two good players as a backbone—viz., Duthie and Miss E. Cuming, both Auckland provincial reps. Of the Otago ladies, Miss Welsh, who, I understand. is identical with the lady who won the Handicap Singles' and was runner-up in the Ladies’ Doubles at the Invercargill Christmas tournament, is a sound player, and one likely to improve. The Otago men, if not brilliant, are of the reliable order, and all have excellent performances in local tennis, with the exception of Jenmngs, who comes from Blenheim with a good reputation. Quite recently M. J. White put up a fine fight against H. S. Hamilton (Southland and Kaituna champion) in the Otago Club’s Champion Singles. Hamilton won, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, but in the final set White attempted to volley nigh overhead when standing on the base lno - Had he allowed the ball to drop it would have been a long way out and the games 5 all, and his opponent was at the time having anything but the best of the exchanges. Whether White is as good or better than his team mates 1 cannot say, but I should think that their merits are about equal. Partridge will, so it is said, also take part in the boxing contests. Recorder ’ wishes the light blues every success. J

TTio absence of the Hon. F. M. B. lusher, owing to illness, from the Otago championships this week robs the tournament of a big attraction, for that player has been in the forefront of New Zealand s players for a good many years, beveral times holder of the Dominion Roubles Championship with J. G. Peacock, several times one of the >, mixed doubles holders, also the holder of at least two Australian States Doubles Championships, he is, on his day out, -one of the most formidable and versatile singles players these islands have produced. In the draw for the Otago championship he would have met with the best opposition Dunedm can produce, but no .one would doubt ms ability to get to the final and to conquer the other probable finalist and pres_ent holder, Warne Pearse. In the Roubles he and his partner had the luck of the draw, and as the Melbourne steamer does not leave till Monday afternoon Mr fisher would have had amnle time to play through and then leave for the Bluff by Tuesdays train, but the Fates decreed otherwise. The defection of the FisherHarraway combination gives the best of two young and promising pairs—to wit, S. M'Dougall-CT. J. Black and Cramond-N. Anderson—a fine chance to work towards the finals. There are some strong pairs on the top end of the draw, including brown brothers' (holders), Pearse-Taylor, and Wilkie-Bray. In my judgment, the holders should still be in possession when the final is over. As for the Champion bmgles, Pearse, it is thought, will retain the title, but I would not consider it a surprise if he failed. Quite the most interesting match should be that between R. S. and S. N. Brown on Good Friday, when they are drawn to meet in the first round. The writer pleads guilty to never having seen these well-known players in opposition, even in practice. They have ccitainly never met in public match play. R.d. has always been credited as being the superior in singles—perhaps with good reasons—but “Recorder” will be finally convinced when the anticipated struede hj over. Hamilton, Wilkie, and Sinclair are always to be reckoned with, although the last named is not at his best, r j l - 18 , ™?. st no . table absentee from the Ladies Singles is Miss F. Campbell, who lias held the title with ease for many years. Miss W. Tucker, had she entered could not have helped winning this veai\ Much has been heard of the prowess of Mrs 1 leetwood (Oamaru)—a sure winner some said—but her expected entry failed to materialise. The new champion will probably be Miss Bloxam (Christchurchi her most, dangerous opponents being Mrs J. Fraser and Miss M. R. White For some reason not easily understood the Mixed Doubles Championship has been dropped. On the occasions it has been played it has proved one of the most popupayable events on the programme The entries this year total 245 agauist 271 in 1912 and 554 in the Record \ear (1911 L Had the Mixed Doubles (Miampionship been programmed this vear Die entries would have been about equai to last year s. 1 1 shall not attempt to forecast the winners ot the handicap events, but will content myself by expressing the oninion that tlie eventual winners seem to' be fairly well concealed in''the meantime. News is to hand from Sydney that \ B Jones, champion of New South Wales*, lias been chosen to practise with a view to his mclusion in the Australia-New Zealand Davis Cup team, and he leaves for England in a few days. His brother, j£, L. Jones, has already been chosen to practise, and is now on his way to England.