LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 17034, 3 May 1919, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

THE ROEHAMPTON TOURNAMENT. Press Association —By Telsgrapti-—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, April 22. In .the second round of the tennis tourney at JRoehiwnptoa, M. G. Ritchie beat F. M. 13. Fisher (N.Z.), 6-3, 8-6. Geoff. Ollivier, - holder of the Dominion championships, men’s single and doubles (with F. S. Wilding), has at last been heard from. Writing to a Dunedin friend, he relates that after being for a time in a. bombing camp he was sent over to France, and after several months oh active service ha was invalided back to Brockenhurst. According to his letter the trouble is likely to interfere with his tennis, as the Medical Board had classed him 83. Ollivier was desirous of remaining in England for the tennis season, but evidently the prospect of playing was nob too good, as ho states “I don’t think I could play tennis now.” Prior to going over to 1< ranee he qnpears fo have had some x’ousing sets with and against Lamed, Heath, Lyoett, Ritchie, and vCaridia. He formed a very high opinion of the two last named. Frank Wilding was another he mot in Prance. From the foregoing it would seem that Ollivier’s prospects of being considered for this year’s Davis Cup matches are anything but rosy. New Zealanders will..be disappointed, for on form ho is the equal of any player in Australia apart from Norman the Conqueror. A picture post card recently received depicts a group of players who took part in the military tournament held at Auteuil (Paris). Among the faces in the group are those of Qoberb (singles winner) £Rid Decugis (France), also Williams and Washburn (America), and a well-known Otago Club player, who, as a spectator, was disappointed with B. N. Williams’s form, but greatly impressed with Washburn’s display. Heath, Lyoett, Jones, and Jenkins represented Australia, and the former pair defeated Gobert-Ayme in tho doubles final. Lycstt is described as being very brilliant, in every round carrying Heath through. Three Otago Club players took part in the Canterbury championships at Easter. White-Parsons was beaten by Warno Pearse, 6-3, 10-8, a good showing by tho former. J. S. Sinclair retired. The vetran Goss disposed of W. Bray in the semifinals, 6-4, 6-3. Pearse won the final from Goss, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Pearse and L. J. Taylor (late Kaituna Club) won the doubles. Pearse’s successes will be pleasing to his many Otago friends, as it was thought that the wounds he received in Francs would seriously affect his game. Gerald Patterson, the Victorian player, is a nephew of Dame Melba. He was tutored by the late A. F. Wilding and Ashley Campbell. Brookes liras cabled to Patterson to play with him in the doubles at Wimbledon in June.