LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 19522, 1 April 1927, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS

Recoedek.]

The annual tournament for the M'Millau Cup was held on the University and Anderson’s Bay courts last Saturday, in perfect weather, over sixty pairs competing. The winners turned out to be Chisholm and Miss Scott (owe 5), of the University Club. This pair' were runners-up last year, and they are to be congratulated on '“their line performance. They" played a vastly better game than * against Moana the previous Saturday, when they went down badly to Gale and Miss Heywood. A feature of their games was Chisholm’s fine serving, which continually had the opposition in trouble, and he won four or five points every time he served. Miss Scott played a much steadier game than last year, being especially good with her return of service.

The Kaituna pair, Cleghorn and Miss Anderson, played very Avell in all their matches, though they tvere a shade lucky against Mercer and Miss Godfrey, who led them, 29-26, only to lose the next 4 points. Cioghorn’s overhead Avork in all his games Avas perfect. He rarely smashed hard, but he won practically every smash he did by good placing. Smith and Miss M'lntosh, last year’s winners, Avon their section, but had to lower their colors to Cleghorn and Miss Anderson, 30-27. Tompkins and Miss Smellie, from the rec. 6 mark, Avon five matches before they Avent doAvn to Chisholm and Miss Scott, 30-27. A feature of tho afternoon Avas the number of games in which the pair reaching 29 first failed to Avin the match. This occurred at least half a dozen times, on two occasions at least, the Avinners pulling up from 26-29 doAvn. Pairs avlio picked up and won, though their opponents had but one stroke to go, inchided Clark and Miss Grigg, Cleghorn and Miss Anderson, Hooper and Miss Blaikie, and Gale and Mrs G&lo.

The back-markers, •Macpher.son and Miss Pattison, and Fulton and Miss Ballantyne, found their handicap of OAve 10 just too much. The former pair won two of their matches, but then went down to Watson and Miss Duthie, while Phillips and Miss Aitken accounted for tho other pair. North Otago are apparently keen to get off their match with Otago this season, for they are undeterred by their experience last Aveek, wdien they came down only to find it pouring Avith rain. Their team comes doAvn to-night, and they play to-morrow at Anderson’s Bay. In spite of the fact that the visitors have a strong side, the O.L.T.A. has decided to play the Univcrsity-Kai-tuna match tho same day, depriving tho reprcsontatVe team of the services of several players, Nevertheless a strong team is representing Otago, and the visitors Avil haA'e a hard row to hoe, especially in the men’s events.

One of the best games will be the meeting of Sumpter and Bray in the first single The Oamaru man had a win over Bray in one of these matches a couple of seasons ago, and the Dunedin mao will have to be playing well to turn the tables this time. M'Gregor is a hard man to beat, and should extend M'Dougall, but the Otago man should win.

In the ladies’ events the match between Miss Romans and Miss Pattison should be the star attraction, with the result difficult to foretell. Bliss Pattison will probably be favorite, but the visitor is at the top of her form just now, and it would not be surprising if she won. Another interesting nmtph will be that between Miss G. Manchester and Mrs Gale. The North Otago lady won by a narrow margin the last time these two players mot m a rep. match, and it will be anybody’s game to-morrow. Some good games should be seen in the mixed doubles, and though Sumpter and Miss G. Manchester should win, the remaining ones seem very even, with the odds slightly in favor of the home players. It is to he hoped that a good crowd will go out to the match to show their appreciation of the keenness of the visitors in coming down a second time. Tilden intends making a great effort this' season to regain his title of world’s champion, lost to Lacoste last year. He leaves for Europe this month with an American team, and intends competing in the French championships and at Wimbledon. ' Sympathy was with the Frenchmen last year in the American championships, but few players would be sorry to see W. T. Tilden regain bis title, if only for one year. An interesting point for discussion arose during a match in a northern city recently. In a mixed double the man was serving to the opposing lady, who returned the ball out of court, thereby losing that point. Her partner, however, claimed a replay of the stroke, as he was not ready when his partner played the ball. The replay of the point was granted, apparently on the grounds that tho server must see that the opposing side is ready before he serves’. To us this appears a bad argument, for surely it is- up to the receiver to see that her partner is ready. If she wrongly thinks he is ready then her next stroke is not influenced by her partner, and consequently she deserves to lose, tho point if she hits the ball out. One would like to ask what decision would have been given if tho lady receiver had put in a winning shot and the server had appealed on the grounds that the other man was not ready ? It appears that N. C. 11. Wilson is not coming to Dunedin after all. He will bo remembered as tho winner of the Now Zealand doubles with Peacock in 1925, and is probably tho most popular of the younger brigade in New Zealand 'tennis circles to-day. It was reported that he was considering taking up the medical course, but he has now changed his mind, which is unfortunate for Otago tennis. Kaituna plays University to-morrow, and the winner plays Moana the following Saturday in the final of the A grade. It is to be hoped that fine, weather favors these matches, for the A grade has dragged somewhat this season. University should win to-morrow, though Kaituna will do well in the men’s events. Moody, Clark, and Cleghorn should all win their singles, while Phillips, who is a much improved player this season, stands a good chance against Watson. The University ladies, however, should even things up, and tho mixed doubles should also end in favor of that club. If University wins, a great game should be seen next Salii d 1 ay against Moana. Last year Moana won by a narrow margin, and the students will be keen to turn the tables this time.

Miss Borton replaces Miss Nichols in the North Otago team against Otago to-morrow, Miss Nichols not being available for the trip.

In a series of matches at Oamaru recently for cups presented to the winners of the men’s and ladies’ singles, Miss I. Homans won the ladies’ event and G. Sumpter the men’s. Sumpter defeated M'Gregor fairly easily in an early round, and mot Mollison in the final, when he lost the first set hnt won the next two comfortably. Miss Romans had an interesting match with Miss G. Manchester in the semi-final, this being the best match in the event. Both ladies drove well, but Miss Romans was more severe with her forehand drive. 1 •this giving her the victory, 9-6. In the 1 other half Miss King, who is a much I improved player this season, defeated Miss V. Nichols. In Jtho final Miss Romans defeated Miss King in straight sets. The winner is playing in the Otago championships at Easter, and she should .do well in her various events, especially the ladies’ singles. Bairs for Easter include M'Donald (Southland) and Stumbles, Tregear and Webling, M'Dougall and Clark, Guy and Moody, Reid (Oamaru) and Miss, King. G. Morris, of Pembroke, is again a competitor this year. Entries for handicap events at Easter j may now bo made up till noon on Monday next, and the draw will take place that night. An effort is to be made at the tournament to have an official in charge of umpires, and it will bo his duty to 1 find umpires for all matches. This should prove a boon to all players, especially to visitors. Another innovation this year will be that of the loser paying for balls in nil matches, the suggestion put forward in these notes last week having been adoptd by the 0.L.T.A., with the proviso that there shall bo no booking of balls. As was pointed out before, a player who enters for one or more events should be prepared to pay for j one pair of balls in each event. Under | the old system ho would probably have had to pay for one pair per event in anj j case, and possibly more, while now he ' knows exactly what balls are going to , cost him altogether. For a player in: five events, allowing for his partner in I the men’s doubles to pay bis share, his 1 total outlay for balls will be IGs, regardless of the number of matches ho plays. Another innovation may be that of ball boys, to put this tournament in line with northern ones. The idea is under consideration at present, and j there is no reason why it should not be brought into force. The added expense would not be great, and most players would willingly pay an extra shilling as a voluntary contribution for the privilege of having a boy to scout i for balls for all their matches. I