TENNIS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 10 September 1921, Page 9

TENNIS.

In common witb other summer games, tennis will be on the tapis before many weeks are over. Hawera should be in clover this season, because the new lawns will remove the reasons for congestion that troubled the Hawera Club at least, and enable them to increase , their, list of active members %o any extent required. Tennis should make great advances this year. ' The following review of the j tennis career of the little French lady player who was beaten for the first time in America by Mrs. (Mallory will bo read with interest :— Mile. Suzanne Lenglen on July 1 retained her position as champion lady ' -Mm tennis player of the world..' The little French lady has had a remarkable series of successes from a very early age—she was born in May, 1899. She won the championship of Picardy when 14, "and the opep. singles at Lille in 1913. After many other successes, she accomplished the remarkable performance in 1919 of winning every event in which she competed on the Riviera without the loss of a set. The same year she defeated Mrs. Lambert Chamber^ in >the challenge round of the singles championship at Wimbledon. In 1920 she retained her title at Wimbledon, and accomplished the "hat trick" t>3' winning the doubles in company with Miss. Ryan and the mixed doubles with G. L. Patterson. She also won gold medals (singles and mixed doubles) at the Olympic tournament at Antwerp, won the Le Touquet Cup 'outright, and the French national championship at Racincr Club de Paris. She is^ in short, overladen with tennis-hon-ours, and stands absolutely! alone and unassailable among preseut-day lady playera.

The information contained in the cablegram respecting Tildeh's intention ! to give, up,,the game is a little surprising if it is true. Born- In 1893, he is one of the-most interesting figures ;n the annals of American lawn 'tennis. Although he has,been playing tennis since he was seven years old, his early record is erratic, and it "was not until 1918, when by compiKng one of the longest and ; most britl?antr, records of tournament successes ever "scored,; that he rached the very forefront. In 1920 he was beaten but once'in singles—by Johnston in the.'-final., of the London Championship, the only ; meetiiig between these men during that season. As a member of the American liavia Cup team which Visited England that year. he. won the- Championship, bejtig ths* first American: in the history of the game to; accomplish this feat, and anmfeering' Lycett,"Garland, and Shimidfctt among his victims. Jn | the challenge round he defeated Gerald Patterson, the holder. ,2—6, &— 4, 6 2, 6—4. Later, in the .Davis Cup ties, he beat Lflsurentz. Parker Kingscote,! Brobkesy and Patterson-for the second lime. This year he successfully de^ fended his title of world's champion ax, Wimbledon by defeating- the young South African B. I. C. Norton, in the challenge round. 4— 6, 2—6. 6— l\ 6—o, 7—5. He has again beea selected jis a member of the American Davis Cup team, and when the final choice is made it will no doubt be found that he and W. M. Johnston, who were responsible for taking the , cup back to America, will be asked'to defend the trophy against the Japanese challengers. The Sydney correspondent of the Christehurch Press has some interesting ■comments «n tennis ~in-; Sydney. He says:—"Lawn tennis, of recent years, has made extraordinary ■'strides here, and it has been apparent for some time that the association courts at TDouble Bay—the scene of many a great contest, including those fbr the Davis Cup —have been I outgrown!;- For some time the association has Tjeeri'casting about for a fitiitabie site for the. development of a big scheme to.'provide Sydney With the best equipment of courts, with clubhouses, grandstand; and so forth, in Australia. -Negotiations which were opened recently; 'with -.the Government for the> purchase of the iWhite €ity site have now beenS:conclnded' tsjicceßsf ully. The ground cost the association £18*000, and the full scheme will run info £30,----000. for- whichi-'deifrentiire's": arei" to be issued. : -The. grandstand» will accommodate" 20,000 "people, arid the place will be admirably adapted for international as well as "local comoetitibris. It is a relief, too, to know that the White City site has finally passed out* of ■Government hands, and"that any fear of terraces of State-built houses iing trp?on an area which., however snit;able it may be for terinis,-was ofte of the =worst that could have been found for residences, bwinp^ to its haying-been 'partlyf reclaimed. The site overlooks ._. Yashcutters-Bay. and, with' a few im-provements,-can be made very picturesque. ■■ ■ ■