LAWN TENNIS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 3, 5 January 1910, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS.

H. A. PARKER IN SYDNEY

TENNIS CONDITIONS IN

ENGLAND

After a lengthy tour of England and the Continent, accompanied by T. Quill, of New Zealand, H. A. Parker has now returned to Sydney the Daily Telegraph). vln the course of a chat he outlined some of ihis tennis experiences abroad. From what he had seen of lawn tennis in England, he did not think Australasia need apprehend any seriious assault on the Davis Cup from that quarter. The famous Doherty Brothers had almost given up the1 :game. "R.F." played occasionally at Queen's Club, and, although he appears to be practically as good as ■ever, his health and condition would not, so Parker understood, permit him to engage in any really serious iplay; while "H.L." did not seem to nave the snap and pace of a few years ■ a£°- «ore, who won the championship this year, had annoucned his intention of- retiring from singles play, «!<f the other leading players li Ritchie, Roper, Barret, and Boucher —were not at all likely to come to .Australia; nor did Parker consider they would have any chance of success if they did. Young blood was ■sadly needed m England, and there was only one player he noticed of any real promise there, and that was Kenneth Powell. "He is one of the champion hurdlers of the Old Country " ; said Parker, "and no doubt has fine qualifications. He has modelled his style on that of Brookes, and is also a left-hander; but he -is ' not, or course, anything like a 'finished performer. The fact is that the leading .English players, with the exception of Ritchie, do not compete much in tournaments, and the younger players have up one to'bring them on. Both in singles and doubles the standard is deteriorating, and some more Smiths ana lUseleys, not to mention Dohertys, art sadly needed. At any toui-nameTjts wh er » Dy*st, Poidevin, Quill ami i com-e.i-od, we almost always won thp -'V.-Wes outright, or tullv Iseld onv orvn with the best pairs "*"U° 1 — H iyP-"™'] "Sainst us. ■ .. ~'l'^ -<;■•• + '■-» of the resent lav.-p. ,^>:- V: , ~ ~, •< j, e - con +j n , lct |