Lawn Tennis Notes.

Free Lance, Volume X, Issue 500, 29 January 1910, Page 11

Lawn Tennis Notes.

By Racquet.

IN the tennis circles of Wellington nothing of very particular moment calls for notice this week. To-morrow (Saturday) will see the resumption of play in the Shield and Pennant sections of the Wellington Proviciail Association's competitions, and the interest in those sections will quicken from now right on to the end of the season. Players are already keen on the' fight, and these engagements always gain in interest the nearer they approach to their conclusion. In various district tournaments Wellington tennis players have figured with considerable success during the past week. The Anniyersary Day holiday provided am opportunity for some of our players to show their mettle in country contests, and Wellington was very ably and successfully represented both at the Wairarapa amd Dannevirke tournaments. At the latter . tournament, in the semi-finals for the Singles, Swainson made a gallant stand against Fisher, the scores being 6—5, o—6, 6—3. The Wellington man thus had only a small advantage over his Pahiatua opponent. A Christchurch telegram bearing on the proposed visit of an Australian team of tennis players to> New Zealand is of more than ordinary interest, so* I append it: —"In view of the reply received from the Board of Control! with reference to the cancellation of the Australian tennis tour through New Zealand, a special meeting of the Council was held on Saturday night, and it was unanimously decided that, as the Australian arrangements were in such an advanced stage, the tour should be proceeded with." Consequently, we shall prdbably witness am invasion of t'other-siders very shortly.

The handicap lawn tennis tournament which took place' at Day's Bay on Anniversary Day was well attended, and turned, out to be a most enjoyable event. Prominent players in the Wellington Association' s tournament ai> New Year again showed (excellent form. W. Crewes, winner of the Men'sr Singles, was runner-up in the secondgrade Singles in the previous tourney, and his opponent. P.B. Wright, was also successful at New Year. . The Wellington Provincial Association have decided, to hold a championship tournameait at; Easter. The programme will be precisely the same as last year's. _ There wall ibe five senior - and five junior championship events. The values of the first prizes-in both the gentlemen's and ladies' singles have been increased, antd it was decided to give no second prizes. The dates for the tournament are March 9 "t;h '26th, aind 28th, and they will be flayed on the asphalt courts of the "t'.v. It is to l be. hoped that the element of bad luck will not enter disastrously into the Easter weather scheme. Somehow or other the weather is generally in treacherous mood at Easter holiday time. At the "Donjbank" private- coiurt. in Percival-street . the guests of the house are hard at work in . a tournament for a fivenguinea silver cup. presented by Mr. Ninian Hill of Evans, Hill, and Co. Mr. Hill recently presented a first-class racquet for com petition at "Doinbank." Mr. Hugh's private hotel, and a spirited tournament resulted,. the prize being won- by Mr. O. W. Allen, of the Bank of New Zealand. Some three or four Victoria Collegians are resident at the house, and the presence of other players of fine calibre is ensuring very skilful expositions of the. .game. The_ application of the Wiangannii Association for affiliation has been . accepted'. It' was mentioned that tlhe new association wa® composed of fourteen clubSj • with 674 playing members, and with the pr obability of . six or seven more dubs joining.