LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13455, 6 April 1907, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS.

The Hamilton tournament passed off successfully, the. number of competitors being largo and t.he courts playing well. A high wind, however, interfered somewhat with several of the matches. The men's championship singles was well contested, the final resting between Mowbray (Parried) and Billing (Eden and Kpsom). These two will play off in town, probably this afternoon. The former has come oh wonderfully of late, and defeated W A. Brown in this event. His volleying and placing were exceptionally good for a young player, while he lasted splendidly through a lot of hard games, winning tins handicap singles and doing well in other events. The men's doubles championship was annexed by I'aterson and \\ . A. Brown. Mis. Cooper (Devonport), giving a taste of her old-time brilliancy, accounted for the ladies' championship singles, beating Miss Cdv in the final. The latter seemed somewhat puzzled by the wind and was hardly at her best. ' Nevertheless, the North Shore representative deserves credit for her performance, especially as she just lost tho handicap event from the scratch mark, giving her opponent 30 in 50. Hemus was leniently treated by the handicapped, and 1 expect, thai the New Zealand cricket, representative will be heard of again nearer I lie scratch mark. He was defeated in the final of the handicap singles (second grade), but with Miss Woodroffo (Auckland Club) won the combined double-. If Hemu s devotes himself to tennis, with hi* good eve and clever wrist work, lie should early distinguish himself on the courts. Mi-.-Woodroff-' gave a very good display all through the meeting.

Some of the country players have received liberal treatment, in the handicap events. Several of them adopted methods which, although not elegant, were at. least effective.

I understand that the officials of the Hamilton Club are so satisfied with the result of their efforts this year that they propose to make the tournament an annual affair.

The Wellington Association has 30 affiliated clubs, while Otago has 25. Auckland is very far behind.

Miss Cdy's win from Mis* Gray in the final of the Auckland championship singles was certainly expected, although the Papatoitoi lady's admirers thought to see a more stubborn contest. The champion has not command of a great variety of strokes, but she has brought the cross-court drives to great perfection, and her local opponents find it impossible to return these with much strength.

Two ladies at Tauranga are highly spoken of by several who have seen them on the courts. Miss Jordan is very strong on the fore-hand, while Miss Wriglev is steady all round. Both ladies, I am informed, would give a good account of themselves against our local players.

Ihe final/ of the Auckland championship singles will be played to-day, at the Ivlen and Bpsobi lawns, when Dr. Keith meets E. Hick/on. ft. is probable that the combined final between Keith and Miss Ofay and Billing and Miss Cdv will also 1h» decided/ if the latter lady returns from the com/try in lime.

Championship events only will be plaved at the New Zealand meeting next season. I he decision of the governing body to hold the fixture at Taranaki means that Auckhinders can have no hope of seeing the cracks here for at least two years, ii- the following season the South Island claims precedence.

Keith anil A. S. C. Brown beat (liossman and \ ail<» in the championship doubles. I lie winners coped well with ev.-rv move of their experienced opponents, and Brown took full advantage of the five openings which his partner's tricky play allowed him. Ihe Uc-I End crack appeared to particularly relish Grossman's service, and consistently heal tin'' losers tor rio-^iion. Both pairs were confident of victory. hut the score gives a good record of the foi m shown on the dav.

.Some good tennis was seen at tin- ('diversity tournament. Promo, of Wellington, especially showed good knowledge of "both tile single and double game. I he schools tournament will bp commenced at ten o'clock this morning, on the Mount Eden lawns. The secretary of the association as'ks me to state that the prcenee of players who are not otherwise engaged will lie welcome, as assistance is required for umpiring, etc. The following i = the draw- — Ro.vs' Singles: A. E. Vaile v. C. R. Newell, C. 'I home, v. W. Sumner, (i. Empson V. F. S. Miller, R. A. Frator v. N. Robh.

Boys' Double*: Frator and Newell (bvo), • atlo and Enipson v. Robb and Dempsev! I hoi no and Miller v. Mowbray and Sumner. (■iris Singles: Miss Vickern'ian (lire'. Miss (J. Parry v. Miss M. McElwain. Ml-s 11. Rloomlleld v. Mi HaIIn;;.

(■iris Doubles: Misses M.Plwuu and Parry v. Misses Bickering and Kdvvards, Mi-ies Mi'Cormick and Ward v. \li-5,.., lie-, l>Oih alio Baistow. Misses Cook and Haiina v. Misses Freeman and \'i( k--rman, Mis cs Bl<vnnfi"ld and Ran- (bv,-t. Norma ii_ Brookes has definitely decided to join the New Zealand champion. A. F. Wilding. in England, and, in con jimci ion with this player make another bid tor the Davis Cup and international supremacy at Wimbledon. Brookes will leave bv the Moldavia on April 2. -ay- an exchange. Wilding is a.ready on the way, and if there i- anything in England or America that can heat this combination it n.u-t lie ieinii- of a superlalive order. Whether they win or fail il is gratifying to know that if we si on red the leugih and breadth ol the bind we could mo get wo better men to represent Australasia iii test nuts than Riookes and ilding. !• riedlander. of tltago I 'uiversitv. gave a pood aI! round display at the I -minantoni held on the Devonport lawns, lie has command ol a great variety of strokes, hi' smashing -e-peciallv being worthy o' mention If he keeps on as he i-" going he should make his mark at tennis. Outside of this young nlaver and Pious,• there was no competitor calling for special comment. I In- result of hi' K. it!< and Biown v. (>i u-s----man and Vaile match was 6—l. 6—o. 4—6. 6—4. One would have thought that after the first -et going so badlv :igain-t them the 10-ers would have alfred their methods; but they St ,11 persisted in their vvell-t hong hi. out rdans, and went flown evn wor,i in the -eiond set. Certainly ile.'v made a good let oven biter, but hv • li.it time con ' , !l 'on was telling it- tale, and what locked like a win at the start wa- recorded as a laid defeat. "

THE NEW SOI Tfl WALES. MEETING

The annual lawn tennis tournament, pro ■ noted by the New South Wales Lawn''l eu in- Association, was practically concluded on March 23, when Horace Kice succeeded in winning the single-handed championship of the State, while Mis, J';,vtcii won the ladies' championship (says an Australian exchange). R;ce is one of the best known and most, popular players in the State, and his victory was loudly cheered; hut ii cannot lie said that the final game was a brilliant exhibition of modern lawn tennis, Parker, who opposed Rico in the final, is a muchveiled New Xealander, who has won matches in New Zealand, lasmania, (Queens land. South Australia, and West, Australia. He lias also played in England, and made a good show among flight, players there: so there was every reason to expect a highclass exhibition. But. the watchword of mod ern tennis is severity—a hard return of the service followed by a dash for position at [he net, and once gained, the position must be held by severe volleying. In Saturday's game neither player made anv constant attempt to gm to the net, ami on some few occasions as they went un a high toss would send them scurrying back again to the safety of the back line. Brookes or Wilding would have knocked the cover of! these hiyu tosses; and it is nonsense to say that Barker is so clever a base line player that no ore 'an go to the net against him. as Wilding, a vollevor, beat him easily in New Zealand lately.

Saturday's game was a solendid exhibition of the old style of tennis. Beth plave---were safe ami accurate, and Barker kept Bice on the run by his e'ever side-line phi*. I' is hard to sa r which i- Parker's !>,>-( side, his fore-hand or his hack-hand, and he has all sorts of tricky spins that mulko the ball cut surprising caper# on the bounce. Rice played a very solid, plucky game, and tried verv few sensational shots. Tlr kept ft better length than Barker, but the latter takes the ball earlier in the hop than any other player here, so he avoided being forced off the court. Rice waited for the bound to teach its full height before playing at the hall, and thus had to make his line of defence a long wav back in the court, and had to run a lot more in consequence. Th« rallies were long, and very few wenk strokes were plaved by either men,: anything really weak was nt once despatched by a smash that sent it bounding over the heads of the spectators.

Hire won mostly I>v pluck and condition, and both men showed no end of determination. All that the game wanted to make it a really historical exhibition was a lit.tl" more severity in service, in the return of the service, and more volleying; as an exhibition of the wait he-hop game, itbus, perhaps, uover been surpassed here.