LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14157, 4 September 1909, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS.

The English team to play against America has boon notified,T and consists of Messrs. J. C. Parke, 0. P. Dixon, and W. C. Crawley, According to critics they have no chance of success, as Parke la A year was not strong enough, while C. P. Dixon is just a strong English player, able only to extend such men as Ritchie or Barrett. The match is to'be played from September 10 to 15. -\}V. 0. Crawley is 26, an-' a promising player, whose best uerformanee was to win tho championship of Yorkshire in ISJQ7 in a weak field. The best feature cf the news received is that America, by playing the preliminary tie, evidently intends to send a team to Australia. For the doubles championship of England, played recently, 40 pairs entered to earn the right to 'succeed tho holders, Ritchie and Wilding, who won the title last year by defeating Gore and Roper Barrett in the final round after a close game. Tire players were truly a cosmopolitan crowd. That pair has, in fact, never been beaten, and it shows how fine a doubles player Wilding is to have won the English doubles championship first with Brookes, and then with Ritchie, and we all know how steady he was all through the match for the Dayis Cup last November against Wright 'and Alexander. Ritchie was having another try with p. P. Dixon, an English player of fine performances and much weight. He pleads guitey to 14st, but is very active, He and Cazalct-won tlio bronze medal in the Olympic Games. He has played a lot with Ritchie for many years, winning several Con: tinental championships. The doubles was won this year by the Powells, a combination of a Canadian and Englishman. The Powells, by the way, had in the first round put' out Cecil Heath, of Melbourne, partnered by Gaunt, of Singapore. Stan. Doust (N.S.W.) and Parker. (N.Z.) met the Knights, from the Argentine, in their first match (second round), and won easily. It was truly a match in which the- extremes met, i» respect of the home lands of the players. A New kealander, a, New South Welshman, and two South Americans around tho world for a tennis match. Quill (of New Zealand), Parker's understudy, was paired with Blom, of Germany, and fcjiey wore ' put down by Cleather and Gordon Smith. Ritchie and Dixon easily disposed of the representative of India, Sirdard Nilgai Singh, and Quenessen, of France. The Continent scored by the victory of De Borman and Tra&snster (Belgium) from Fowler and Coulson. In the match Trascnstor showed tho form which has earned him the reputation of being the steadiest 'doubles player in Belgium. De Bonnan's service nonplussed his . opponents. Watson, a Belgium player, uses five different sorts of service. Partnered by Lemairo, of the same country, they defeated Pollard and Taylor.