LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15131, 23 October 1912, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

If New Zealand had to rely on tho Aus- , <ralian critics for (he inclusion of G. Ollivicr in (ho Davis Cup team, it cannot | I>o .-aid that his chauco of selection would ho worth very much. As is tho case in all i these contests, here, have been the usual j forecasts and .'-peculations as to tho team likely to be selected, but with scarcely an j exception the Now Zealand champion's I chance has not even been referred to. | It, is to he regretted that since the last, contest at Chris (.church there lias been a tendency in Australia to forget, that- New Zealand forms part of Australasia, and that without, New Zealand's assistance the Davis. Cup would never have been brought to this end of the. world at, nilIt, is not verv long since New Zealand was persuaded from withdrawing from the ! Australasian Association onlv in deference 1 to the strong arguments brought forward ; by the Australian authorities that such a. j step would bo against the interests of the ! Davis Cup. It is therefore very necessary | that. Now Zealand's existence should riot be ' overlooked at tho present, lime, and that. j every opportunity should be given to ; | Ollivier to .show whether he is rightly en- j titled to a place in the team, in preference i I to some of the other aspirants, whoso claims i an; being pushed so vigorously by their i Australian friends. However, fortunately ; for Ollivicr, the selection of the team is not in the hands of tho critics, and New Zealand has every faith in the sole selector, X. 10. Brookes, who i? so well known as a true sport, and is not likely to be influenced against justice and fair play by his sellimposed advisors. New Zealand is just, as desirous as Australia that, the best possible team should be, selected, and unless. Ollivicr'.-; form merits his inclusion that is the end of it. Ii must be admitted, however, that, other things being equal. New Zealand, as portion of the defending nation, is absolutely entitled to a representative in the team, and this fact places Ollivicr in the position that his claims cannot bo rightly passed over until it has been fairly proved that he is not entitled to rank as at least the equal of the other players so much favoured by the Australian critics. Arrangements have boon made, at iho request of tho selector, for Messrs. A. B. Jones and H. Rico, of Sydney, to spend some days in Melbourne this week, and Mr. Brookes will watch them in practice there with a view to assisting him in his final selection. The- rush for seats for tho Davis Cup match affords evidence of the great interest which is being taken in that event. Although tho plan is not yet open, over 600 applications for seats have already been made, all parts of Australia being ropre-

sented among these. Brookes has accepted the offer of selector of tho Australian t-cam for the match against England, which is to be played in Sydney after tho Davis Cup contest. He also states that ho hopes to bo able to take a place in Australia's team on that occasion. "Lawn Tennis," under date August 29, writes as under:— British Isles have had bettor teams in the past, notably when tho Doherty's, Smith, and Pisoloy were available: but these were exceptionally . happy times, and not for several Tears hits such a promising choice been made as that of the "present, which is a quartette of striking possibilities. Since he was first chosen as international player, Dixon has ripened his game considerably, and stands out as tho best singles player ef the day in England, and a man who,, on his Davis Cup form at Folkestone, ought to have won tlio i championship, or, at least, to have severely pressed tho holder of the title- Of Parke. | it may be said that he is a better tactician, and master of more strokes, than was the ease when he first went to America, in 1905. Beamish is capable of a great deal, and of late lias revealed signs of eradicating his annoying tendency to completely collapse in singles, while he, has undoubtedly strengthened his doubles game in company with Parke. Whether Lowe will bo called upon for the Davis Cup tie, or held in reserve for the subsequent tour, is a matter for conjecture, and it is quite a debatable point I as to whether Dixon, despite his doubles j success of last year with Beamish, would | not be, well-advised to leave the fourhanded game at Melbourne- to Parke and I Beamish, and concentrate his attentions on i the singles, lest, in tho heat of Australia, ho might run the risk of overtaxing himself. At prosont there is a concensus of opinion that Parke should be the second siring for the singles, bat much depends on the condition of our men after the long sea jourI ney and the form in the- preliminary prac-

tice. The '-'Field." in referring to -7. C. Parke's doings during the last English season, says: "The Irish champion has competed in nine open tournaments, and has von first prizes, a record which speaks for itself. In singles ho has suffered only three defeats, two of his conquerors (0. Froitzheim and A. H. Gobert) being foreigners, and the third (Mr. A- 11. Lowe) having the advantage of a surface with which Mr. Parke was entirely unfamiliar. Mr. Parko was only beaten,, twice in doubles— Wimbledon, where ho lost in the final, and at Liverpool. His mixed doubles record with Mrs. Larcombe is marred bv no reverse: this pair won the championship at. Liverpool, and triumphed at Wimbledon. Thev lost but two sets throughout the season. The Irishman will go to Australia

with a reputation considerably enhanced by his brilliant play of the past few months." The South African championship has been won at "Durban by G-. H- Dodd. of Johannesburg, tho only player, it may bo recalled, who' beat A. K. Beamish on the Rand during the latter'* visit in 1910-11. Dock! had hard matches with Aitken. of Capetown. La Sueur, of Pretoria, and the. Rev. J. Richard-' son. of Durban. The last-named had thebad' fortune to fall at- a critical period of iho fourth set; nevertheless. Dodo's victory was thoroughly deserved. The holder of the title, IT. A. Kitson, was absent in England. Next year's championship will be held at Port Elizabeth. At the annual general meeting of the ) South African Lawn Tennis Union, held in i Durban in July, it was resolved to approach j the Lawn Tennis Association and obtain their sanction for "seeding the draw '* at) I South African tournaments. It may be re- j called that the Lawn Tennis Association | declined by a. largo majority of votes to | accede to a similar petition from New Zea- j land. ! J. 0. Anderson, the young Sydney player ; who defeated H. A. Parker a week or two ago in the first round of the Strathfield tournament, lias again demonstrated Ins ability by easily defeating Kittson. 6—2. 6—l. at the same tournament- He lias created quite A. flutter in tennis circles in Sydney, and has now been selected to practice for the inter-State match. New South Wales v. Victoria. , , . , A. F. Wilding 1 has not altogether retired from first-class tennis, for he has _ iust annexed the championship at Boauvillc. lie won easily, notwithstanding- the presence of ■: such well-known Continental player? as i Robert and Lou rents; and other?.

COVERED COCRT CHAMPIONSHIP. 15v- Telegraph.— Association.— London 1 , October 21. In the English covered court doubles championship. Ritchie, and Mavrogordat i .beat Doirst and Bert. 6—4. 5—6, ft— 6. B—6.