LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15168, 6 December 1912, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS.

EXCITING TENNIS.

DAVIS CUP CONTEST.

PARKE'S IRISH DRIVE.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

6YDNET, November 29. taken °to 0 £ mo " nt , °* Merest is being gs*? «a on« a s raasirbu! ™„ov. h ° & en ?™i public, enre SS* °? cupi6d i W } l & tho event for a know" ~J, I ? evora of the other State Governors LadyDenman. wife of the Goveruo?™enm SUd B ASh2^^ of no mean ordS?™d comSivvia Cbd e S 1 "-? 1 that preceded tho name fo? n nit^£&< retu « c »» an assumed the"crowd^nl 0113 reasons. Otherwise tion"on rd, ndS a,haTe . coventrated attentb£ h^ri L S Deuman'a tennis playing if teic^^h 15 , to identical with 1116 lady in green shoes who Victoria «& sttsr wopk - ±£ ♦inn?"f" c bamplons command big connec i^aAaf" show have « fi^»ss the'flST'EL th .° won both of of tho LX TMt ! matches, tho sensation liro^Jl^ B %> downfall of the mighty in™te^f 1 *?? been . warded as tho leaah?e« S. 01 $° world , for tho last two or not %£?•• -? ho weather was warm, but £Lri■E enff,y hot - " ml the court ap- ™« « bo «• "Par perfection as possible. tr, li^J* 011 cover ed with grass, but it was so closely cut and well rolled that the wirh«?«J a llß *& st and true .as could bo desired. A stiff ■ north-easterly -wind blew across the ground during the afternoon, but tho court itself was well protected by the nigh surrounding stands. There was nothing therefore, in the conditions to afford au on , so , or tho failure of Brookes, and all wi'L is due t0 p arke.for his groat perlormance. Ho was certainly the better man on the day. Oho Australasian captain won ihe toss, ana soon nad his admirers in good humour. We secured tho first three games. Parke, nowever. kept pegging away, and annexed the fourth game. The fifth went to Brookes, who now led by 4 to 1. Tho visitor was not to be denied, and playing well soon caused the spectators to wear an anxious look, lie was beating Brookes. He secured the next three games, aud the score was called— all. The score was again level at 5 all. and again at 6. In the next game Brookes made two double faults, thus giving Parke the lead--7 to 6. The Irish champion continued to ehapo excellently, and winning tho next game, he had the satisfaction of having secured the first set for the British Isles by 8 games to 6. The majority of the spectators probably did not regard this loss as of any great significance, but the keenest followers of tho game among them were experiencing> some anxiety. Brookes, they knew, had not lost the first set of the match {or years. The Victorian's play, moreover. was by no means reassuring in the second set. which Parko won -with the loss of only three games. In the third set Parke won the first three games. His drives were wonderful, and he played a confident, winning game. He seldom volleyed, relying on his ■back-line play. Brookesa service lacked sparkle, and Parke led by 5 games to 1. The Australian then for the first time commenced forcing tactics, and -won tho next six games, and the set at 7 to 5. It was. however. Brookes's last effort. Parke took the lead early in the fourth, and. as it proved to be, the final Bet, and the 6coro was soon 5 games to 2 in his favovur. The next game wont to the visitor, and with it the set. He had won 3 sets to 1. and therefore the. match. Parke's Irish drive is a dazillrsrly unnlayable. amazing forehand one. Not much is seen of it between the smite of the low, horizontal racket and the bounce up from the edge of the court. It has ptmled everybody,- it puzzled Brookes.

DIXON BEATS HEATH. The came between Dixon and Heath was altogether different to the preceding one. Both men engaged in hard hitting tactics, relying largely on their forehand drives. Dixon followed all his services to the net, but when Heath was serving he was satisfied to spend most of his time at the 'back of the courts Each man appeared to be frightened of the other's forehand drive, and served an extraordinary number or double faults in their efforts to nvoid this stroke. They also drove continually to one another's back-hand whenever possible. Dixon was foot-faulted three times for dragging over the line, but on each occasion it was on his first servo. The games_went evenly in the first set to 2 all. Heath won the fifth on Dixon's serve, but the Englishman, playing brilliant tennis, ran away with the next three games. When he looked in a winning position. Heath came with a characteristic spurt of magnificent driving, and taking four games in succession,.won tie set at 7-5. In the, second set Dixon started with a lead of 3-1. but Heath Pressed him hard, and after reaching 4 all wenttowithin ft stroke of winning the ninth earne — Dixon, playing very stubbornly the lame: afte? a fine *ra«Uv and following it with tho next, secured the ■at at 6-4 Thei third set was very similar. The score got to 4 all. Dixon again won the criti™lgame. and secured the set again at was tion. and looWng haggard and tired was So^Vw? n .^««^« t K d eS glme, and the rubber with it. THE DOUBLES CONTEST. la the doubles contest .Parke won ♦Tie toss and served from the northern DoVe. 40/' was called, but the visitors won tiie game. Brookes's eervice went service.seemed to ha stronger than * 4^_r^A« AustrSan's fine net volleying secured U» came. Dunlop's service also went to Ans Sorting £e Bribers fifth same 81 score 7 4affoo*n one game, Brookes indecision at thejiet. The Australasians won the tnira g*m b his Dunlop again raising k^»d r&niop volleying work. Then Brookes a erM , n took the fourth, flgth ana bum t, . ThU to 15. and the seventh they also w thufl gave them the set. 6-1. and tney w tUrd leading by two sets to love, in «• g set the Britishers led ny tiro Barnes by one. but the Australasians arew^ sensational ?»«»%-, Jr-Sr up to , this to Australasia. »W?>°g of the four, stage. the most dazzling player the visitors ™* sixth tbeelgMh n game a went to Austrawon, but the •*», i7 H strokes exciting _, lasia. ' T "Hy of 17 OB Brit . is hers were crowd. In the in accordingly. SSSSSIS. 7 Sto niatch, three sets straight. ■ ~_