LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21982, 13 December 1934, Page 21

LAWN TENNIS

INTER-CLUB CONTESTS POSITIONS OF THE TEAMS PERRY-CRAWFORD ENCOUNTERS BY SIDELINE With five Saturdays of inter-club competitive play concluded, the time is opportune to review the form shown and the chances of the various clubs. It is quite apparent that the A grade is to be dominated again by Eden and Epsom and Remuera; in fact, the superiority of these two clubs appears to be greater this year than previously and they are sure to meet in the final of the Caro Memorial Cup to be played toward the end of February. Following is the record of Caro Memorial Cup winners since the inception of the competition:—l9l9-20, Remuera; 1920-21, Remuera, 1921-22, Eden and Epsom; 1922-23, Remuera; 1923-24, Remuera and Eden and Epsom; 1924-25, Eden and Epsom; 192526, Eden and Epsom; 1926-27, Remuera; 1927-28, Remuera; 1928-29, Eden and Epsom; 1929-30, Remuera; 193031, Eden and Epsom; 1931-32, Remuera; 1932-33, Remuera; 1933-34, Remuera. It will thus be seen that Remuera has secured nine wins against Eden and Epsom's five, while in 1923-24 the final was not played, the clubs being bracketed. No other club has won the trophy. As a result of matches played to date Remuera B has won the third section, having defeated Royal Oak by seven matches to five and Parnell by eight matches to five. University, with two wins over Parnell B and Eden and Epsom B respectively, is in a winning position in the second section and is unlikely to be displaced'by Campbell Park when these clubs meet next Saturday. Section winners will meet on January 12, when an interesting contest should result. Chances will favour University unless Remuera can strengthen its third and fourth men'i singles. .

v An Even pontest

The second grada grass court clubs are fighting out an even cdntest. In the first section St. Heliers, promoted from third grade, has done well, and, credited with two wins to date, is even with Royal Oak and Takapuna. Next Saturday's match between these two clubs should be interesting and hav* considerable bearing on the ultimate result. Another important match will be that between Takapuna and St. Heliers on January 12. Mount Albert. Eden and Epsom, and Y.M.G'.A. have each secured wins in the second section The third grade court clubs «re divided into three sections and the situation is still somewhat obscure. In the first section Eden and Epsom scored decisively over Auckland, but Rejnuera lias not yet played. In the second section Takapuna has won two matches and Mount Albert one, but the latter team appears to be slightly the stronger combination. -- , In the third section Royal dak has played two and won two and seems a likely section winner. In the first section of the fourth grade Eden and Epsom is in a strong position, having secured wins over Grafton and Devonport, while in the second section Mount Albert appears to have p|xt up the best performances and should win through. Seven hard-court clubs ar6 contesting the second grade and the winning team should be either tTnity or Marist, which meet on January 12. Either should give a good' account against the successful grass-court club in the grade final. "Twenty-seven clubs, divided into five sections, are contesting the third grade hard-court competition and those beaten to date are West End and Kitchener Park in the first section, Halli-burton-Johnstone and Waiata in the second section, Campbell Park in the third section, and also in the fourth section, and Vauxhall in the fifth section. • • * . /■; _ Fourth. Grade Teams The fourth grade comprises thirtysix teams divided into six sections, the leading clubs being Melroso Park and Birkdale in the first section, and Rosebury and Ngataringa in the second section, Ngatira in the third section, Bayfield, Vauxhall in the fourth section, Prince of Wales in the fifth section and West End in the sixth section. Thirty teams in five sections arc playing in the iifth grade, those undefeated being Owairaka, Bayfield and Otahuhu, Unity and Mount Albert, Marist Bros., Waiata and West End. There has not been any great activity on the ladder during the past week, but there are a number of challenges in at present and further changes in- the ranking of players seem likely. The following matches have been played M. M. Morison beat H. C. Rowlands, 2—6, 6—3, 9—7; P. E. Potter beat V. R. Johns, B—6, 6—3; Miss Marion Macfarlane beat Miss Betty Griffiths, 6—3, 6—4; A. Bockett and N. Johnston bear J. W. Gunn and J. Stevens, 7—S, 3—6, 6 —4; Miss B. Knight and Mrs. Shroff beat Misses J. Ramsay and Ruth Taylor, 4—6, 7—5, 6—3. A Narrow Margin F. J. Perry's next meeting with J. Crawford, which will probably take place in the final of the Victorian championships , now well under way, will be awaited with keen interest by tennis enthusiasts all over the world. Their clash in the New South Wales championship ended in a verdict for Crawford, but by so narrow a margin that as much credit belongs to the vanquished as to the victor. Perry is a great athlete and is undoubtedly world's champion at the present time. Whether Crawford can rob him of that title in 1935 remains to be seen, but' it is certain that Perry cannot keep on playing a man of the Australian's great skill without meeting with defeat on occasions. * ! Future matches between these two will be tennis feasts comparable with the best matches that have been played in the past.