LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 51

LAWN TENNIS

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING. THE PLAY AND PLAYERS. (By Our Special Correspondent.) If proof of the popularity of laAvn tennis in Ncav Zealand Avere needed, the fact that Avithin a fortnight during the Christmas and Now Year holidays five open meetings were held in the colony should be sufficient io satisfy the most exuding. In previous years (lie New 7>all T>- wu Tennis Association lias co?!-' ,i /a t-i-'.l he tween Christmas :••••: d V v. '.’»«• ;• j.alcly for the championship m. : : ;»g. but an experiment Avas

mad© this >ear, and permission was given the Hawke s Bay Association to run a tournament contemporaneously while the Auckland and Canterbury Associations were granted leave to hold their provincial championships on the New Year dates, thus enabling an energetic competitor to take part in more than one meeting. The Taranaki Lawn Tennis Association further took advantage of the influx of visitors to the exhibition and carnival to hold its championships on the stli, 6th, and 7tli inst., and the good attendances recorded have fully justified the departure from its ordinary date. When one comes to the standard of play, as compared with previous years, it is difficult to be so positive that an advance has been made. At the championship meeting in Dunedin the crack players were chiefly conspicuous by their absence. This was unfortunate for Dunedin, but it could hardly have been helped in the circumstances. Only three months previously the six best men in New Zealand had journeyed to Sydney, and in spite of changed conditions had shown the strength of tennis in our colony by defeating in a match extending over two days the best team New South Wales could put against them. This was a meritorious feat, but their prolonged absence from New Zealand made it impossible for these players, with the exception of If. A. Parker, to get further leave to attend the Dunedin meeting.

This fact, though it may not have affected the final results, none the less robbed the meeting of a great deal of interest, but every cloud has a silver lining, and

the entry of R. Lycett, the rising young Melbourne player, to some ext -nt counterbalanced the absence of the others. FAULTS IN MANAGEMENT.

Four days of perfect weather, and an excellent entry as regards numbers shouid have ensured complete success; but in spite of all these favourable conditions it is very doubtful whether the meeting will prove a success financially. The attendance of the public was most meagre, and the New Zealand Association would be well advised not to hold

meetings so far south as Dunedin, where climatic conditions are not as a rule favourable to tennis. Ifad there been a wet day or two there must have been a loss, and this would have been a considerable set-back to the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, who were guarantors of the meeting. On the opening day, it

was quite evident that the members of the committee were new to ther work, and by rushing on the Handicap events they managed to get the championships in a very congested state. At the end of the first day matters were in more or less of a muddle, but Mr G. N. Goldie, the secretary of the New Zealand Association, -was able to get things straightened out, and by the last day matters were in a satisfactory state. Another detail, by no means conducive to good play was the economy with which the new balls served out. No doubt it would be expensive to have new balls for every match, but they should certainly be used :n a'i championship matches, or players will get dissatisfied. THE LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP.

Turning to the play itself the whole excitement of the tournament was practically compressed into three matches. The meeting of Misses Powdrell and Nunneley, H. A. Parker and R. Lycett, and also these four players in the final of the Co-r.bined Championship produced some splendid exhibitions of tennis. Mss Powdrell has made great strides in the last two years, and now stands in a position second only to Miss Nunneley. Two or three years ago Mias Nunneley’s supremacy was undoubted, but now. although she Avon both at Dunedin and Ashburton, it is qxiite on the cards that victory may rest the other way \ r ery shortly. In the Duned.n. match, which Avas the finest ladies’ tennis ever seen in New Zealand, Miss Nunneley played rather nervously, Avhile the Taranaki lady quite excelled herself. This Avas the more obvious at Ashburton, Avhen Miss Nunneley, who had not so much at stake, asserted herself and won comfortably in straight sets. Miss Nunneley’s first service is much superior to Miss PowdrelPs, but her second is net so good. It is slow and bounds high and gives too much opportunity for a crushing return. Both have splendid forehand drives, Miss NunneleA'’s being taken at the toil of the bound and Miss Powdrell’s close to the ground. Their actual execution of this stroke is about on an equality, but the lady champion reaps an inestimable ad-A-antage in the time gained by taking the ball at its highest point. When Miss PoAvdrell can do this the championship may change hands. Their backhands about balance; Miss PoAvdrell’s is the more severe, and in better style, Avh.le Miss Nunneley’s is safer. The latter is, of course, a far more experienced player, *=“and this is of material assistance in Avinning matches. Miss PoAvdrell is inclined to hit recklessly at critical moments. The match Avas Avildly exciting at times, and Avhen “set all” and “three all” was called it Avas anybody’s game. At this stage Miss Nunneley kept her head Avell, and placing accurately and well, she took the next three games, and the match and the championship of New Zealand for the tenth successWe year, a feat probably unequalled in the tennis history of any country in the world. LYCETT v. PARKER. The match between Lycett and Parker was sensat onal in its opening stages. The Victorian started hitting at a tremendous pace, and as everything Avas coming off his ferocious drives time after time completely beat Parker, Avho contented himself Avith returning Avhat came into his reach and placing these to the best advantage. The pace soon began to tell on LycetV, and it Avas obvious that he Avas getting blown, so Parker devoted himself relentlessly to avearing him down by accurate -placing. The champion made no brilliant strokes, but taking the ball always at the top of the b.,und, he forced it across the court Avith no loss of time, and practically Avitliout effort or risk of failure. Lycett Avas lc.-pt running couth ually, and though every iioav ami again he Avould disturb the wearing down process by flashes of brilliancy, it avos only for a moment, and of no real use. Park-

er’s game resembled that of a good billiard player; he risked no difficult shots, and played for position the whole time. His backhand was the best feature of his play, and the same stroke was Lycett’s weakness. Lycett’s smashing and volleying were deadly, and so was his forehand dive, but his service is too simple, and his backhand should have more attention. This match was another example of the absolute necessity of being in training fur championship contests. MIXED DOUBLES. The M xed Double referred to was bably the finest ever seen in New Zealand. All four players were on their mettle, and the play was brilliant in the extreme. Parker and Lycett had just loafed through the final of the Men’s Championsnip ’Doubles, but all their lassitude seemed to vanish in the mixed game. Miss Powdreli shines in a mixed double and her drive .s deceptive and difficult to anticipate. The way she beat Parker at the net was a revelation. The two ladies bombarded each other with l«ng drives and occasionally a man would step in a..d kill the ball absolutely or else be clean passed. It was anybody’s matcn r,ght up to the finish, and the vanquished played quite as well as the victors.

Borrows, who fought out the final of the championship w.tli Parker, was fortunate in getting on tiie easy side of tne draw, his only hard match being with H. lYtarsnall, who is not the piayur lie was in lohff; in tiiis match it looiced at One tune as if Marshall would win, but Borrows (who keeps in more regular practice titan h.s opponent) was too steady for him at the critical moments. Marshall's driving was brilliant but erratic, aim ins strokes too olten luund the net.

The most promising of the younger competitors were the two Dunedin cracKs, C. G. Wiiite and E. Salmond. Of the two, White is the more showy player, but Salmond is the more accurate and places with greater knowledge of position than his club-mate. Both these piayers omy require practice against first-class men as a regular thing to become quite front-rankers. White has a fine service which he often foLlows to the net with great effect, while Salmond s strongest point is his backhand, which is remarkably good for a player of his calibre. The Brown brothers are also very promising, particularly R. S. Brown, to tvliom my remarks about Messrs Salmond and White obtaining good practice also apply. Harraway, a first-class player of the early nineties, won his first match against Cachemaill© rather easily, but was unfortunately in poor health, and was compelled to scratch to Dr Marshall, in the third round.

Miss Campbell, who contested the final of the Ladies’ Championship against Miss Nunneley, has a record of championships to her credit for the Otago province, almost rivalling Miss Nunneley’s New Zealand performances. Miss Campbell had an easy progress to the semi-final, but then she and Miss Nicholson, of Christchurch, had a most determined. struggle before the Dunedin lady emerged victorious. Miss Nicholson (her opponent) plays every stroke with a great amount of cut; her style is not a pretty one, but particularly on dead courts or against moderate players, it is extremely effective, and Miss Campbell only succeeded in beating her by superior steadiness and pluck. The final was a fairly easy victory for Miss Nunneley, who out-classed Miss Campbell at all points of the game. OTHER MATCHES.

In the Ladies’ Doubles Championship, a great surprise was in store. Everybody expected that Misses Harman and Nunneley would have little difficulty in taking the championship, -but to the surprise of everyone the Canterbury representatives, the Misses Nicholson and Jameson, beat them in straight sets in the final. The winners, who are to be congratulated on their excellent performance of winning the New Zealand Championship at their first meeting, played a clever and heady game, forcing the play as much as possible on to Miss Harman, who was palpably the weakest of the quartette. The 'winners played, a very similar game, and their cut strokes are very hard for a lady to pick up, especially on the backhand. Miss Nunneley did all she could to avert defeat, but it is very difficult in a double to pull a weak partner through, and —as at Napier last year—she and Miss Harman went down to a more even combination.

The Men’s Championship Doubles proved rather a walk-over for Parker and Lycett, who were hardly extended at all, ecept by White and Salmond, the Dunedin champions, during the first set. The Otago crack pair played a very dashing game at the start, while Lycett apparently was feeling the effects of his exertions in the singles, and played without much dash. After the first set, however, lie pulled himself together, and the final issue was never in doubt.

Mosers Harraway and Ward would probably have contested the final in this event but for the former’s indisposition, and they fell easy victims to S. N. and R. S. Brown, who played a very stylish double. The winners were, however, not good enough to hold Parker and Lycett in the final, though they made a big bid for the first set.

Some excellent play Avas seen in the handicap events, and it looks as if before long Ave shall have some neAv blood figuring in the championships. The victory of Penn and CoAvper in the Handicap Doubles was a popular one, and their play Avas quite in advance of Avhat one Avould expect from players of their strength in singles. Penn Avas A r erv quick at the net, and punished everything loose with great severity*, and he Avas Avell backed up by CoAvper, a left-hand player Avith a great reach. A. Friedlander. avlio Avon the secondgrade Handicap, is also a very promising player, and showed good nerve in the ■semi-final and final matches, Avliich Avere vc rv c lose alf a i rs.

The Ladies’ Handicap Doubles Aver© Avon by M ’sso-s Crawford and Goodman, who bad. a great struggle in the final Avith Miss Campbell and McKerras. Miss Crawford is a much improved player, and

with regular practice is likely to go still further. At one time it was thought that Misses Van Staveren and Ross, of V ellington, would win this event, as they won their preliminary matches rather easily, but M.sses Campbell anti McKerras proved too steady for the Wellington players. No one grudged Miss Powdreli her win with Lycett in the Hand cap Doubles, in which she had to play six matches—many of them very close ones. Miss Powdreli’s play at this tournament, and particularly in the Mixed Doubles, was worthy of the highest praise, while Lycett was always a tower of strength at the net. The absence of Laishley, Swanston, Cox, Peacock, Gore, and Fisher was much deplored; it is to be hoped that all these players will make a special effort to be at Y\ ellington next year, when it is proposed to iii\ite a spec.al team from New South Wales to play an intercolonial match against the s x best men in New Zealand. In concluding these remarks, I should like to place on record the invariable courtesy extended to competitors by Mr W. H. Irvine, the secretary of the tournament, and his hard-working committee, which was greatly appreciated by all those present at the meeting.