THE AUSTRALASIAN TENNIS TEAM.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5679, 29 August 1905, Page 3

THE AUSTRALASIAN TENNIS TEAM.

SPLENDID PLAY BY BROOKES AND WILDING. NEW ZEALAND v. AMERICA (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 30. On Monday last (Juno 2Gth) the Australasian team's team commenced the roally important part of their Homo campaign in the All England championships at Wimbledon. With the exception of Norman Brookes, the Australasian quartette drew byes in the first round of the Gentlemen’s Singles Championship (holder H. L. Doherty), as also did another Australian entrant in the person of K. Doust, and all the Americans bar Holcombe Ward, and also the Belgian competitors, Pdc. Borman and Le moire. Brookes in his heat had little difficulty in disposing of E. S. Salmon, whom ho heat in decisive fashion hy three tots to love and eighteen games to five without distressing himself. But Holcombe Ward, the most-fancied of all the American importations for the singles, was handsomely beaten by the Northern champion. S. H. Smith. Even o.r his fine play at Manchester recently, Smith was thought to have only an outside chance of cutting the Americans comb, and certainly nobody anticipated (Jiat ho would defeat Ward by three sets to love. Yet ho did so, and thoroughly deserved his success, for though Ins play lacked tho brilliance ot Ward s, be was particularly precise in bis placing, and hit with groat power. Wards famous back-hand strokes tailed to " oomo off,” many of them finding the net quite low down. Smith’s victory was no runaway affair, however. After he had won the first set at 6—4, ho appeared likely to run away with the second, in which ho won five games off the reel. In pulling up to 3—5, however, Ward was scon to fine advantage, although ho eventually lost tho set at fj.—3. The third set provided considerable excitement. Smith took a load ot B—l, but some keen and excellent play resulted in Ward getting on terms at "5 all.” The sixth game was strenuously fought, ’vantage' being called no fewer than nine times before tho game, Smith placed the seventh and eighth games to his credit, thus qualifying for tho second round 20 games to 13. Tho second round proved fatal to both Belgian players, and also to the Transvaal champion, H. Kitson, Dunlop likewise disappearing ns tho result of a fine and hardly-contested game with A. P. Wilding, and Doust received his quietus at the hands of H. A. Parker. Wilding and Dunlop put up a pretty and interesting game, the New Zealander exhibiting praiseworthy steadiness when things seemed going against him. He won tho first set at 6—4, and a very oven and fast second at T—s, Dunlop making a splendid fight of it all through. The third set saw both-men at the top of their form bnt Wilding was always going a little stronger than his rival, and winning the set at G —4, qualified for the third round by three to lovo and 19 games to 13—a hard-earned victory. Parker had a much easier task with Doust, who did not seem to find his game at all until the third set. Beaton C—3 and 6—2, ho made a big effort to turn tho tide in the third, but aftei ”5 all” had been called, Parker, giving ■his adversary no quarter, won the next .two games and tlio sot, thus beating Doust three to lovo and 19 games to 10—a margin that scarcely represented bis full superiority. ~. The Americans, Beales TV right, UloVihier, and Earned, had all fairly easy journeys through tho second round, as also had L. F. Risely, A. W. Gore, and M. G. J. Ritchie, who, with S. H. Smith may be considered the pick ot the home basket. On the morrow, Norman Brookes also secured tho right to take part in the second round by boating G. A. Oaridia in a very hollow fashion. By brilliant all-ixmnd tennis tho Australian ‘’smothered * Canclia by three sots to love, and eighteen games Vo three. Then in tho third senes TV ildmg achieved an almost equally easy victory over Leaver by three sets to love and J 8 games trf five, tho scores being 6 4 6 0, 6—l in tho Now Zealander s favour.

Parker followed his compatriot's good example by beating McNair, but he had by no means so easy a task as Wilding had with his opponent. McNair stuck to his rival "like granulated glue, ’and playing a really good game, made Parker go all out to win at G—4, 6—-1, «— 3.

Norman Brookes also passed into the fourth round, beating Krooni bo after a very moderate match by three sets to love (6—3, 6—3, 6—4), the Australian never appearing to exert himself. Darned, Clothier, and B. C. Wright also qualified for the fourth round, but, ob you will presently learn, the lastnamed couple were not destined to travel further in tho competition. Meanwhile the Doubles Championship had been introduced, and Brookes and Dunlop, after easily beating their opponents in each of the first two sets ■of the initial match at 6—2, played so indifferently that their rivals contrived to make the next “6 all” before sue numbing at B—6.8 —6.

Wilding and Parker had tougher material to meet their opponents being M. G. J. Ritchie and 0. M. Simond. Between the couples it was a fast, hard fight all the way. Wilding and his partner won the first set at 7—5, but were out-manoeuvred in the second, which they lost at 6—3. They turned the tables just as conclusively in' the third, and won at the same figures, but the deciding set was anybody’s game up to "4 all." Then Parker and Wilding showed better form than their tired opponents, and ran to set at 6—4. The other Australian, K. Doust, in partnership with B. Murphy, also survived the Doubles first round, beating a couple of vory moderate players easily by 3 sets to love and 18 games to 4. tOTW ZEALAND BEATS AMERICA. On Wednesday a particularly big crowd gathered at Wimbledon, the principal attraction, we are told, being the American lady champion Miss May Sutton. We saw that lady conquer a

couple of her rivals in tho Ladies’ Singles Championship in hollow form, but what proved “the” event of tho day par excellence was A. F. Wilding’s match with tho American TV. J. Clothier in tho fourth round of tho Gentlemen’s Singles. Tho New Zealander and tho Yankee pul up a game that was worth tramping miles to witness. And Wilding won after one of tho most desperate encounters ever soon in the championship scries. Both men really deserved to win, and as a matter of fact, though TVilding by virtue of winning three sets to his opponents two, gamed tho match, he really lost it according to “tho state of the poll” as shown by the games played. Of these, Clothier won 32 to the New Zealander’s 31. It was a case of “Well played, sir +o both, and though every body cheo. e-A tho Now Zealander enthusiastically, wo all felt really sorry for the American. There are times when one feels that “a draw” or ‘'tie” is a more fitting termination to a struggle between two men than anything else, ibo TV ildingClothier match was a case m point. 'the New Zealander lost the hrst set at u 7 and in the second was quite overplayed, Clothier, who gave a brilliant exhibition of volleying from all parts of the con in . w u by six games to one. It then looked a good, thing for the American, who was leading by two sets to lovo, but with extraordinary pluck, Wilding, whoso play was marked by skilful vanoty ot service and great steadiness, began to get cm terms with lus opponent. Right to tho finish the struggle was remarkably close, three further sets having to bo played, and all these being ’vantage sets. By eight games to six. Wilding won tho third set, showing wonderful improvement on his early form. Despite this reverse. Clothier continued to play with his usual commendable coolness, but Wilding beat him again in tho fourth sot, this time scoring 7—5. Two sets all was now the state of the match, and tho excitement ran high during the fifth and final set. Three all, four all, five all six all, seven all, and eight all were called, and then Wilding took the load at 9—B, finally running out victorious by 10—8. In this way tho second of America’s representatives was put out of the singles, but it was a defeat as creditable -- victory, so finely was the issue fought. Clothier s volleying was a feature of tho match, and on no occasion when there was the slightest possibility of taking the ball at tho first flight did ho wait for tho half volley. AMERICA’S REVENGE.

America had not long to wait for hci revenge. Indeed, almost simultaneously with the announcement of Wildings narrow win. over Olothier, came the tidings that W. A. Lamed had defeated H. A. Parker in the court hard by. Here, again, a strenuous struggle lor supremacy was seen, five sets and fortyeight games having to he played before the Yankee could claim the victory by throe sets to two. He, however, only “drew” with his opponent so tar as games wore concerned, both winning twenty-four. Lamed won tho first set at C—4, but in tho second Parker s curious twists and swerves completely nonplussed him, and ho was badly beaten at 6—l. In the third, however, the American seemed more at home with his rival’s, methods, and after the games had been called “ 4 all ” ran to set at 6—4. This reverse put Parker on his mottle, and a brilliant sot ended in his favour at 7—5. At the end of it, however, the New Zealander seemed rather fugged; though he held his opponent for tho first half-dozen games, he fell off at tho finish, and was beaten at 6—3, thus losing tho match by the odd set, though claiming an equal number ot games with his American conqueror. The other American, B. Wright, proved “all wrong” when opposed to A. W. Gore for the left-hander was handsomely beaten by the English ex-cham-pion by three sets to one and 25 games to 16.

Yesterday, after quite a long series (for England) of glorious June days, the ! weather broke down badly, and. play i was curtailed to eight matches all told. | The most important of these, so far as I your readers are concerned, were Nor- ' man Brookes against thr.t sterling player, G. HV. Hillyard in the fourth round of the Singles Championship, and Wilding and Parker’s match against Plaskitt and Par ton in tho second round of the Doubles. Tho colonials succeeded in both events. Brookes beat Hillyard three sets running (6 —3, 6—l, 6—3), playing a remarkably good game in spite of a very pronounced weakness in overhead work and a tendency to deal too tenderly with easy returns. His splendid forehand-cut service, however, stood him in good stead, and his placing was excellent. If he would put a little more vigour into his overhead work ho would, I think, stand a great chance of meeting Doherty in the Challenge round. Wilding and Parker played together with the perfect understanding that used to characterise the brothers Baddeley, but Parker appears to have discarded his extremely useful forehand cut and drive. His wrist, play at tho net was, however, magnificent, and he invariably “killed” witb his skilfullyplaced returns. With Wilding also playing at tho top of his form, Plaskitt and Parton had but little chance, and the three sets to love and 18 games to 5 beating they received by no means exaggerated tho superiority of the Antipodeans.

To-day, weather permitting (it does not seem inclined to at the time of writing), Parker and Wilding will have to face the toughest English pair (bar perhaps the brothers Doherty) they can bo called on to face, namely the Gloucester players, S. R. Smith and Riseley, hoth of whom are left in the Singles, as also are Brookes, Wilding, Gore, Lamed, Cronin, and Ritchie. Brookes to-day should oppose Riseley, Wilding will have to meet Gore, Ritchie antagonises Cronin, and Lamed takes on Smith. Much as I should like to see the Antipodeans come out on top, I fear that on rain-sodden courts they will fail to show the form they have during the past four days. Brookes finds the courts at Wimbledon somewhat slow, even after several days of brilliant sunshine, and will, therefore, be at a considerable disadvantage when opposed to Riseley on a soft court. Wilding, of course, is used to such things, but in Gere he has a tough proposition if the 1901 champion retains his form of a fortnight ago. THE LONDON CHAMPIONSHIPS. The semi-final round of the London Gentlemen’s Singles Championship on Friday proved fatal to both the Australian and the English candidates. Norman Brookes made a great show against

[ Beales Wright, but tho American, after losing tho first two sets at 6—3 and 6—4 respectively, proved the better stayer of tho pair, though ho had to fight hard to win the next two at 6—4. Then, however, Brookes went clean off h;s game. Neither his services nor his returns had any sting in them, and Wright, playing as though he had only just got into the swing of tho game, ” fairly tied tho Australian in a knot” (as one enthusiastic supporter of the Stars and Stripes put it), and won the set and the match at Brookes, until the final set, played quite as well as the American, but he does not possess the stamina of Wriglit, who, thtnjgh perhaps inferior to his compatriot Holcombo TVard in command of the ball and bewildering variety of service, is a marvel of agility and resource, and gifted with staying powers of an unusually high order. In physical fitness, all the American players had an advantage of nine out of every ten men they met at Kensington, in spite of the fact that they had been on shore but a few hours when tho tournament commenced. To be beaten by three sets to two, and twenty-five games to twenty-one by a cast-iron, clever player like Wright, was certainly no disgrace to tho Australian crack, who was not by any moans so fit as he will be presently. Ward had also a tough task in beating A. TV. Gore, our 1901 champion in his heat. He smothered the Englishman in tho first set, winning at 6—l. Then, however, Gore took the American’s measure, and a brilliant set ended ! in his favour at B—6. Tho third set, though not so prolonged, also produced some grand play, but the visitor captured it at 6—4. In the next Gore “ came again ” and waltzed round the ■ American to the tune of 6 —2, this making the game two sets all. The “ rubber ” proved particularly exciting, but tho American’s tricky service and ■ subtle drop-strokes proved winning factors, and the set went to him at 6—4. He thus won by three sets to two and twenty-six games to twenty-three. For the final Wright scratched to Ward, much to the disappointment of tho crowd in attendance, but, in view of the Doubles on tho morrow, the American pair were wise in not subjecting themselves to a further test of endurance.

Meanwhile tho Australian Dunlop and his partner Miss Thompson had entered tho final round of the Mixed Doubles at tho expense of H. A. Parker and Mrs Greville, the scores against the lat ter pair being 6—3, 6—4. The winning pair then scratched the Handicap, but Dunlop (2-6) entered tho third round of the Singles Handicap by heating Timmia (15 —3) by two sets to love (6 —2, 6—4). On Saturday Lamed and Clothier won tho Doubles Championship after a splendid match with their countrymen, Ward and Wright, the scores, against the latter being 6—4, 7—5, 2—-6,' 6—4. In the Mixed Doubles Championship Norman Brookes and Miss Morton qualified to meet Dumop and iviiss Thompson in the final by beating M. G. J. Ritchio and Miss Tulloch by two sets to one (o —7, 6—3, 6—3), but after a fine gamo they succumbed to Dunlop and his partner. The first set was very closely contested, and only fell to the last-named pair at B—6. Brookes and his partner took the next at 6—4, but in the third Miss Thompson and Dunlop played extremely well together, and won the set at 6—3, and tho match and tho championship by 2 sets to 1, and 18 games to 15.

Dunlop also secured the Gentlemen’s Singles Handicap, beating in turn Ritchie (owe 3-6) and H. Pollard (5-6), and in the final S. H. Adams (4-6), the last-named losing the match by 12 games to 1. H. A. Parker and Miss S. Brown (owe 15—2) got through the final of the Mixed Doubles Handicap, but then succumbed to H. Laurie and Mrs Armstrong (receive 15), who beat them two sets to one: 6—3, 2—6, 6—l.