LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10546, 24 March 1920, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS

THE ENGLISH VISITORS INTERESTING CONTESTS AT DUNEDIN. TEE TRESS ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, March 23.. A lawn tennis match was played on the special court at Carisbrook to-day between Beamish and Lowe and an Otago team, supplemented 'by Oilivier. the New Zealand champion. The match provided one of the finest exhibitions of the game ever seen locally. The weather was fine overhead, but a cold south-west wind made matters decidedly unpleasant for the large attendance of spectators, and in the early part of the afternoon had a , dint-on, certing effect upon the play. Lowe on account of an injury to his leg, received in Christchurch, only played in tho doubles, Beamish playing in both singles. The results are as follow: Singles—Oilivier beat Beamish, 6-3, 6.4. Beamish beat A. S. Gray, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Doubles—Beamish and Lowe beak Oilivier and S. N. Brown, 1-C, 7-0, 6-3, 6-3. THE SINGLES.

The match between Oilivier and Beamish wae closely contoEted, but the former always held the upper hand in Steadiness, driving and accuracy oi playing, although his ground strokes lacked something of Beamish's pace. In the first set Beamish led, 2-0, but Oilivier took the next three games in succession. In the sixth game Beamish served well, and won from 40-30, but Oilivier, followed by winning his own service and taking the lead, 4-3. 11l tho eighth game Beamish went to the net, but Oilivier passed him beautiful side line shots, and won from 40-30. Oilivier won his service, and took the 6et at 6-3. In tho following the second set,started in a similar fashion, Beamish winning the fiiet two games. Oilivier evened, hut Beamish made the score 3-2 in hw favour. The only deuce game of the match followed, it being won by Oilivier, who also took the next two, and led, 5-3. Beamish won the ninth game, but Oilivier captured the next, and the match off his own) service.

1 Beamish did not appear to be fully extended in the singles game with Gray. The young player is full of promise, but "is lacking in experience of big tennis. At one stage of the first set the Englishman led, 4-1, but Gray won the next five games, and tho set. The second set was marked by good driving, neither player playing at the ret. Th« wcoad e»t went 8 ailbut thereafter Gray did not win a game. The third set was won rather easily by Beamish,' although Gray beat him several- times, in fine passing shots. ■ THE DOUBLES. The doubles gamo really » provideo the treat of the afternoon. The hopes of local enthusiasts ran high when Oilivier and Brown took the «ot, 641. Lowe's leg appeared to be giving him trouble both in reaching tho net and in going back for lobs. The second set provided "a sterling exhibition Oilivier driving and volleying"'beautifully, while Brown beat tho Englishman time and again at the net. Every game was keenly fought, and the score went 5 all, when the visitors won the last two games with the loss of only one stroke. In oaoh next set Beamish and Lowe led, 3-1, 4-1, and 5-2, at which point a v game to each side ended the set. The last set was evenly contested, but Lowe's driving showed an improvement, and- Beamish made few mistakes. The score was called 1 at 3-2, 4-2, 4-3, and finally 6^3. The visitors leave Dunedin fo> the north by the tyrst express to-morrow. MATCHES BY ENGLISH REPRESENTATIVE TEAM. The English lawn tennis players, Messrs A. E. Beamish and A. H. Lowe, who. with Kingscote, competed against Australasia in the recent Davis Cup matohes in Sydney, and who are now touring the Dominion, will meet the New Zealand champion singles and doubles player Geoffrey Oilivier, of Christchurch, and, the ex-champion singles and doubles player. J. C. Peacock, on Friday and Saturday next. The matches, which will be England versus New Zealand, aro timed to tako place at 2 o.ni. on Friday and 1.30 p.m. on Saturday. A . special court has been prepared at the Thorndon Tennis Club's courts, Halsrwell street, off Murphy street, and arrangements have been made for a large attendance of the public. (Attention is directed- to o notice appearing in our information columns as to arrangements made. THE AUSTK.'LIAN ASSOCIA'!~ON. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright SYDNEY, March 23. The Lawn Tennis Association has decided to decline tho invitation of South Africa to send an Australasian team to South Africa, but will consider sending one next year. A motion that negotiations should bo commenced with New Zealand with a, view to changing the venue of tho forthcoming Davis Cup Match to Melbourne lapsed, as tho mover was absent.