LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12800, 22 October 1903, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS.

Bt Racquet.

Matters in tennis circles are beginning to look up again, especially during tin's enticing weather, which all tennis players pray may last throughout tho season. Club openings will l;e all tho rago during tho next few (Saturdays, with tho usual amount of poor play and large consumption of cake, not lo sneak of tho miles of tho fair sex in their clement in tho matter of afternoon tea.

I hear the Kaitmia Club will bo particularly strong this season. "With their very largo membership and knem and cnthuskistio players they should shako their old opponents the Ota go Club up and give them, a good "go" for the championship. Of course it in a bit early to predict anything, as tho unexpected to often happens in lonnis. The annual meeting of the association is to be h?ld on Monday evening next, and clubs with any grievance to nir should sco that their delegates are well posted up in tho way to rote. Now that the New Zealand Association luw been re-constructed on a thoroughly sound and practical baeis,. with an energetic executive, it behoves provincial associations to give the governing body their utmost support in furthering the game in New Zealand, and this can only bo done, by electing practical energetic men on tho committee. It is pleasing lo know Uioro is a satisfactory credit balance as regards the local association's funds this season. Tito Otaeo Club have had their two lower courts repaired in a thorough manner for the coming season, and thoy lorA very well indeed. An improvement in play should obtain, as good results can only bo obtained from good facilities.

"Cliff" Thompson has loft Duneding, having been transferred to Naseby. This is not only a distinct loss to tho Otago Club, but «l-?o to tennis in general. Ho was undoubtedly the most promising playor wo have had in Dunidm for come time, and bis display at the last- Easter tournament fully justifies this remark. T!;o Otago 'Club are al?o without tho services of C. White, but his absence- is only temporary, as ho will be returning to Duncdin beforo the end .of the year. This player is- at Lawrcmco just now, wliioh place, I understand, an Otago team intends visiting on tho oth November to play tho Lawrence Olub, ■who are pretty strong on their own courts, o-pocially with White- playing for 'them.

Mr George N. flo'dio, lion, secretary New Zealand Lawn Tenuis Association, scuds tlve following corrections to some rumours that are abroad:—"SouihoAi and north>vn pipers have to somo extent got a litt!* mixed on somo of tho proposals that wore carried at tho New Zealand Lawn Tmnis Association's meeting. It was decided to recommend to the Hawko's Bay Associntion that tho handicaps be' played by points. Tho chamoionship will bo played, as before, "by sets. It was not a desire of Miss NuntieJey's (the lady champion) that points bo substituted for gets; tho exprcaiion that was used reads thus:—'Tint Mi?s Nur-noloy was quito ready to play richt through tho Ladies' Championsbin Single, tho outcome being that the challenge round in that event was abolished.' As tho mismport is extremely misleading, I truat ibo papers will endeavour to make the matter cleivr, as it might affwt aHendaneo of competitors at tho champion-bin meeting."

Tho English representatives at tho International Tournament, held at Longwood, America, wore suec-v-sful in annexing both tho United States championships. H. L, Pohorty—who holds the championship of England—is the first Englishman to win the American championship, though R. p. Dohorty, W. V. Eaves, and It. F. Goodbody have, each of rhem run up very close in previous vear=. W. A. Lamed, whom Doherty displaced. has held the. championship for two years, and defeated R. E. .Hohcrty in tho final -round last year. His brilliancy and da=h is reported to be unsurpa«ed,bnt ho has a tendenev t-i'—<;i]; I'ev-n '''adly at times, and play errnlieally. H. L. (Doherty, on the ether hand, is the most con(iistoiit performer England has prcduoed since the days of the famous Raishaws, and his all-round exccHwr- ra-i],-? him as tho champion of the world to-day. Tho doubles championship of America, which was won bv R. F. and If. L. Doherty 'for the second time, wa; played in two soo■t'bii*. one n. 4 : Chie3go and the other at Longwood. The respective winners played a AVost v. Flish match, for right to challenge ■the Englishmen. The final scores were:— UNITED STATES SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP. Final Round. H. L. Dollerly (England) beat Clothier (America), 6-3, 6—2, 6-3. Chamnionshoi) Round. 11. L. Doherty (England) beat W. A. Lamed (America), 0-0, 0-3, 10-8. UNITED STATES DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP. Qualifying Round. Collins and Waidncr (Western Champions) beat Ward and Ware (Eastern Champions), 6-3, G-I, 7-5. Championship Round. R. F. Dohertv and H. L. Doherty (England) bent Collins and Waidner (America), 7-5, 6-3, 6-3,

ENGLISH SUPERIOR TO AMERICAN

LAWN TENNIS. No excuses arc to be mndo for the signal defeat of the Wrcnn brothers and W. A. Lamed by R. F. and H. L. Dohcrty for tho Davis Challenge Howl. The best of America mot the host of England and was overwhelmed. "Whether the "Wrcnns are tho best of our doubles teams, so strong in fact as Ward and Ware, has been questioned; perhaps not, though ir a difference exists in" favour of tho latter pair I doubt it being enough to account for victory over tho EngUshmen. If in America a combination to boat tho Dohcrtys is possible, it would in my judgment bo R. D. 'Wrcnn and Krcigh Collins, tho Western champion. Cortainly it cannot to denied that our very best were in tho singles, for nono other compare with Lamed and R. D. Wrcnn, savo Whitman, who is not so strong as Larned or so dependable as Wrcnn. With these facts in mind, therefore, tho crushing defeat is tho more significant of the comparative merits of the English and

American games, f or no ma f c ], „i a y ovor more thoroughly typified the two than that in tho tournament which recently lost us the _ international trophy. As is usual with lum, the American has sought short cuts to victory; lie has thought by strategy and aggression to overcome ins iinncrfect form in tho thorough-bass of the game; ho has ignored stroko play almost entirely, confidonfc in his skill as a tactician. Rut what a jolt that confidence got at Longwood! Tho Dohertys outrmanceuvred as woll as out-played their opponents; particularly in the doubles (7-5, 9-7, 2-6, 6-3) did they ont-gonoral the Wrenns, and tho lobbing upon which tho Americans placed such'reliance. True, G. L. weakened the team, but none' the less the Englishman's style of game was considerably in advance of ours.'. Lobbing scorns to be an Amorican fad, and, like all fads, especially American fads, has been overdone. Certainly it has great value on occasion, but it is the sign manual of a defensive game, and has no terrors for tho man whose stroko play has not been neglcctod. Nothing was lacking in tho pluck of tho Wrenns, however, which was admirable—and their general game was hotter than to havo been exnectcd from their earlier work.

As for 1». D. AVronn, Ids showing under the circumstances was notable; ho has really been out of tennis for several years and not in particularly fit physical condition. Had ho been steadier he would havo beaten tho elder Doherty (R. P.), who played a waiting game', handling Wrenn's lobs masterfully and finally winning (6-4-, 3-6, 6-8, 6—4) by his accuracy and his opponent's lack of it. H. L. Doherty wont through AYrenn in straight sets by perfect play aided by tho American's errors, and is, I believe, consiilorablv the stronger of tho Englishmen. Lamed might beat him on a brilliant, day, but three times out of five this younger Doherty would win. To me ho seems tho strongest amateur (hat lias ever played iho game, on either sido tho ocean. Bis getting qualities rival those of R. D. Wronn, which is tantamount to saying they are unequalled elsewhere in tho world of tennis, added to which ho has absolute command of tho bail, a finished stroke, and a cool head. lie beat Lamed (6—3, 6-8, 6-0, 2-6, 7-5) largely by letting Lamed beat himself. Slipshod work of a lineman also helped defeat Lamed; it seems impossible for the association officers to eonduct tournaments on workmanship lines. Tho analysis of the Larned-H. L. Doherty score is an epitome of the comparative American and Knglish games. Doherty hit out of court 33 times, into the net 35 times, and' was passed 72 times. Lamed hit out 52 tunes, into the net 50 times, and was passed 49 times.

Tho game of both Dohertys is stronger than that of last, year, especially in severity of hitting the ball and in the handling of the lob, which, in 1902, bothered them quite a bit. Tho chances of their carrying back the American singles as well as the doubles championship are about 3 to 2. Tho Davis Bowl was offered in 1900 by Dwight Davis, of St. Louis, as a perpetual challenge international trophy. A. W. Bore, E. D. Black, and H. R. Barrett, in 1900, were donated in three straight matches 'by Whitman, Davis, and Ward. Great Britain defaulted in 1901. Last year America' won—Whit-man. beating Pim and R. F. Doherty; and Lamed beating Pim.