LAWN TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18197, 18 March 1921, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS

By Smash. The A Grade competition was completed on Saturday afternoon, when Otago and Boslyn played og in the final at Anderson’s Bay, -victory eventually resting with Otago by a margin of 2 sets (20 games). Against the unbeaten Otago side Boslyn a highly creditable performance, and had it not been for the strength of the Otago ladies the result would have beem reversed, as the Boslyn men won a majority of their events. In the Men’s Singles M'Dougnll captured four games from Bray, but he had •to be content with that number, as the Otago man was too steady for him. Bray ■and Wheeler (a player who is fast improving) beat M'Dougall and Calder 9 —6, but •all the other men’s events wont to Boslyn by the narrowest of margins. In the ladies’ events the strength of Miss Cook and Miss Jopp told its tale, these players winning both their singles and doubles, and also being successful with their partners in the Mixed Doubles. The other two Mixed Doubles were won by the Gregory Brothers and their partners (Misses Macaulay and Hubble) but at this stage of the match the result could not be affected, and Boslyn had to be content with the position of runner-up, a place that was filled by Kaituna last year. During the war period the Otago Club ■did _ not enter a team in the A Grade competition, and its present win marks its third consecut.ve success since it made its reentry. The following are the results of this competition in tabulated form: 1905- Otago, 1906- Otago. 1907- ... ... ... Otago. 1908- Kaituna. 1909- Kaituna. 1910- Kaituna. 1911- Kaituna. 1912- Kaituna. 1913- Kucana. 1914- Kairano. 1918- Kaituna. 1919- Otago. In the B Grade competition' the Roslyn Club has also done well, as here, too, it has j got into the final by defeating Port Chalmers on Saturday last. This was another very close and exciting match, and with the Mixed Doubles to play the , sets were even, and Roslyn only slightly ahead on games. At the close of the day’s play the sets were still even (7 all), but Roslyn had increased its lead to 11 games, and thus won the match. The final of the oompetition will be played at Anderson’s Bay next Saturday between Moana (the other section ■winner) and Boslyn. The C Grade competition is gradually being fined down to the point where the winner_ is to be_ discovered. Caversham and vv akan, by • winning their matches • last Saturday, have now qualified to meet in the section final, and this game will be played at the end of the present week. "Iter that th© victorious team will fight out the grade premiership with Cosy Dell on some date yet to fixed. Now that the various grade comoetitions have been practically disposed of so far as the majority of the clubs are concerned, interest is being centred more keenly than ever upon the Easter Tournament for 1921 which promises to put into the shade the nmny successful tournaments of the past. The entries easily constitute a record, being in fact, a third more in number than have ever been received before, and fine weather is alone required to make the tournament a finger-post in the record of progress that bee to the credit of the Otago Lawn Tennis Association. The extraordinary degree 01 interest which the tournament is arousing affords a very striking proof of the everincreasmg popularity of the game, which is rapidly forging to the front as one of the leading summer pastimes of the dominion; and the day may not be far distant when trom the multitude of players in this country it may be possible to select a team which would be able to represent New Zealand creditably in the Davis Cup competition. Be that as it may, the present very large entry for the Otago Easter tournament must be exceedingly gratifying to Mr J. H. Meek, the president of the association, and the other office-bearers, all ot whom have the advancement of the game very closely at heart. . , ’ The entries, which ’ have been received from as far north as Timaru and as far S t ?o c as the remarkable total of 426, as compared with last year. The following table affords a comparison with last iliaster tournament:— Men’s Singles (champ.) 1 Men’s Doubles (champ.) 20 23 Ladies* Singles (champ. ... 27 33 •Mixed Doubles (champ.) ’ _ 3$ Ladies* Handicap Singles 35 65 Ladies* Handicap Doubles 23 36 Mixed Handicap Doubles ... ... 42 65 Men’s Handicap Doubles 34 43 Men’s Handicap Singles 62 77 Totals 276 426 The Mixed Championship Doubles is a new event this yaar, and the 36 entries received hero may be regarded as additional. Owing to the large entry it will be necessary to make use of several outside courts and arrangements are being made.to play at Moana, Otago, and the Unifersity on the finday and Saturday at any rate. Competitors are requested to watch the papers to see where they will be required to p T ay, and tney will also have to be in readiness to play whenever they are wanted to do so, whether at the Bay or elsewhere; otherwise it will be quite impossible to complete the tournament within the specified time and visiting players will be put to a great deal of inconvenience. At the Otago and University Courts the Ladies’ Handicap and Champion Doubles will be played on Friday but all the players are requested to meet at the Otago Club’s Courts, as the arrangements will be made from there. On v; arn ? , day. the Meii’s Handicap Singles (B Grade) will be played at Moana, and probably a few of the championship games in which the same players are- engaged, x lay will commence each day at 8 a.m. snarp. Luncheon and afternoon tea will, as usual, be obtained at Anderson’s Bay, and players must not leave the courts. Although the committee regrets having to do so, it has been found necessary to out down a, number _of the events in order to save time. This is unfortunate for the players, but they will doubtless accept the situation philosophically, as the committee had no alternative. Even as matters stand, one day will hopelessly delay the whole tournament, and visitors may possibly be put to some inconvenience if they have the good fortune to reach the final stages. The whole of the handicap events have been reduced from the best of 17 games to the best of 13 games, but the finals in each case will be the best pf 17 games. The Ladies’ Championship Singles will be the best of 17 games, but it will be an advantage set, and the final, which will be the best of three sets, will also be advantage sets. The Handicap Committee is at present performing the monumental task of allotting the _ handicaps and making the draw, which will probably be ready for publication early next week. Their duties are not easy of accomplishment, and they can scarcely be expected to know the merits of every individual player engaged; but everyone may rest assured that they will do their best, and it is to be honecl that the handicaps will be accepted in 'the true sporting spirit, even where there appears to be a discrepancy. Their services for this work,- which is not the pleasantest in the world, are entirely gratuitous and they are inspired at all times by a genuine desire to do their best. In previous years there has usually been somo < difficulty in the matter of securing umpires, and it is to be hoped on the nrosent occasion that those who are willing to perform these duties will come forward readily to_ the assistance of the committee, as a_ plentiful supply of umpires will greatlv facilitate the progress of the tournament and obviate delays. Many players are usually only too anxious that ’someone should umpire for their particular lets, but arc not equally ready to undertake these duties when their turn comes. A littlc’rvening up in this direction would ’ nrohahly mean an entirely satisfactory re-adjustment, with the result that everything would work satisfactorily. At a recent meeting of the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association a statement of account, was read in connection with the recent New Zealand championship tournament held at Auckland. It showed that a Bet profit of £350 was maje.