LAWN TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18445, 5 January 1922, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS

Bt •Smash. The Now Zealand lawn tennis championships have been the chief topic of interest during the pest week, and the most sensational happening of the four days’ play was the defeat of OUivier by Dr J. _ T. Laurenson, of Waikato. OUivier, who is a natural tennis player, was regarded aa practically certain to win the clumpionship this year, as "he is •undoubtedly the best player in the dominion, and was reported to be showing very fine f orm in the earlier rounds, lie possesses a notable record in championship play in New Zealand, having won the singles ’championship three times and the doubles championship three times —twice with F. S. Wilding and once with W Goss. He defeated A. H. Lowe, of the 1912 English team, in two straight sets, and A. E. Beamish in three sets out of five. In 1920 OUivier defeated Beamish at Christ'ohurch and Dunedin, but lost to him in Wellington. , Laurenson, the Auckland provincial oham pion, is a very fine player, and he should go a long way if ho is able to give sufficient time to the game. He is of below medium height, very quick and very clever on the courts, and although he lacks Ollivier’s physical advantage in the matter of reach he is a disciple of the gospel of physical fitness, and never for a moment lets down on his game. He played for Canterbury College in 1915, and afterwards came to Dunedin for a couple or three years to complete his medical course. He then went to Auckland, where he won the Provincial Championship, but later he shifted to Hamilton, where he now resides. Laurenson did not compete at the last championships, but in 1919 he was defeated in the final by OUivier, 6 —2. I—6, 6—o, 7—5. When OUivier met Laurenson in the semifinal last Friday the Aucklander must have had a “day on,” and he seems to have set about the task of _ defeating his opponent with all the determination at his command. It was unfortunate that OUivier developed cramp at a critical stage of ti;e match, for it is impossible to say how’ much effect this had on the final result, but there is no question that laurenson, after losing the first two sets, was playing a remarkably fine game. Great player though ho Is there is a certain element of nonchalance about OUivier, and from the telegraphed account of the match it would appear that he owed his defeat to the fact that he failed to push his attack home by going up to the net where he would have had a greater command over the situation. Instead of doing so he appears to have relied on 'his passing and cross-court shots, but against a player of Laurenson’s tireless activity this policy proved fatal. There are many people who, while in no sense begrudging Laurenson the credit of his win, will still hold the opinion that OUivier is the better player of the two, and. I must confess that l am one of the number. At the same time it is not difficult to understand the enthusiasm with which Laurenson’s victory was acclaimed, or to believe that, - barring the mishap of OUivier, his win would not have been even more Joyfully received. In the final Laurenson .beat E. L. Barlleet, another Aucklander, somewhat easily. MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES. The following table shows the winners of the New Zealand Singles Championship to. date:— 1886— P. C. Fenwicks. 1903—H. A. Parker. 1887— P. C. Penwloke. 1904—H. A. Parker. 1888— P. 0. Fenwioke. 1905—H. A. Parser. 1889— M. Fenwicke. 1906—A. F. Wilding. 1800—J. M. Marshall. 1907—H. A. Parker. 1891— E. D. Hannan. 1003—A. F. Wilding. 1892 M. Fenwioke. 1909—A. F. Wilding. 1893 M.' Fenwioke. 1910 J. 0. Peacock. 1894 J. E. Hooper. 1911—G. OUivier. 1895 H. A. Parker. 1912—8. N. K. Swan--1896 J. M. Marshall. ston. 1897 J. E. Hooper., 1913—A. G. Wallace. 1898— C. O. Cox. 1914—G. OUivier. 1899 J. B. Hooper. 1919—G. Ollivior. 1900— A. W. Dunlop. 1920—W. T. Tilden. 1901— J. 0. Peacock. 1921—J. T. Laurenson. 1902 H, A. Parker. In the Men’s Championship Doubles two Dunedin players in separate pairs reached the semi-finals —namely, A. W. Sims and W. A. Bray.' Bray and his partner, dark, of Christchurch," had some strenuous tennis, and they did particularly well. They were the only pair up to the semi-final stage who took the ultimate winners, P. G. Greenwood and W. Goss, to five sets, and when the last set was commenced they must have, hold quite a winning chance, as they, were »one up on games—23 to 22, However, the last set went against them 6—o. In passing it may be noted that Goss, one of the veterans of New Zealand tennis, _ recorded a remarkable achievement, and is still a force to be reckoned with. Apart from winning the doubles he won the first round of his singles and was then defeated by Laurenson, 6 —2, 6 —3, 6—2. Sims and Griffiths met the Auckland pair, Bartleet and Robson, in the semi-final and wont down in three straight sets. Their conquerors then mot Goss and Greenwood in the final and lost by three sets to two, the games, curiously enough, working out at 24 all. MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. The following are the winners of the New Zealand Men’s Championship Doubles to date:— 1886— P. 0. Mid M. Fenwicke. 1887— E. D. Harman and F. Wilding. 1888— E. D. Harman and P. Wilding. 1889— M. Fenwicke and J. P. Jardine. 1890— B. D. Harman and P. Wilding. 1891— M. Fenwicke and A. F. Logan. 1892 R. D. Harmon and F. Wilding. 1893 J. M. Marshall and P. Marshall. 1894 E. D. Hannan and F. Wilding. 1895 E. D. Harman and D. Collins. 1896 H. A. Parker and O. Gore. 1897 H. A. Parker and C. Gore. 1898— a Cox and J. N, Collins. 1899 0. Cox and J. N. CoUins. • 1900—H. A. Parker and J. 0. Peacock. 1901— J. 0. Peacock and" P. M. B. Fisher. 1902 J. 0. Peacock 'and P. M. B. Fisher. 1903 H, A. Parker and P. Laishlcv. 1904 H. A. Parker and E. W. Lycett. 1905 — H. A. Parker and E. N. K. Swanslon. 1906 H. A. Parker ■ and 0. O. Cox. 1907 J. Dickie and A. J. Wallace; 1908— H.. A. Parker and Stan Dotisfc. 1909 — F. M. B. Fisher and J. C. Peacock. 1910— P. M. 8., Fisher and J. C. Peacock. h 1911—N. E. Brookes and A. W. Dunlop. *1912—0. OUivier and W. Goss. 1913 A. J. Wallace and C. J. Dickie. 1914 G. OUivier and P. S. Wilding. 1910—6. OUivier an P. S. Wilding. 1920 — W. T. Tilden and W. M. Johnston. 1921 W. Goss and P. G. Greenwood.

Among the lady competitors Miss N. E. Curtin, a fine vigorous player whose game is moulded almost on masculine lines, has again shown her ascendancy. -For the second year in succession she placed the Singles Championship to her credit, and emulated Miss K. M.' Nunneley’e achievement of 1902 by winning the finals of the three events open to ladies. In the Ladies’ Doubles Miss Curtis' was partnered by Mrs W. J. Melody, of Wellington, and in the Mixed Doubles by G. Ollivier. Ih the final of the Singles Miss Marjory MacFarlano, of Auckland, gave the champion a good game, and Mrs C. J. Marshall (Auckland) also played well against her. The fact that the association’s banner was this year won by Wellington was due almost solely to the prowess of the Wellington ladies. LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES. The following table shows the winners of the New Zealand Ladies’ Championship

LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. The following 1 are the winners of the Laches’ Championship Doubles to date: 1888—Mrs Way and Miss Lance. 1887— Misses 11. Harman and E. Gordon. 1888— Misses Hltchlngs and E. Gordon. 1889— Misses Hitchings and E. Gordon. 1890— Misses Hitchings and E, Gordon. 1891— Misses E. Harman and Hees. 1892 No contest. 1893 Mrs Chapman and Miss Nicholson. 1894 Misses 0. Lean and E. Black.' 1895 — Misses Nunneley and Trimnell. 1890—Misses Nunneley and TrirOneU.. . ' ■ 1897 — Misses Nunneley and Kennedy., 1898— Misses Nunneley 'and ,0. Lean. 1899 Misses Nunneley and 'Harman. , . 1900— Misses Nunneley and 0. Lean. 1901— Mieses Nunneley 1 and Van Asch. 1902 Misses Nunneley and Gorrie. 1903 Misses B. JV and M. A. Gorrie. 1904 Misses Nicholson and Jamieson. 1905 Misses L. Powdrell and A, Campbell. 1900—Misses Nunneley and K. Baker. 1907 —Misses Nunneley and K. Baker. 1903—Misses L. Powdrell and A. Gray. 1909 Misses L. Powdrell nnd A. Gray. 1910— Misses E. Travers and H. Wellwood. 1011—Misses A. Gray and E. Travers. 1912 Misses A. Gray and E. Travers. 1913 Misses A. Gray, and E. M. Baird. " 1914—Misses A. Gray and E. M. Baird. 1910—Mrs Hodges and Miss M. MaoFarlane. 1920—Mrs Hodges and. Miss M. MaoFarlane. XSSl—rMsa W. J, Melody sad Miss Curtis,

MIXED CHAMPIONSHIPS. , The following are the winners of the Mixed Championship to date: — 1886— Miss Hitchings and Hudson. 1887— No contest., 1888— Miss Gordon and Wilding. 1883 to 1808 —No contest. 1899 Miss Nunnciey and Fisher. 1900— Miss Nunnciey and Fisher. 1001—Miss Nunneley and Fisher. 1903—Miss Nnnnelcy and Parker. 1903 — Miss Nunnciey and rarxer. 1904 Miss Nunneley and Parker. 1905 Miss Nunneley and Parker. 1906 Miss, L. Fowdrcll and A. F. Wilding. 1907 Miss.L, Powdrell and H. A. Parker. 1908— Miss Nunneley and A. F. Wilding. 1009— Miss Nunneley and A. F. Wilding. 1010— Miss E. Wcllwood and H. A. Parker. 1911— Miss E. Travers and Fisher. 1912 Miss N. Hartgili and G. OUivier. 1013—Miss M. Pteelo and C. OUivier. 1914—Miss E. M. Baird and W. Goss. 1919 Miss M. MacFarlano and E. W. Griffiths. 1920 Miss Curtis and Dr P. E. Allison. 1921 — Miss Curtis and G. OUivier. In tho first interprovincial contest for the Antony Wilding Memorial Shield, Gam terbury defeated Auckland by tho substantial margin of 10 matches to two, but before tho names of tho Canterbury team can bo engraved on the shield matches have still to be played against Wellington and Otago. Tho trophy itself, which has just been completed by Messrs Mayer and Kean, of Wellington, is of solid oak, and is circular in design. In tho centre is a raised silver plate bearing the inscription: “ New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association. Anthony Wilding Memorial Shield." This is surmounted by two crossed racquets, while at the side are sets of laurel leaves, the whole being surrounded by the name Anthony Wilding; whfth is in large silver letters. A small tet of laurel leaves encircles the shield, and near the extreme edge of the oak work there are numerous medallions for the names of the winners. The shield is most artistic. At the Oamarn tournament several Dunedin players besides T. D. Duthie put up creditable performances. _ These were the Misses Collie, of the Taieri Club, and C. M’Dougall and W. E. Gregory (Roslyn), the later pair winning the _ Handicap Doubles, -while Miss J. % W. Collie reached the final of both the La'dies’ Championship Singles and the Handicap Singles. In each of these she defaulted owing to the development of what is known as a “tennis arm.” Duthie, who won the Singles Championship and the Mixed Handicap Doubles with Miss W. Preston, is credited with having played well over 100 games on one of ■ the last days of the tournament. When S. G. M’Dougall and W. A. Scott met in the fourth round of the Invercargill tournament a good game resulted. Scott went away with a rush, taking the first set 6—3. His hard driving and smashing troubled M'Dougall for a time, but the latter settled down in the concluding sets, and secured a win by taking both at 5—4, 6—4. Scott put up a big fight, but M'Dougall was top steady tor him. The final of the Ladies’ Championship Singles between Miss Edie and Miss M'Laren provided a long drawn-out game, which went in favour of Miss M'Laren, 5 —7, 6 —2, 6—4. It was a game, of long rallies, in which the longest broke down on the thirty-seventh, stroke. Neither player took the not,-and in consequence the ball travelled from baseline to baseline with great regularity. The third set was more of on endurance test than a tennis contest, and it was simply a question of which player could last the longer. Miss M'Laren having played more serious tennis than her opponent managed to last better, but there was little between the players on the day.

Singles to date: 1886—Miss Lance. 1902—Miss K. M. Nun1887—Miss E. Harman. neley. 1888—Miss E. Gordon. 1003—Miss K. M. Nun1889—Miss B. Gordon. neley. 1800—Miss J. Bees. 1901—Miss K. M. Nun1891—Miss N. Douslin. neley. 1832—Miss J. Bees. 1005—Miss K. M. Nun1893—Miss M. E. Spclrs. neley. ISOt-Miss K Hitch1006—Miss E, M. Nnnlags. neley. 1896—Miss K. M. Nun1907—Miss K. M. Nunneley. neley. X896—Miss K. M. Nnn1908—Miss Lucy Powneley. Orel). 1807—Miss K. M. Non1909—Miss Lacy i*ow* neley. drell. 1808—Miss K. M. Nun1910—Mis Eva Travers. neley. 1011—Miss P. A. 1809—Miss K. M. NunStewart. neley. 1912—Miss A. Gray. 1000—Miss K. M. Nnn1013—Miss A. Gray. neley. 1914—Miss A. Gray. 1901—Miss K. M. Nnn1919—Mrs b. C . Hodges. neley. 1920—Miss N Curtis. 1921—Miss N. Curtis.