LAWN TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18624, 4 August 1922, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS

Br Smash. Hough no official word has yet been received. private advices to hand in Wellington make it certain that a strong ladies’ team from Now South Wales will visit the. dominion next season. They will plaj* several matches here,'.and their presence at the championship meeting will greatly increase public interest. It is understood that arrangements have been practically completed-for the tour of the New South Wales ladies, and from what can be gathered everyone in New Zealand seems determined that the visitors shall spend a right royal time in the dominion, as a fitting return for the lavish hospitality they showered upon the New Zealand ladies when the latter wore in Sydney last April. It is reported that the New South Wales men are also very keen, and it is said to bo more than likely that a men’s team will also oome across next season, but it is doubtful whether such a team would be officially recognised by the N.Z.L.T.A., as that body will have its hands full attending to the arrangements already made in connection with the visit of the New South Wales ladies. Patterson Anderson, and O’Hara Wood, the Australian Davis Cup team, accompanied by Wertheim, have arrived in America, and are practising hard at Seabright in preparation for the tournament which commences there next week. The latest information about Wood’s arm, which gave him considerable trouble during the ust few days of the Wimbledon tournament shows that it is still causing anxiety, and he may not be available for the Davis Cup matches. If Wood refrains from tournament play lor a week or two he should have a good ohanoe of recovering, and all that remains then to decide is whether he can again got into form in time. But there is really, little need for apprehension as there is no' earthly reason 'why Patterson and Anderson should not play .in heth the Singles and Doubles. Asa matter\>f fact I am by no means certain that Patterson and Anderson, with p. little more practice together, would not constitute Australia’s strongest doubles pair, and I wn sure that opinion is widely shared. Of course 1 Patterson may decide to include Wertheim in the doubles team, but that is unlikely, for the tall Victorian is scarcely up to the Davis Cup standard of play—especially in America. The Australian s first mateh is against France, and as it should prove an easy' win they can afford to take chances by experimenting with their team in order to try out the various combinations. . . The Spanish Davis Cup team, which is going to America to contest the final against the winner of the Australia-France match, will probably consist of M. Alonzo, Count de Gomar, and E. Flaquor. So far we have had no definite word as to the intentions of the French team, but it is almost certain to go to America. The Australia v. France match Has to be completed by August 12,' and the final against Spain by August 19. , According to a recent cablegram Tilden, Johnston, and Williams seem to be certainties for the American team, with Richards or Washburn as Williams’s, partner in the Doubles. This almost looks as though the United States Lawn Tennis Association is going to rely on the Singles to win the match, believing—and with some reason—that if Tilden and Johnston are both available they will win at least three out of their four matches. I* has always been a. mystery to me why the American selectors did not play Tjlden and Johnston in both tho Singles and Roubles as they paired very effectively at Auckland in 19KL In that match they defeated Brookes and Patterson, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. .6-4, and they, looked an invincible combination on the day’s play. That they are both doubles players of the very highest class is shown by the fact that Johnston, associated with C. J. Griffin, has won the American Doubles Championship three times (in 1915, 1916, and 1920), and Tilden, partnered by Richards, has won it twice (in 1918 and 1921). Williams and Washburn are admittedly very fine doubles players, and they have won ,at many tournaments, but neither of them has yet got his name on the championship roll. As a singles player Williams is rated sixth ]on the American ranking list. He is brilliant, but exceeding erratic, and the American authorities would seem to be taking a risk in playing him in the Singles in preference to Richards or Washburn, both of whom are above him on the* ranking list Patterson and Washbum, it is interesting to recall, 1 have met on two previous occasions, and they have', a victory each tp their credit. . Their first match, played at Forest Hills in 1919, after Patterson’s first win at Wimbledon, resulted in a victory for the Australian, 7 —5, I—6, 6—l, 5—6, 6—l, rand their second, played in Mel bourne after the Davis Opp of 1620, resulted in a win for Washburn. 7-5, 6-3.

The Seabright tournament. which will probably mark the first public appearance of the. Australians m America, is an invitation affair, and it is usually patronised by all the leading players in the States. Last year Tilden was the only notable player who did not compete, and in his absence W. 31. Johnston won the Seabright Bowl without, the loss of a set. His opponents included Richards and Williams, and they only managed to capture from him five games and six games respectively. In his progress to the final Williams _ defeated the three members of the British Isles Davis Cup team—Gilbert, Lowe, and Woosnam —but ho was most erratic against Johnston, and was heavily defeated, 6—o, 6—4, 6—2. By the way, the doubles championship at this tournament was won by Washburn and Williams, who defeated Voshell and Richards in the final after the latter pair had put out Johnston and Willis Davis in the tlifrd round. Writing of the match which was played early in June between G, L. Patterson and M. D. Horn (the Oambndge captain), Mr S. N. Doust states that Horn vfcs within a point of winning at 6—5 on Patterson’s service. “His performance,” continues Mr Doust, “is most encouraging to English lawn tennis. Ho is in the middle twenties. His service is nearly ocpial to Patterson’s, and his game is ultra modern. It is Horn’s typo that the selection committee would do well to select for Davis Cup practice rather than men with past reputations who have not been tested against young and virile players. _ y The latest English files give the following results of the hard court championships, which wore played at Brussels during the last week in May:—Men’s Singles. TJ. Cecbet beat Count do Gornar, 6 —o, 2—6, 4—6, 6—l, 6—2; Ladies’ Singles, Mile Lenglen beat Miss Ryan, 6—3, 6—2; Men’s Doubles, Cochot and Borotra beat Mishu and Dupont, 7 —9 6 —l, 6—l, 6—3_; Ladies’ Doubles, Mile Lenglen and Miss Ryan beat Mrs Beamish and Miss M “Kane, 6—o, 6—4; Mixed Doubles. Cochet and Mile Lenglen beat J. B. Gilbert and Mrs Beamish 6—4, 4—6, 6—o. In the semi-final cf the’ Ladies’ Singles Mile Lenglen beat Miss M'Kane, 10—8. 6—2. ■Tames' O. Anderson, of Coneord, Now South Wales, the father of the Australian Davis Cup player, played .tennis for thp Western Districts, and has been in his time a Rugby footballer of renown., He is 6ft liin in height, and all his sons but one (D O.) are six-footers likewise, including the youngest (J. O.), who is not only tall, but very powerfully built. All the six stalwart “bovs” ore keen tennis players, and the name of Anderson figures promi"nently in the records of Sydney lawn tennis The twins (R. O. and C. 0.) were the most famous of the family, until J. 0. became a player, and wore showing great form at 15 years of age. Elias 0. (0. stands for Outran*—a family name), the eldest, is 6ft Ijin, Richard 0., 6ft. Clarence O. 6ft. lin, Keith 0.. 6ft, lin, Dalgairns O (the* midget of the family), sft 10£in, arid James 0.. 6ft. The last-named is now about 27 years of ago. Taken all round, they are possibly the finest tennis-playing family in the world, and it would indeed bo fitting to _ see the youngest win the world’s championship.