LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19013, 8 November 1923, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

By Smash. A violent wind which raked most of the courts fore and aft on Saturday afternoon made the conditions decidedly unpleasant for the continuation of the B Grade matches, but nevertheless the various games were completed, and tiiat is always something. Most of the matches were fairly closely contested, and as the season advances some interesting games may be anticipated in this grade. The fencing of the Anderson’s Bav courts on the west side is at present being carried out to keep the property more private, and also to restrain wandering stock. During the past week Jensen displaced Wilkinson at the top of the Cosy Dell ladder, defeating him 9 —B in a closely contested game. One of the best ladder matches played at Mpana for some time was seen on Saturday, when Miss M’Adam, after being down 3—4 and 30—40. defeated Miss Bagiev. Although both ladies played exceptionally well the experience gained by Miss M‘Adam in interprovincial matches carried, her through. Another closely-contested game was plavcd between Miss Barclay and Miss Sparrow. The former, by winning 6 —3, maintained her place on the ladder. The Moana ladies are very strong this year. The rules governing the city ladder were formally adopted by the association this week. They will now be sent out to the various club secretaries. Great interest is already being taken in 1 the ladder, and judging by present indications it is going to prove the means of providing much fine practice in both singles and doubles. There has been a tendency in seme quarters to criticise the placings, but on the whole the Match Committee has done its work well, and the result of the matches already played appear to vindicate its judgment. The following are the results of ladder matches played during the week:—Gale beat L’leghorn, o—6, 12—10, 6 —2; Guy beat M’Dougall, 4—6, 6—2, W. E. Gregory heat Angel, 6—3, 6 —2; M’Dougall beat Wilkinson, 6—3, Bt-6. The score in the match between Gale and Cleghorn reverses ’.ho result of their meeting in the inter-club competition on Saturday week, when Cleghorn won 9—l;. but, curiously enough, the result would have been the same had the match been the best of 17 games, as Gleghorn won the first set 6 —o, and led 4—l in the second set. In the. game between Wilkinson and M’Dougall the former was within a stroke of winning the second sot, the score being 5 —4 and 40 —15 in his favour. Slater has withdrawn from the ladder, but so far his place has not been filled. The following pairs have been added to the men’s doubles ladder: —Gale and Lyttelton, Gregory brothers, Cleghorn and Dr Moody, Peake and M’Kerrow, Boddy brothers. A valued correspondent in Timaru writes as follows:—“I suppose the game is going along with a swing in Dunedin. Up here, we have been rather late in making a start, but hope to make up for any lost time in enthusiasm. This year we are going to run a tournament at New Year instead of Christmas. The dates we have pencilled, subject to confirmation by the New Zealand Council, are:—December 31 (not being a public holiday, play on that date is optional), January 1,2, and 3. The secretary of the New Zealand Council intends to recommend these dates to his committee, so we are pretty safe. As our tournament will follow immediately on the New Zealand championships at Christchurch, we hope to have many entries from outside ’ players, and we will find room for all the ‘cracks’ if they come. The programme will be much the same as last year s. The men’s championship singles carries with it the Cram out! Cup for one year, and the finals of this event, and the" doubles arc proposed to be best of five sets.” A few days ago I received an interesting letter from Mr W. J. Melody, of Wellington, who with Mrs Melody will be remembered in connection with the last Easter tournament, at which they were popular and successful competitors. In his home town Mr Melody fills the role played here' by Mr Couston: he is the guide, philosopher and friend of the juniors, and for many years past ho has whole-heartedly, devoted himself to their interests. f When he took over the Public Schools* Association tho entries for the annual tourney numbered 22C; last year they totalled over 1000. In addition he founded last year the Secondary Schools’ Association, with 350 entries for its first tournament. I gather from Mr Melody’s letter that the controlling bodies in Wellington—the Provincial Association and’ the New Zealand Association—have not in the past accorded junior lawn tennis quite that measure of support to which it is entitled, but he is hopefu of securing increased recognition in the near future. Work was commenced last week on the laying of 14 asphalt courts at Wilding Park. Woodham road, Christchurch, where the Canterbury Association intends to lay down between 50 and 60 grass and hard courts for future The contract provides for the completion of this part of the work by January 51. The asphalt will extend 9ft over the base-line at each end, «nd the courts will be 13ft apart, except the two match courts, which will bo 18ft wpart. Extra width has been allowed round both of these courts which are expected to be model hard courts. The lack of courts at Stewart Island has been lamented by many holiday-makers in the past, but there appears to bo a reasonable prospect of remedying this deficiency. For some time past the residents of the island have been raising funds for the purpose of laying down courts, and it is understood that the committee has arranged for the purchase of a suitable area of land. The committee has applied to the Southland League for assistance, and has suggested that it may be possible to obtain a Government subsidy on the money raised. In anv event there should be no serious obstacle to the financing of the proposal, as holidaymakers could he asked to pay the usual charges, and this would materially assist in setting the new club on its feet. It is to be hoped that an adequate number of courts will be provided. During a. discussion at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association last week on the question of adopting the rules of the International Lawn Tennis Federation as from November 1. 1923. instead of January 1, 1924, Mr J, C. Peacock (the chairman) moved that the spell after the third set bo restricted to three minutes. Speaking to the resolution, the chairman •aid he considered that the 10 minutes’ rest in the third set was quite uncalled for, and should not be allowed in Now Zealand. Lawn lennis, he contended, was a test of endurance as well as of skill. To allow a man who was nm off his legs to go off the Court, have a bath and change, and come back refreshed and perhans win the game was not right. Ho moved as an amendment that the spell after the third set be restricted to three minutes. Mr G. N. Goldie agreed with the chairman, and asked what would be thought of a runner who,' in a ftva-milo race, tired after four miles, and asked for a rest. The proposal was agreed to. The Now South Wales Lawn Tennis Association has written to the governing body in Now Zealand stating its inability to send a team to the dominion early in February, 1924, as the dates would clash with the tournaments in Australia. A team could lie sent over early in December of this year, but it would require to be back in Australia early in January for the Australasian championships. Arrangements are now being made to secure a visit from a New South Wales team early in December. There is also same prospect of mi English team visiting New Zealand early in the season of 1924. It is further stated by. Austral in the Referee that a French team to he selected from Lncosle, Cochot, Gentian, HirsHi. Dupont, and Brugnon will tour Australia towards the end of 1924 or early in 1925. Possibly this is ihe team witli winch Mdlle Lenglen is coming. No doubt an attempt will be made to swore a visit to New' Zealand from at least some of the members of this team, and if that can be done it is easy to imagine ihe interest which would bo. aroused by the possibility of a match between Mdlle Lenglen and Miss Nancy Curtis. Tiklen and Norton who teamed up almost at (ho last moment for the American National Doubles gained a five-set victory in the final over Williams and Washburn, the score being 3—6, 6 —2. 6 —3, 5 -7, 6—2. Summing up the result American Lawn Tennis stales: “It was a splendid win, creditable to both Tildcn and Norton. The memory that every spectator will have is the dominating figure of Tilden. who has never plaved so well ; the gallant fight of Williams which did not quite avail; and the fleotness of Norton, his aptitude to I profit by Tilden’s coaching, his bubbling I spirits, and his quaint remarks. Washburn 1 started well, and throughout gave the best that was in him, but he was the weak man of the quartet