LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19256, 21 August 1924, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

Bt Smash. The Chinese Association football team, which will bo in Dunedin from September 1 to September 7, numbers in its ranks several keen lawn tennis enthusiasts, who are said to possess no little skill with the. racquet, and it would bo an excellent idea if the local association could arrange an exhibition match against them while they are in this city. The visitors will, of course, desire to devote tho greater part of their tijnio to football practice, but some of them could no doubt be prevailed upon to set apart one afternoon for lawn tennis, and if such a match as has been suggested were held, say, on the Moana Courts, it would undoubtedly prove a novel and attractive exhibition. When the Australians won both tho singles against tho Japanese on the opening day the fate of the match was virtually decided, and it was clinched on the second day by a decisive three-set victory in tho doubles. In Shimidzu, Okamoto, and Hanula, the Australians certainly mot more worthy focmen than tho Chinese and Mexicans, but. oven so the issue was never in doubt and only one of tho contests went beyond “straight sets.” This was the match in which Wood defeated Okamoto by three sets to two after some in-and-out tennis, although the Australian always appeared to have the upper hand. Shimidzn's star now appears to be on the wane. In his day he has beaten some of the world’s best including J. O. Anderson and on two occasions he has been within an ace of defeating Tilden, but in the present match both Patterson and Wood lowered his colours, although ho ran tho first two sots against the former to a total of 32 games. Okamoto, who came into gome prominence during tho recent Wimbledon championships, made a very creditable debut, on behalf of his country, and no doubt his services will bo called upon on some future occasion. The pairing of Haradn with Okamoto in the doubles would nc doubt be duo to the fact that these twr have been associated a good deal during recont months, whereas Shimidzu is proh ably not familiar with the play of either of hia younger compatriots. The Japs only made a fight of it in the first sot, which went, to 7—5. and after that they were outclassed. The outstanding feature of the singles was the ease with which Wood defeated Shimidzu. Against Patterson the Japanese captain managed to won no fewer than 18 games, but against, the more careful, but less brilliant Wood he only captured seven games. Japan mid Australia have now met three times in the Davis Cup competition and Australia has won the rubber by two matches to one. In 1921 Shimidzu and Kumag'oe represented Japan, and they defeated Australia bv four matches to one, losing only the doubles, but, they were m turn defeated bv the Americans in the challenge round. The individual scores on that occasion wore —Shimidzu beat Anderson 6 4, 7—5, 6—4; beat Hawkes 4—6, 6 —2, 6—3’ 6—2- Knmagae beat Anderson 3—6, 6—4 2—6 7—5, 6—2; beat Hawkes o—6, 2—6’ B—6, 6—2, 6-3; Shimidzu and Kuniagae lost to Anderson and Todd 6—4, 4_6. 6—B, C—6. Two years later those two countries again met in the final round and Australia turned the tables the scores bp>ng as fellows—Anderson beat Shimidzu 6—o, 6—3 6—3; beat Fukuda 6—l, 3 —6, 6—2, 6—l; Hawkes lost to Shimidzu 4—6, 6—3, 5 2, I—6. 4—6; beat, Fukuda 6—3, 6—4, 6 Anderson and Hawkes beat Shimidzu and Ka.shio 6 —l. 6 —2, 6 2. Patterson decided, in view of the groat heat in America at tho present time, net to call on Brookes’s services in the match against Japan, but he may give him a match with the French if circumstances warrant such a course. It is difficult to see however, what excuse he can make for dropping Wood, unless Brookes does something sensational during the course of the American National Doubles, wmch are now in progress at Boston Following tho doubles championship#, tile Australians will proceed to New York to take part in tho singles championship, and after that they will meet Franco in the final round. As the French, the Japanese, and the Ailstralians, as well as the best of ihe Amencans will be competing at these two championship meetings, some particularly interesting contests should be provided. The complete results of the in the American zone are as follows: —I'irst round—Canada- beat Cuba, Australia beat China Second round- -Japan boat Canada, Australia heat Mexico. Third round—Australia heat Japan. - . For the second year in succession .Miss Helen Wills has won tho Ladies’ Singles Ohamnionship of America, thus emphasising the high place which she holds among tho women players of tho present day. As was the case last year. Mrs Mallory was her opponent in the final, and she won comfortably, 6 —l. 6 —3, compared with a score of 6—2, 6—l 12 months ago. At the 1923 tournament Miss M’Kane. who recently defeated the American champion at Wimbledon put up a great fight against Miss Wills, who eventually won—2 —6, 6 —2, 7- 5. Miss Wills then went on to defeat Miss Goss in the semi-final, 6—4. 6—o. Following upon her success in the Singles Championship, Miss Wilis, partnered by Mrs Wightman, has also won the Women's National Doubles title by defeating iuis s Goss and Mrs Jessup, 6 —4, 6 Tb is is tho second time that Miss Wills has won the Doubles Chamnionship, the previous occasion being in 1922, when she had Mrs Jessup as a partner, and when she was only 16 years of ago. Miss Helen Will,-, who learned the game on the hard courts of California, won the Pacific Coast championship in 1921, and 'he following year, at tho age of 16, she was runner-lip to Mrs Mallory in the singles championship. When she won tho title last year she was only a few months older than was Miss May Sutton {now Mrs Bundy, also of California), when she won the championship 20 years ago. “But,” wrote the editor of the Field some time ago, “she is destined to go further than May Sutton ever went. More is required of the modern player—a greater speed of foot and stroke, a greater variety of strokes, and, above all, a temperamental strength to meet and arrest new methods of attack launched by players of new nationalities. In my opinion, Helen Wills is superior to May Sutton, and superior, in m y judgment to any other player in the world save Mdlle Lenglen.” Miss Wills has already done much to justify that opinion of her capacity as a player. The “biogranhy” of Miss Wills, as supplied to American Dawn Tennis, is ns follows: —Miss Helen Newington Wills was torn in California on October 6. 1905/ and she be-can oiaving tennis in 1916. although it was not until 1919 that, she became really serious at the game. Her first tournament was the California State championship in September. 1919. She learned the game at tho Berkeley Tennis Club, Berkeley. She is sft 7i iri in height and weighs 1361 b. She use- a Bancroft racket, Forest Hills model, light in the head, and weighing 13loz •’ the handle measures Miss Wills' is a student at the University of California, class of 1927. Brookes competed with some success at lh 0 Newport tournament last week, reaching tho semi-final of the singles, and with Sehlesinger as his partner apparently reaching the last eight in the doubles. In the singles ho was defeated by Johnston. 6—2, 6—2 6—2 a score that shows tho Californian player to he at the very top of his form unless Brookes has lapsed since his recent defeat of Hunter < in London. Details of the match are lacking, but possibly the Americans aro not quite so impressionable as some of the enthusiastic English critics. The last occasion when Brookes and Johnston met was in tho 1920 Davis. Cup match in Auckland when .lohnston won 5 —7, 7 5, 6 3, 6 3. In an exhibition match Brookes and Sehlesinger defeated Tilden and Wiener (a youthful protege of the champion). 6—4, 6—4 5—7. 6 -2. but not much significance can ’bo attached to this contest. The “autobiography” of Brookes, which also appears in American Lawn Tennis, is as follows :—Full name: Norman Everard Brookes: address; “Kurneh,” Domain road, (south Yarra, Melbourne; place of birth, Melbourne: date, 1877; vocation, rnanufae'hirer and grazier. Married? Yes, Children; Cynthia, 8 years; Elain, 6 years; Horsey, 5 years; height, sft llin; weight in Tennis clothes. lOst 101 b; began playing tennis, 1885; first tournament. 1890; name of racket, Ayres; style, Rcnshaw; weight, Hoz. Remarks: Originally I played hack of the court game, hut in 1992, through advice received from Dr Haves, 1 developed the not or attacking game assisted by the American twist service. In order to assist me in getting quicker to the not I started the system of talcing the service return on the rise. At tho Agawan tournament on June 7 W. T. Tilden was on tho courts almost continuously from 10 a.m. to nearly 6 p.m.

and during that time he played, no fewer than 157 games, which must be very nearly a record for high-class tennis. The details were as follow :—Men’s doubles, semifinal, 53 games; final, 26 games; singles—final, 26 games; mixed doubles, semi-final 24 games; final, 26 games. The lawn tennis writer of the Athletic News was not greatly impressed with the play in (ho finals at Wimbledon. In tho issue of July 7 he says:— “Four championship finals were decided on tho centre court at Wimbledon on Saturday. Two of them went the full distance of throe sots, and only one was won in straight sets. From which it may be inferred that there was the customary excitement associated with “finals” day. Actually it was the most disappointing bunch of finals that I have ever witnessed. Two .Frenchmen decided which of them should be the singles champion, and two pairs of Americans contested tho doubles title. I do not think that many people cared a great deal which way these two matches went. Vincent Richards, F. T. Hunter, Joan Borotra,- and Lacoste all failed to do themselves justice, and though there were 15,000 spectators in the stands when play began, there certainly were not 8000 when tho last match—the mixed doubles—arrived.

“The proceedings opened with the International Ladies’ Doubles between Miss Helen Wills and Mrs Wightman on the ono side, and Miss Kitty M'Kane and Mrs Covell on the other. Miss Wills was the boss of the four, and she was rendered more assistance by her partner than was Miss M'Kane. Tho feature of the match was tho backhand drives of tho American lady champion. She kept her opponents on the base lino, and she “shot” the side lines with great accuracy.

“Borotra and Lacoste were the next in the court, to decide idle premier championship Borotra had brief spells of brilliance, such as he produced when defeating Vincent Richards, but ho was not so consistent. Ho took six games running, and was a set up. Then he l>egan hitting down on the ball did found the not with such frequency 'hat Laooste began to enjoy himself and nlayed a much more severe game to level ip with a 6—3 set. Another spell of catlike utility at the not and Borotra won the lead with another 6 —l set. Laoosto was woefully weak overhead and Borotra was particularly strong in this department. The fourtli set was all Lacoste’s, his compatriot falling back on the base lino in defence of some really good driving. Two sets all. In the deciding sot a tame series of games went with the service until four all was called. Then Laoosto crave Borotra a chance by double faulting, and the latter seized it to such purpose as to take the game. With the service, ho took the next for the championship, and the two gallant Frenchmen doffed their caps, ran to each other, and exchanged greetings and commiserations.”