LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19351, 11 December 1924, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

Bv Smash,

The learn which lias been chosen to play South Canterbury on Saturday is one that, should worthily represent the province, and it may bo counted upon to secure the honours of the day. Taken all round, it is about the best team available with the exception that the ladies would have been strengthened by the inclusion of Miss Jean M'Laren and Miss Ballantyne, neither of whom, unfortunately, was available.. That match will bo played on the Anderson's Bay courts, and, given a lino day, an excellent exhibition of lawn tennis should bo provided as the sta>-dard of play in Timaru, more especially among the ladies, is a very high one. In this connection let mo urge upon all B and C players the value of such exhibitions as a lesson in tactics, and the desirability of their attendance at the match, not only from this point of view but in order to assist the revenue of the association. Apart from those considerations, a large attendance is a fitting compliment to the visiting team. Young players can benefit very materially by watching more experienced exponents of the game in action, and as opportunities of the kind afforded by this match are all too few they should be taken advantage of to the fullest extent. In view of the match all tho B Grade fixtures have been postponed. The association ladders have now been drawn up by the association, and those who aspire to the. higher places will no doubt begin challenging at once. -Bray has rightly been awarded No. 1 position, but it remains to be seen whether he can retain it, although it is unlikely that he will go very far down. _ Page at present occupies fifth place, but judging by his prowess he may be expected to attain a higher position, especially if he soon strikes form on asphalt. So far he has been making a number of errors in his games, but his shots possess more speed than those of any player in Dunedin, and when he attains a greater degree of accuracy ho will be a dangerous opponent for any of our local top-notchers. Tregear is playing a fine game this season, and may be expected to retain one of the leading positions. The name of Miss Cook (who recently returned from England) appears on the ladies’ ladder, and as she is reported to be playing a good game, she should soon rise higher than No. 4._ Miss D. Hart (No. 9) and .Miss Romans (No. 8) may also bo expected to improve their present positions, especially the former.

The men’s doubles ladder has been started with only four pairs, but this number will no doubt be , increased within a very short space of time.

Mr A. W. Sims, the New Zealand champion, ha-s been . transferred to Wellington, and ho will probably represent Wellington in tho Now Zealand championships and this season’s Wilding Shield matches. So far as is known at present the following Christchurch players are likely to take part in the New Zealand championships at Auckland:—Ollivier, Goss, Borrows, Sheppard, Glanville, and Browning. The present lady champion, of course, is a certainty, and she will be partnered by Mias Y. Fcrrier in the ladies’ doubles. In addition to Miss Lance the overseas visitors will probably include Keith Poulton, who was a member of tho Now South Wales team which ' visited New .Zealand last season. The most prominent of the Auckland lady competitors (says the New Zealand IJerald) will bo Mcsdames Mar shall and Hogben. Misses, Macfnrlane (2), Knight, Payton, MacCoimi'ck, and Ramsay, while the men’s side will lx* represented by W. A. Fotheringham, E. W. Griffiths, E. L. Edrtleet, H. L. Hobson, V. R. and A. C. Johns. An unfortunate foot trouble has kept Fotheringham from practising of late, but it is hoped he will bo .able to compote Othorwico it will be disappointing, as there is much discussion as to his chances of holding his own at a dominon championship. Tho men’s ranking list in Christchurch is now as follows: —1, G. Ollivier; 2, I. A. Seay; 3, D. F. Glanville; 4, F. S. Wilding ; 5, J. W. Sheppard; 6, P. Greenwood ; 7, T, W. Patterson ; 8, B. B. Loughnan : 9. A. Borrows; 10. R Browning; 11, S. W. Field; 12, F. B. Hale: 13, F. S. Parsonson: 14, R. H. Tait; 15. M. G. Moore; 16, W B. Somerville; 17, J. D. Dobie; 18. J. G. Dennislon; 19, not filled: 20. not filled.

Ninety-two players competed for the junior championship of England event, conducted by the English association at Wimbledon for the first time this year. The new event was instituted to develop promising talent on the advice of Mr Norman Brookes, of Melbourne, who gave a 60-guinea cup, to bo held bv the winner at the annual contests for the junior championship. A cable message to Mr Brookes from the secretary of the f.awn Tennis Association of England announces that the- winner of the first tournament was J. S. Olliff, and adds: — “Your cup greatly appreciated.” A recent cablegram from London stated that Randolph Lycett, was engaged to Miss Joan Austin, who is 21 years of age. Miss Austin is also an international lawn tennis player. -She is a pretty brunette and -the daughter of a London stock-broker. She first met Mr Lycett at Scarborough, and later they played as partners at Roeharnpton, where they won the mixed doubles championship. Miss Austin will not relinquish the game after her marriage -which will take place in February. The honeymoon will be spent in the south of France, where Mr and Mrs Lycett will bo partners in tournaments. Among the thoroughly modern women lawn tennis players. Miss Austin was one of the first to have her hair shingled and wear the Lenglen bandeau. During the course of the inter-Rtate match between Victoria and New South Wales last month R. C. Wertheim and R. E. Schlesingcr played no fewer than 82 games before going down to the New South Wales pair, J Clemenger and L. Baker. Started early in the afternoon (says the Melbourne Age) tho concluding games were played m anosmia daylight—the shadowy outline of the players disappearing at times in the dusk like the ghosts in Virgil. The Now South Wales pair made a good recovery in getting on oven terms with their opponents, after losing the first two sets. The memorable fifth set was a battle royal. The games’ followed (he service for 14 games, when Schlcsinger failed to score, but the advantage this gave tho opposing pair was sacrificed by Clemenger in his next service game. The games sea-sawed with tho service till “21 games all” was called when Schlesingor again broke down. Clemenger clenched tho rubber noth his service in the next game, and tho curtain droped on a wdll-earnod viatory for the Now South Wales players in the forty-fourth gome. The full score was 3 —o, 4—6, 6—3 6—4 23-21. An interesting contribution to the discussion on professionalism in connection with lawn tennis is supplied by the following editorial from American Lawn Tennis: “ Good cornea out of most things, even out of mistakes. Tho lawn tennis world is better because of (he ‘player-writer’ controversy. Lawn tennis and amateurism are practically synonymous. The game is of, for, and by amateurs. It is not conceivable that it can become anything else. Tho -love of games is inherent in mankind, and the connection between love—amore—and amateur is not difficult to trace. We play lawn tennis chiefly because we love it, but that docs not alter the fact that it has other advantages. It is healthful; it. takes one into the sun and air and thereby renews and restores vitality; it takes one’s mind off business and other cares and worries; it affords an outlet for the instinctive human desire to match one’s strength and skill against that of others. A little less than a year ago it was sought in this country to proscribe a profession—tho profession of journalism. The effort has failed, as was inevitable when the facts became clearly understood. Never again will such an object, Vie sought in such a way. There may be regulation of players who write on tennis: one can admit the desirability of regulation under certain circumstances. But such regulation will bo precisely" the kind (hat can ho applied |o any other profession or to any other branch of human activity. To write about; tennis for money is neither a misdemeanour nor a violation of tho amateur rule of any sports governing body.”