LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19497, 4 June 1925, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

By Smash. I li.i.ve to acknowledge with thanks an invitation to Lho annual dance of the Anderson’s Buy'Lawn Tennis Club. There seems to be some misapprehension in Christchurch as to why the Now Zealand championships for 1925 are not to be held in Dunedin. A writer in the Christchurch .star states that “it is understood that (be Otago Association is indifferent in the matter,” but this suggestion docs not accurately represent the facts of the ease. Certainly the local association has withdrawn its application for tho tournament, but its tiecision to do so wits dictated by purely financial considerations, and not by inditforouce. The Otago Lawn Tennis Association was willing to do its utmost to secure the tournament for Dunedin in Exhibition year, but it was badly baiidicapi>ed at tho outset bv lack of a suitable ground. An attempt was made to secure Carisbrook and the* Otago Rugby Football Union expressed its willingness to assist the association ;u every wav in its power. But it was found tba. tho bolding of the tournament was going to result in a heavy loss to the local association, and wiiiltf tinit body would iuive cheerfully shouldered a moderate, loss for.tho sake of having the tournament hero during l.hp ponod ot tho Exhibition it did no!' foci justiiiocl in undertaking financial obligations tliat would undoubtedly have entailed a considerable deficit, ilonco the association decided to cancel the negotiations whion had been sot on foot with a view io holoing the tournament here, and when the facts were placed lieforo the Management Committee it acquiesced that it was not. feasible for the Otago Association to conduct tho tournament. It may be noted tout Christchurch docs not want the tournament, this year, a« it would prefer to have the diampionships in 1926 when the grass cour ts at W ilding Park will bo ready for ph>v, irjcl jt therefore seems probable that the ournamont will Ire allotted to some Norm si and centre, most likely Palmerston Nortn, Neither A, W. Potimringham, of Auckland, nor Mj*s W. J. Melody, cf Wellington has made very impressive showing in tho early English tournaments of lho season. Fothcripgiiam’s best, display to date has been at Uhiswick Park, against O G N. Turnbull, the ex-British Davis Cun player who defeated the New Zealander I—s, 5—7, 6—l. -Mrs Melody was defeated in the first round of tho singles, also at tho Middlesex tournament, and she met with no better success in the doub es. FotlieriivKha.nl may yet be able to qualify for the accept mice of his entry at AA mibiedon, but Mrs Melody will have to show irnnrovod form bclnio slio tian hopo to jiuao tier out ry accepted. Tho British Davis Cup team winch defeated I’olalld consisted of L. A. Godfree, C 11. Kingsley. F. G. Lowe, and J. D. P. Wheatley, all of whom, with the exception cf Kingsley, have previously represented the Motherland in (he Davis Cup competition. Kingsley is a young player who learned his tennis at Oxford, and two years ago, while ho was a member of tho universities’ team which visited America, he placed to his credit a victory over Shimiclzu. Bast year he won .tho Scottish singles championship, and, with Bpcncc, tho South African, tho covered courts doubles championship. F. G. Lowe, although well on to the veteran stage, is still one of tho hardest players in England to defeat. Wheatley represented England in tiro Davis Cup in 1923 and again in 1924. In the match hoi ween Britain and Denmark, played at Copenhagen last week, Gilbert replaced Lowe in the British team, and the Motherland gained a good victory by three mutches to none. Nevertheless, the Banes Hindi) an excellent fight of it, and although Gilbert showed hy his recent defeat of Gobort that he is an improved player, ho was extended to the full distance of five •sets hy K. Flrich,. the score being 61, 9 —ll, 2—6, 4—6, 6 —2. 'The oilier singles game between Wheatley and Peterson resulted in another long match, the Englishman finally winning 4 6, 6—4, I—6,1 —6, 6—2, 6—2. In the. doubles Godfree and Kingsley paired against Ulrich and Worm, and by a victory in throe sets—two of which went to advantage- they ’ settled the fate of the tie. The second-round match between Franco and Italy, which has not yet been played, is almost certain' to result in a victory for France, who will then bo England's next opponent. A close and interesting contest should result, and !|S tho Frenchmen will probably have their best team in the field they should go on to win the final of the European zone. By tho default of Hawaii Australia goes straight into tho semi-final round of the American /one, in which she will moot Canada. It. has to lie confessed (hat there was mi element of absurdity in (he Ansnalian decision to play Hawaii in America, especially in view of the fact that Honolulu will bo a jKirt of call for (ho team on its wav to tho United States. Hie reason given for this action was that -Anderson, who has gone Home to play at Wimbledon, would not he available for tho match if if. were played at Honolulu ; but with Patterson and Hawkes travelling that, way it, did not seem that the Australians had very much to fear. Still, they must have held the Hawaiian® in considerable respect, and Patterson‘and Hawkes must have, felt quite over-weighted with the rosuponsibility. In tho top half of the American draw Spain’s chances have been minimised by an accident to Mimoel Alonso, and it now appears to ho more certain than ever that Japan will roach (he final round for her annual mutch with Australia.