LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19687, 14 January 1926, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

Br Smash.

Bor tho Canterbury-Otago match, to be commenced at Anderson’s Bay courts at 10 a. in. to-day, the visiting team has been appreciably strengthened 'by the inclusion of Glanvillo, Sheppard and Goss, who replace Walker, Halo, and one of, the Taits. Tho order of merit is Glanville, Sheppard, Patterson, Goss, Browning and Tait, and tho doubles are Glanville-Sheppard, GossBrowning, Patterson-Tait. The ladies’ team in order is Misses Spcirs, Muirson, Wake, Partridge, Perrier, and Mrs Sharp, who will pair thus : Misses Speirs-Partridge, Muirson-Fake, Ferrior-Mrs Sharp. The combined doubles are Glanville-Miss Speirs, Sheppni-d-Miss Partridge, Goss-Miss Terrier, Browning-Miss Wake, Patterson-Miss Muirson, Tail-Mrs Sharp. From tho Otago team Miss Bagiev has dropped out, Miss Cook being- brought in as sixth lady. Tho third, fourth, and fifth men’s singles and the lirst, second and third combined doubles will be played in the morning. After luncheon at the tea-rooms on the hill, the remaining fixtures will be proceeded with. Morning and afternoon tea and ice cream will be available on tho ground. The match should provide some excellent tennis. Headed by Miss Speirs, New Zealand champion, tho visiting ladies are a strong side, and as Otago will not have tho assistance o Miss MLaren (now Mrs Hcott) and Miss Ballantyne, as was the cast last year ,the Ipoal ladies fao a difficult problem. Last year honours were even in the ladies’ department, with respect to the singles, but Canterbury won two of tho ladies’ doubles. ’The inclusion of W. Goss in team will afford general pleasure. It is unfortunate that the team includes neither Ollivier, Franco, Seay nor Wilding. Otago would prefer defeat at the hands of Canterbury’s best to possible success against a weaker combination. On paper the local men seem a shade 'better than the visiting six, and if the southern ladies are at the top of their form there seems a reasonable prospect of Otago repeating its success of last year, when the scores were: Otago 12 matches, 24 sets, 232 games; Canterbury 12 matches, 21 sets. 216 games. Ollivier headed Canterbury’s team last year. From him Bray took a love set (the centre one), but won only three games in tho other two. On that occcasion Mias MTjaren defeated Miss Speirs, 9—6. M® Pattison lost to Mies Partridge, 4—9. The two singles champions of 1926, Ollivier and Miss Speirs, were beaten by Guy and Miss M'Laren in straight sets, 6—4, 6—4 Guy beat Glanville. 6-4, 6—2: Ollivier and Greenwood beat Guy and Duthie, 6 3, 6—o; Glenville land Patterson beat Bray and Clark, 6—B, B—6,8 —6, 6 1. _ , The entries for the Exhibition tournament, to bo commenced at Anderson’s Bay courts to-morrow, should whet the appetite of those who find pleasure in watch mg tennis play of a high standard. Tho Mon’s Doubles have brought out some very capable pairs, and some sterling contests should be witnessed in this event. With competitors of tho calibre of Mies Speirs, Mrs Scott, Miss Pattison, Miss Hein, and others, the ladies’ events promise to be ful of interest. It is a trifle disappointing to note that a tournament which might reasonably have been expected to assume (he proportions of a New Zealand championship meeting has failed to attract plnycrs of note from, tho North Island, whilo some of the leading players of the South Island are also missing. It would have been gratifying to have found amongst the entrants men like Bartloet, Laurcnson, Robson, France, Ollivier, and Peacock, some of whom have not been seen in action in Otago. However, as has . already been indicated, there is an assurance of a firstclass tourney, full of interest to tho spectator, and of instruction to the aspiring player. Recently the Singles Ladder became somewhat disorganised on account of absentees who had removed their names for tho duration of their holidays. Acting with commendable promptitude the Ladder Committee arranged challenges between Boddy and Cloghorn and Moody and Duthie. Cleghorn (6—4, 6 —2) and Duthie (6—4, 3—6, 6—2) proved winners, and since Guy has recently defeated Page (6 3. 6—2) it would seem that the leading positions are now as followsßray, Guy, Page, Clark, (Leghorn, Boddy, Duthie. Moody, Black, I'ulton. If S. M'Dougall goes on the ladder he will be entitled to a place between Clark and Cloghorn or thereabouts. Guy’s victory over Pago was quite convincing. In the first set after each had taken his service, Guy took four games in a row. Page responded with the next two games, but Guy finished the set with the next, 6—3. In tho next set Pago could take only the second and sixth games, the result being 6 —2, Of the total of 12 games won by the Moana man only five wont to On Tuesday evening Moody and Page beat Brown and Clark for second place on the Doubles Ladder. Tho score was 6—4, B—6.8 —6. Tho play was fast and solid, and though Moody and Page were fully entitled to win or. their play, the lasers have bad hard luck lately in losing two places, both by narrow margins. Moody and Page should now have a good chance of dislodging Bray and Cloghorn from first place providing they can retain their present form. TTie Doubles Ladder is providing good match practice for all concerned. To make it fully . representative, however, Guy and Duthie should have their names on somewhere near tho top. Boddy and Fulton now occucpy fifth place, I think, and have a fair chance of working upwards. M‘Dougall and Black hold fourth place, but do not seem to have struck form yet. In connection with tho district ladder competitions the fact that tho playing of challenges is lai'gely a matter of arrangement between the players themselves, opens tho way for a little bit of finessing on the part of those who desire to take no chances that may impede their progress upwards. An example of tho mere admirable “spirit was in evidence the other evening. Boddy and Cleghorn had just concluded a district ladder match when Dr Moody, lately returned from a launch trip to the Sounds, where as yet no tennis practice is to be had, arrived on the • courts and invited Cloghorn. to play a club ladder match. Without a moment’s hesitation the latter assented, and a hard-fought contest ensued. Moody winning' 9—7. Glancing over H. A. Parker’s notable tennis record I find ho has been champion of New Zealand on six occasions, this being the best individual performance until this year when Ollivier drew level with him. In tlie Ladies’ Singles Championship Miss K. M. Nunneley has a record 'which will probably never be eclipsed. She was champion for 13 successive years, 1395 to 1907. Parker, in addition to his Now Zealand performances, which include successes at the various provincial tournaments, lias iho distinction of having won championships in every State in Australia. lie was singles champion of New South Wales in 1910, of Victoria in 1907, of Queensland in 1906, 1908 and 1910, of Eolith Australia in 1904, 1905'. 1907, 1903, 1809, and 1911, _ of. West Australia in 1905, and of Tasmania in 1904 and 1911. When in England in 1901 and 1902 he won (inter alia) the open singles at Frinton and Sittinghonrne, and was singles champion at. Norwich. He won many doubles and mixed doubles championships, including the double.-- championship of Europe at Hamburg, whore he was partnered by Poidevin. He was a member of tho Australasian Davis Cup team in 1905. Tho Parker who defeated .Smyth in tho New Zealand championship singles recently, is brother to IT, A. Parker. When visiting Dunedin last season he played a little at Kahuna, but did not leave the impression that he could beat Smyth.