LAWN TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22653, 19 August 1935, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION PAST SEASON REVIEWED The number of associations affiliated to the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association is 19, and the total number of affiliated players is estimated to be 33,807. This information is contained in the forty-ninth annual report of the association, which, in reviewing the 193435 New Zealand championships at Auckland in January last, states that most of the leading New Zealand players were present, with the exception of A. C.' Stedman, E. D. Andrews, and C. ,E. Malfroy, who are at present hi England. Additional interest was created by the appearance of F. J. Perry (England) and R. W. Ewin, A. A. Kay, and Miss S. Whittaker (Victoria, Australia). The tournament was favoured by excellent weather conditions, and, as it was possible to run the. games to schedule, no difficulty was experienced in completing all the events by the final day. The 1935-36 New Zealand championships, the report proceeds, will be‘played at Wellington on a date to be arranged. It is hoped to make arrangements for some overseas visiting players to be present at that meeting. It is understood that E. D. Andrews will also be able to compete. ENGLISH TEAM’S TOUR. Arrangements were made for the English team, comprising Messrs F. J, Perry and G. P. Hughes and Misses D. E. Round, E. A. Dearman, and N. M. Lyle, to tour the Dominion for a period of two weeks on their way; to Australia. As the tour was a, short one, the Lawn Tennis Association (England) expressed the wish that matches should ■be confined to: Auckland, . Wellington, and Christchurch, with a short appearance at Rotorua. The financial’result of the tour was satisfactory, ; ;y 1 By permission of the Australian Lawn Tennis Association, A. A. Ka-y and R. W. Ewin accepted an invitation to visit New .Zealand and play in the New; Zealand championships, and also at the conclusion of that meeting to make a short tour of New Zealand playing exhibition matches. Matches were played at Hamilton, Invercargill, Dunedin, Christchurch, Greymouth, and Nelson. The committee was concerned chiefly to arrange matches in those districts which, owing to travelling difficulties, are not often able to secure matches with visiting teams. Although the financial result of this tour was a loss of £36 3s 9d, it is considered that the tour was justified from the point of view of the in-' terests of the game in the districts mentioned. I '■ ‘ ■' ; /1 THE DAVIS GUP. Taking advantage of the fact that three of 'New Zealand’s leading tennis players —A. C. Stedman, E. D. Andrews, and C. E. Malfroy—-would be in England, the committee decided to enter a challenge for the Davis Cup in the European zone. , New Zealand was drawn against Australia in the first round, and the match was played at Eastbourne, in England, resulting in a defeat for the New Zealand team by three matches to nil. Although beaten, ,the New Zealand players played very creditably against such experienced opponents, and in particular Stedman extended the Australian (Crawford) in a long Singles match, which was unfinished. Advice has not yet been received of the financial: result of this match. FINANCIAL POSITION.

The statement of accounts shows that the financial position of the association is sound. A surplus of £517 14s 2d of income over expenditure for the year is shown. Against the accumulated fund, however, the accumulated losses on the Anthony Wilding \Shield and Kathleen Nunneley Casket competitions amounted to £3OO 6s sd, together with a sum of £4 12s lid on account of the. junior hard court tournament, have been written off. There is a total sum of £475 11s 7d in the Davis Cup accounts, in respect of which statements' have, not yet been received from England.