OIAGO TENNIS ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL TOURNAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 52

OIAGO TENNIS ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL TOURNAMENT.

First Day— Friday, April 5. The Otago Lawn Tennis Association's annual tournament for the championship of Otago was commenced at the Otago and University Lawn Tennis Club's grounds, Castle street, yesterday morning under the most favourable circumstances. The weather vvps everything that could be desired, and the aiiangements were of an entirely satisfactory order. The following are the offiee-beaiers of the association, most of whom were present on the ground during the day, and lent valuable assistance in getting the games off — Mr J. L. Salmond, president} Messrs W. T. Monkrnan and A. H. M'Lean, vice-presidents, Messrs F. E. Brittam, S. N. Brown, jun , T. Gray, W. Miller, and F. W. Platts, committee, Mr J. L Salmond, referee; Messrs Monkman, Branson, Brittain, and the hon. secretary and treasurer (Mr W. Hodges), ground and match committee.

The entries, in spite of the fact that the tournament at Oarnaru would debar a number of Oamaru players taking phrt in the contests, were pretty well up to those of two yeaia ago, and this would' indicate that tennis is becoming more popular rather than falling into the background, and that tennis players are more numerous now than they have"been in" the past. As will be seen from the games 1 played, very fair progress was made yesterday, but a word of explanation is neces&ary in regard to some of the events; for instance, in the Ladies' Handicap Singles, for some reason, none of those drawn in the first round played, and the same remark appplies to 'the Ladies' Handicap Doubles and the Combined Handicap Doubles. In the last there is, however, only one pair to meet— Jackson and Miss K. Graham against C. M'Kcllar and Miss D. Ramsay. Speaking generally, thej play was not of an exciting order; but then, of course, the best of the games have yet to be played, and the spectatois, of whom there were not a great number yesterday, will to-day, no doubt, be treated to a much better exhibition. Players in the remainder of the tournament are notified that they must be ready to play when called upon, otherwise their names will be struck out. Tho lollowmg is a brief account of gome of the games played —

In the Championship Singles Broad and Boyd were the first two to meet, but the contest was rather an uneven one. Boyd, however, played very pluckily, and his activity about the court was of great advantage to him. A feature of the ga-me was Broad's placing, and he was conspicuously successful m negotiating highly returivc. balls, which he succeeded m leaching and smashing veiy effectively. The only lei/iAimng two to meet were \*'hite and Fisher, the former, as was generally anticipated, winning somewhat easily. It was not vvh.-.t might be called an interesting game.

In the Men's Championship Doubles M. Rndd and T. Gray put out W. B. M'Kenzie and A. B. M'Kerrow by winning two successive sets by steady play. Both sides played well back, and the placing of the winners was probably the most noticeable feature oi the contest. The pairs — Marks and Boyd and the Thrown brothers — gave a really fine exhibition of ternus all the wey through their game, which vv?.s mostly composed of long rallies fMm'one end of the court to the other. The game was almost devoid of volleying, but, some irice placing near the net was occasionally noticeable on the part of Boyd. On their play, the winners rany be heard of at the end of the match- Branson and Ulnch were somewhrt easily disposed of by White and Salmond, who won the first two successive sots. White's smashing may be paid to have been good, and the same remark applies to Branson's backhand p!ay. His an^ Ulrich's smashing was, however, of rather a weak order.

With regard to the handicap events, the game between Salmond and Bringans in the Men's Smglea ■ra'3 a good one, .and Brmgans, young pljyer as he is, made a capital stand. Salmond, however, was altogether too much for him, and he won oa his placing and volleying. The game between. 11. S: Brown and Miss Wilkinson and Miller and Miss Murdoch (the latter proving the victors) was steadily played throughout, and was conspicuous for several long rallies. Good combination was shown by Salmond and Jackson in their game with M'KeTrow and Hodges, and their volleying was very good. The losers, while at times playing well, were too often out of their places on the court The Brown brotheis proved too much for M'Kellar and Moreton. They did not give their opponents much of a chance all through. Their play was careful rather than brilliant. Salmond and M;ss Mackerras had a rather easy win against Black and Mrs Black. Some good long rallies took place, and Salmond's play at the net was largely responsible for the game resulting as it did He, however, missed several good opportunities, but at other times his smashing strokes amply compensated for these. A close 1 set w«,s played by M'Kerrow and Gray m the Men's Handicap Singles, the two keeping pretty well neck-and-neck right through. Tho single between Jackson and Bundle, as will bo seen from the score, was rather a runaway game. In the meeting between M'Kerrow and Miss Howell and Bauchop and Miss Morgan both ladies played a very good g«me all through, but tho former pair pioved too strong for their opponents. In the second round of the Men's Singles Jackson's meeting with Best pioved disastrous to the latter Jackson at o-.c time was eight games to h:s opponent's one, but Best, by steady pay and placing, raised his score to five bpforc Jackson obtained the deciding game. The grme that attracted tho most attention and decidedly proved the rao3t interesting to the onlookers was that between Broad and Brown in the Men's Handicap Singles. It w^xs fairly fast, and was marked by a, certain amount of brilliant play on both sides Bioad played steadily, and did-not seem to distress himself. He invariab'y adopted a downward cut in his returns, which made the ball hang to the asphalt, an-" 1 his placing was very fine. Brown's play was possibly of a more showy orr'er, and bis driving from the back of his court was brilliant though his strokes did not always ' come off," and oven when he did succeed :n planting a f tl st ball in an awkward place Broad u&ually got it Blown undoubtedly made a very fine stand against so noted a player as Broad, anc l dccrvedlv shared the loud nnplaUFe of the spectators during the course of the game pnd *>t its conclusion. The set between Salmond and Mi=s Mackerras and Miller and Miss Muidoch was, foi i combined double, faTly fast and tho Otaa;o players, in °mto of the handicap, managed to win with nine to six

The following are the results of tho various rj.tmes played — MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES —

Winder to hold for the vcar the Cha npion Ch" i lc: l fre Cud o r Otatrc, presented by ll r F Hvam- This v.vs win by Mr A. Borrows, and re-presented by the player to the association Tho cup is to become the property of a competitor winning it thiee times in succession Fi T 3t Round C H. Bioad beat P B Bovd, 6—o, 6—3. C G. White beat H. R Fisher, 6—3, 6—l. MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES.— Best of three sets Wmneis to hold for the year the champ loiiship ci Otaso-

First Round. M. Rudd and T. Gray beat D. B. M'Kenzie and A. B M'Kerrow, G— l, C— 4. J. D Marks and P. B. Bovd beat S. N. Biown and 11 S Brown, 5—7, 6—2, 6—4. C. White and E Salmond beat G. C. Bianson and F. F. A. Ulnch, 6—4, 6—2. LADIES' SINGLES HANDICAP.— Best of

17 games. Second Round. Miss M. Thomson (rec. 4-6 ol 13) beat Miss B. Bair (lee. 15 1-6), 9—4. LADIES' HANDICAP DOUBLES —Best of

17 games Misses D. Ramsay and D. Hislop (rec 15 2-6) beat Misses Morgan and Bauchop (lee. 4-6 of 15), 9—3. COMBINED HANDICAP DOUBLES.— Best 17 games. Second Round. W. Miller and Miss Murdoch (rec. 15) beat R. S. Brown and Miss Wilkinson (rec. 4-6 of 15), 9—5. E Salmond and Miss Mackerras (owe 3-5 of 15) beat R. S. Black ar.d Mrs Black (rec. 15 4-6), g g A B. M'Kerrow and Miss* M. Howell (rec. 15) beat Bauchop and Miss Morgan (rec. 15 1-6), 9—2. A. Hunter and Miss Bauchop (rec. 3-6 of 15) beat D. Ramsay and Miss W Hislop (rec. 15 4-6), 9—2. P. B. Boyd and Miss J. Stewart (scr ) beat S. N. Brown and Miss E. Brown (rec. 4-6 of 15), 9—5. Third Round. Salmond and Miss Mackerras beat Miller and Miss Murdoch, 9—6.9 — 6. MEN'S HANDICAP DOUBLES,— Best of 17 games. First Round. C. White and C Broad („w<s 40) beat C. R. Smith and JR. S. Black (-,vo. 15), 9--3. E. Salmond and E. Jackson (owe 15 2-6) beat A. B. M'Kenow and W. Hodges (rec. 2-6 of 15), S. N. Brown arid R. S. Biown (scr) beat C. M'Kellar and H. R. Moreton (rec. 4-6 of 15), 9—2. W. Miller and R. Bringans (rec. 2-6 of 15) beat Dr Borne and Bauchop (lee. 2-16 of 15), n o M. Rudd and T. Gray (scr) beat C. D. Smith and F. Throp (rec. 15 1-6), 9—o. MEN'S HANDICAP SINGLES— Best of 17 games. First Round. A B. M-Kerrow (rec. 2-6 of 15) beat T. Gray (scr), 9 --8. D. B. M'KenLie (rec. 55) beat C. M'Kellar (rec. 4-6 of 15), 9-7." J. D. Marks (owe 4-6 of 16) Leat D. Ramsay (rec. 30), 9— B. j C. White (cwp 15 4-6) beat W. Hodges (rec. J 2-6 of 15), 9—3. J. Best (rec. 4-6 of 15) beat F. Throp (rec. 4-6 of 16), 9—5. E. Jackson (owe 4-6 of 15) beat H. W. Bundle (rec. 15), 9—l. E. Salmond (owe 35 1-6) beat R. Brmgars (scr), 9—2. C. H. Broad (o-.ve 40) beat R. S. Brown (owe 4-6 of 3 5), 9—5. Second Round. E. Jackson beat J. Best, 9—5.9 — 5. C. R. Smith (rec. 15) beat Bauchop (rec. 2-6 of 15), 9—2. Flay will be resumed at 9.30 this morning.