LAWN TENNIS. BY RACQUET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2499, 5 February 1902, Page 50

LAWN TENNIS. BY RACQUET.

The Otago Club have their annual tournament on at present, and it promises to be most successful. Tho entries are far more numerous than they have been for yi-ar3, no lt-s.s than 25 men having entered for tlia handicap MHgles none. Almost all the first round of tl>e handicap events has been played ofl', some of the matches proving very clo a 2,a 2, scsral being won by only one game.

The most e\oiting game in the handicap singles was that between White and Thompson, tho foriiipr winning — 11-10 Wiiite owed 15 4-6, and led off very strongly, getting 5-1 called in hi;> favour. Thomps -n, however, shirk to him gamely, and caught and actually parsed him, but appeared to tire towards the rough, allowing White to win the last two games rather easily. As Thompson is practically a new player his performance was \eiy good, and I hepe to see him improve a lor. I would ad\ise him to try to piay more steudily at practice, a« tlie hard hitting he goes in for is a bit above him yet.

In tho championship singles very little has been played. Sinclair rather surprised everyone by beating Purchas after a hard fight by 2 sets to 1. Purchas did not play up to his tisual form, and pottered about tlie middle of the court all the tima in very feeble fashion. Sinclair, on his play, certainly deserved to win.

The championship lies between White, Salmond, Jackson, and Harraway, and I expect to see the first two fight it out in the final.

Now that this tournament is on, and seeing that the association tournament is drawing near, a word or two tfith regard to umpiring might not be out of plare. Umpiring at teimib, like raferecin;; at football, is not a very enviable position ; there is i:suaUy someone dissatisfied ; but, unfortunately, in tennis this is hoi to bo wondered at, as good umpires are few and far between. Of course, sometime? it is impossible for an umpire to be absolutely certain whether a ball is in or out, and I think in all big matches line umpires should be employed invariably. But an occa-ional wrong decision, though extremely annoying at timss, is not the most common fault among um«pires. Now very seldom do we hear an umpire call out the score distinctly aftnr every stroke, a thing that is most essential to many players. Indeed, many umpires do not even call out the games, but have to be asked after every game how the set stand?. Another thing an umpire should bear H mind, aud this is most important, is that, having given his decision, he must not go back on it on any account. An umpire who once goes back on his decision, if umuiring for a man who is at all inclined to point, i, hopele=--ly lost. He should also never allow a player to tqjk at him, though I am glad to fcav t!:at we see very little of this in Dunedin. Another point is thi3, that an umpire thould not appeal to the playprs when in doubt about a ball. Either appeal to a spectator or have the point piajTtl over again. By appealing to the player it often hrppem tliat ens of them is placed in .ather a nasty position. Another mistake thai often occurs is brought about by the umpire putting dov.n the score wrongly, and tins i, always i uro rarole^ncis, for which there U no exeuM?. T have seen an umpire put down the wrong c core and refuse to alter it, though bcth players told him he was wrong. Though strongly recommending firmntss, I would hardly like to advise a man to crry it so far is that. When we see how emmon mistake i-> it is not to be wondered at fiat ! ome jjlayero insist on having tha rrore called out after eiery all" has breu £<orcd, and, as I said before, thig should be dene clearly and distinctly.

The ex-High School and Valley Clubs tried conclusions on the George street courts last Saturday, the game resulting, as expected, in a comfortable win for the school by 57 games. The play daring the afternoon was for the mo3t part of the old-fashioned back-line order, volleying being a scarce commodity. Especially was this noticeable in the men's first single, Boyd v Robertson, which, but for the fineness of the ground strokes, was painful to witness. It is a pity that out advanced players do not adopt a more dashing and finished style of play — something that would be more interesting to themselves as well as to the spectators. This continual returning of the ball from one end of the court to the other, till one of the players puts it out or into the net is Very" tedious, and must necessarily tire the players, as it does the onlookers. It is hoped that this advice will be taken by , those players whom it affects, and that an improved up-to-date style of play will be noticeable in the future. Another feature very noticeable on Saturday was the poor back-hand display. , _ It would be. well for the young players of the above club to take a few hinto from JVleesrs Robertson, Boyd, and Irvine in this department of the game. The ladies' play during the jnatch was of a "more or less third-clas3 order, and leaves a lot of room for improvement. . This remark applies particularly to the Valley ladies and the schools third and fourth. Hobbing was indulged in a good deal in the men's doubles, and it proved of valuable assistance ■when. the sun was against the ball. Volleying is the play which wants to be brought more in evidence, and until it is, tennis pia3*oi-5 will not improve in the game