LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3015, 27 December 1911, Page 63

LAWN TENNIS.

BY SMASH.

The principal performances of the Davis Cup competitors, who will join in combat at Christchurch. this week, are as follows: William A Lamed.—Won Intercollegiate Championship, U.S.A., 1892; champion of US A 1901, 1902, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, mil- member of American Davis Cup team v British Ides, 1902, 1903, 1905, 1908, 19.09, 1911 In 1895 beat N. E. Brookes in Davis Cup' match, 14-12, 6-0, 6-3. In Davis Cup Singles matches has won nine matches to four, "and 34 sets to 18. . BeaJs C. Wright-Champion of E M 1905, Doubles Championship of U.S.A.. 1904, 1905 1906; played in Davis Cup matches, 1905! 1907, 1908. In 1905 beat; KE Brookes in Davis Cup match, 12—10, 5—7, 12—10, 6 r !_4; and in 1908, 0-6, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 12—10- but lost in 1907, 4—6, 4—6, 2—6. In Davis Cup Singles matches has won six matches to two, 17 sets to 13. Maurice E. M'Louffhhn.— Runner-up USA Championship. 1911, defeating B. C. Wright in final of All-comers Singles Represented America in Davis Cup matches in 1901-11; record in Singles, won two matches to two, seven sets to nine. Runner up U.S.A. Doubles Championship, 1909. , Norman E Brookes.— Champion of Australia 191 i; England 1907, Victoria 1902, 1903 1904, 1906, 1911;. South Australia 1906. Doubles Championship of England 1907, TiSK 1900, 1902, 1904, 1906, 1908, 1909;

New South Wales, 1901. Played first for Victoria against Mew South Wales in 1896. Played in Davis Cup matches 1905, 1907, 1908, 1909; won seven matches to three, 24 sets to 12. Has won many events in English and Continental tournaments. Alfred W. Dunlop.—Singles champion of Victoria, 1895, 1898; New Zealand, 1900. Doubles champion of Australia, 1908; Victoria, 1895-6-7-8, 1901, 1907, 1910; New South Wales, 1897; South Australia, 1900. First played for Victoria v. New South Wales in 1895. Pla-ved in Davis Cup match, 1905 m Doubles, lias won many events in English and Continental tournament*. . Rodney W. Heath.— Singles champion of Australasia, 1905, 1910; Victoria, 1905; New South Wales, 1908, 1909; South Australia, 1910. Doubles champion of Australasia, 1906, 1911; Victoria. 1907, 1910, 1911; South Australia, 1904. First played for Victoria v. New South Wales in 1903 Has won seveial events at English and C \ nt \ nenta L^" a " ments during 1911 his being the defeat of C. P. D.xon in the final of the Notts Championship. . Horace M Rice.— Singles champion of AultrSa, 1907 1 ; Victoria, 1901; New South Wales, 1900, 1907; Queensland, 1907, -WU. Doubles champion of Australasia, 1910 , I\ew South Waks, 1898. 1899, 1902. 1907, 19M. 1911; Queensland. 1901, 1910 1911; Soutfi Australia, 1910. First. played for New South Wales against Victoria in 1894. On his arrival at Fremantle from the_Uld Countrv A W. Dunlop was interviewed. "Whatf do you think are. the chanee. of Australia retaining the. Davis Off Thew» asked by the interviewer ®g^ though they would have been ***}*£. " Wildin- could have been, engaged. When I saythat I take a line from th<> ancJ given by the Englishmen Dixon and A H. Lowe, who went to Ameiica- a " actually pushed W. and Jl E. M'Loughlin to five seta V,,eu, n« these k^^SJ.tSSLuV.-; Norman E Brookes m • fe^t " I D ° »Personally, I do. I , r\TcSu7ln-th ? opinion b y E„£ lishmen who had been to Ameiica ana f. the tennis world, but it is generally concdedtliTwhen the two meet in. New Zealand it will be a pretty close go M'Loughlin has improved his play by 1^ »dtJK chance of^dcfeating Brookes than 8 at volleying. „- Y tple£rram Swell, I have just received a tg ejnam asking me to play m .^ e J?; n ffi t £ have Zealand I can honostlv say t&ai lu* e Sver played better for years than I d d i n to d -; p rt£ u^uTS a V London. One day in ""»,. champion- &£ ?• "Mr P^ ships ivi , i aye a tennis with ? f "SfX* haf bt'n il«°L on' fni, LaviK*!, who has pooa f several IS. tfird. U M'Lou g hl,» Stoh at Wtabfedoa. m » £ dejenbes 2-6, the fourth at 0 { in all the Dohertys's side-line work. VYugn.. P /\\Snlso used the American formation at the net Britishers 4B Australian,, when Playin" in Doubles, stand one ,n each Se o the court; but the Americans would follow this plan:-Say. for instance that wSt was serving from, the right-hand Sal of the court, Ward, instead of lookntMter the other side, would stand- clo«e up to the net on the same side « h» partner, and thus take all the hyelv «*ni« Shat came across. The server would dodge te the open side of the court if anything went that way. They did not keen all the while in that formation but would dodge about, and they puzzled their opponents piettv considerably. Then, too, they would So closer to fcho net than was orthodox when volleying. The Dohertya would come only a'few feet inside the service line, ,bnt the Americans came rierbfc up. . li,e K used plenty of hustle, too. but despite all these tactics the British pair were teo good for them. The volleying bv the Dohertys on th** occasion was a revelation. laking the ball almost from off their toes, and from other positions in which most of us would think it unsafe to volley, they would use that stroke with paralysing precision arid effect And the smashing W as splendid, -in Ihis department I think little Dohevty, H. L., was the master of all the masters. Yos in every way it wss a game in a thousand." added Dr Poidevin. "and if one never saw another game of tennis but that particular contest, one must die happy.