LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3016, 3 January 1912, Page 36

LAWN TENNIS.

BY SMASH.

In order to reach Dunedin in time to be included in the present issue of the Otago Witness, these notes have to bo penned in Christchurch on the eye of the battle for the Davis Cup, concerning which the same issue should contain telegraphed veporte of two days of play. At the present moment Christchurch is the home ot a mighty host of tennis players from al; parts of New Zealand. And well might it bo so, for it may be a generation before a lawn tennis match of world-wide importance is fought out on Now Zealand soil. As an indication of the exodus ot Otago enthusiasts to Christchurch it need only bo mentioned that no fewer than 1+ members of one club (Balmaccyven) are at present in the City of the Plains. L he wet weather, which, it is to be noted, as not peculiar to Dunedin, has prejudicially affected the practising of the cup players, but it lias more disastrously affected the arrangements of visitors, and there is not a little complaining. It is easy to be wise after the event, of course, but in view ot the immense importance of the fixture , tlier.e is room for complaint concerning somo details of the management. It Ay llß understood that in the event of ram falling prior to the contest the court wou.d be covered with tarpaulin*. A viaw of the court on Friday morning showed the covering- to consist of something like sacking, . wfiich was merely lying on the turf and wag sopping wet. Pools of water were . lying at the ends of the court. Had an j effective covering been used and a trench made round, the contest ooukl have been started perhaps on liriday afternoon, or at latest on Saturday. As it was, the ground, although soft, was playable on Saturday, for the members of both teams practised on it on that day. It is said that the Americans declined to agree to the contest being started oh Saturday. They have privately expressed disgust at the poor arrangement for protecting the court. Another ground for complaint is the Management Committee’s decision not to refund money to ticket-holders, who, because of the postponement, will be unable to remain to make use of all their tickets. For those who have been in Christchurch for some time, opportunities to see the Americans and Australians practising have been fairlv numerous. And there is but one opinion—that their play is. marvellously ahead of Now Zealand's best. They pick up apparently impossible shots, they play strokes which may well plunge the average New Zoaand players into despair. At times the four players arc up at the net volleying, and returning, and volleying again. ■ Lamed has been seen least of all. _ The opinion not uncommonly expressed is that Brookes, and perhaps Heath, will beat him in singles. Ollivier, who has practised with him a good degl, took a set from Lamed 6—l. What would staid Dunedin think oi members of an athletic team practising on a city ground on the Sabbath? On Sunday the members of both teams, with Fisher to complete a doubles, practised diligently on the Davis Cup Court at Lancaster Park. Only a few privileged persons gained admission to witness the play. The court was still less than satisfactory. For the waiting ones the Now Zealand championship meeting has provided a splendid attraction. This meeting .will be remembered, for the fact that the cream of New Zealand players (Otago excepted) in addition to the members of the Davis Cup teams and other Australian players, competed. Some high-grade tennis waft witnessed, and Otago players \ybo observed should benefit. Ollivier,,—who has profited well by frequent contact with the visiting cracks, and whose statement that he has improved since he wa's in Dunedin recently has been verified by results, outclassed Peacock, holder of the championship, who secured only one set. 6—4. Peacock at the outset seemed in the pink of condition, but towards the close appeared to lose hope, and finished apparently more distressed than Ollivier. Ollivier. it will be remembered, previously defeated Peacock in an Interprovincial match, and it was claimed then that Peacock, who Had just previously finished first in the championship, was not in best form. On the present occasion the defeat is conclusive, for it is said Peacock had had for some time previous the services of a trainer, and he had been inChrislchurch for a period practicing with the Davis Cup men. Ollivier played in rare stvio from the very beginning, whilst Peacock opened in an erratic fashion, serving two double faults in one game. The Canterbury man drove hard and accurately to both sides of the court, and was repeatedly successful with his backhand crosscourt drive to Peacock’s backhand, gaining the first set 6 —2. In the second venture Peacock used the lob effectively, and led 51, when Ollivier got a run of three games before Peacock finished him off 6 In the third set Peacock’s lobbing was lees accurate, and Ollivier. by delightful driving and strong smashing, assumed complete command, allowing Peacock only one game in each of the two succeeding sots. In these sets neither ventured freely up to the net. The ovation to the new champion was scarcely as enthusiastic as the occasion warranted. The win will gain for Ollivier recognition amongst the more prominent Australian players, and as he is a young man he has a promising future in the tennis world.

MLss Stewart justified her Australian ronutation by annexing- the New Zealand Singles Champions,bin after a capital exhibition. She beat the holder. Miss Travers, by 6-—2. 7—5, and then met Miss Gray, of Auckland, in the final. Which furnished a spirited, attractive exhibition of fine tennis. Miss Stewart follows in and smashes like a man, and although in Miss Gray, she had an active and versatile op)>onent, she gathered up the honours, 6—4, B—6. In the Combined final Miss Stewart frequently ran in and confounded Fisher with a volley at his feet.

The Ladies’ Doubles’ Championship was a revelation to Otago plavers in respect to the freedom with which the northern ladies play up to the not. Occasionally, indeed,

i. lady stood out to the net whilst hen jartner was receiving th© service. The final 'or the championship was fought out beween Misses Gray and Travers and Misses Baird.and Nunneley, the former pair winling It was a fine exhibition of driving i.nd net play. On either side Miss Gray >nd Miss Baird played up to the net, whilst Miss Travers and Miss Nunneley drove hard from the back line, long rallies being usually concluded by a nippy net shot by Miss Gray. I The final between Fisher and Miss ! Travers and O’Hara Wood, a.nd Miss ! Stewart (both of Melbourne) for the bined Doubles Championship, found Fisher in fine form, and his partner an excellent ; abettor. It was difficult to recognise in Wood a second Brookes in embryo, as he has been heralded. He was, on the whole, disappointing, although it is to be noted that although it was difficult to detect brilliancy, results found him always near at hand" at the finish. He has a straight service of fair pace, but no special merit. In the final Fisher was smashing beautifully, but on several occasions lie poached barefacedly and disastrously. Fisher and Miss Travers won the championship. The result of the Combined Championships might have boon different but for the fact that Rice and Miss Williams were scratched, whilst the former was on the adjoining court practising with the other members of the Australasian Davis Cup team. The Men’s Double Championship, as has already been advised, has been left over to bo decided by the Davis Cup match between the same competitors—Wrisrht and M’Louighlin (America) and Brookes and Dunlop (Australasia).