LAWN TENNIS

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 65

LAWN TENNIS

BY SMASH. 4

Twenty-five dozen balls were used at the Otago tournament. The gate receipts showed a falling off this year. The indulgent spirit of Messrs Daggar and Begg is apparent in the circumstance that throughout the tournament not one competitor was scratched unless he voluntarily defaulted. This attribute of clemency is a doubtful virtue in those responsible for running the tournament, although many an erring competitor had reason to applaud it. The nonarrival of competitors at the courts caused very little delay in comparison with the worrying waste of time occasioned by the failure of competitors present to attend at once to the summons to occupy the courts. No one in Otago will begrudge Warne Pearse the championship honour. For years the Otago tournament has Deen the richer because of his joyous personality, and for his vigorous, happy-go-lucky 6tyle. The merit of his play is evidenced in the fact that up to last year he had been runner-up for the championship of Otago for five out of six years. In the some fact are revealed his sportsmanlike qualities, for in spite of the chagrin of being ail-but so frequently, he has lost as good-naturedly as he would have won. In the year when hie failed to reach the final he went down to A. F. Wilding in the semi-final. His generous disposition was declosed in his whimsical remark to an umpire who was asking in advance to be excused for any errors of judgment: "Whenever there's a doubt you give my opponent the benefit of it, and I'll be your friend for life." : Warne Pearse, champion of Otago, who lives near Temuka, has been playing lawn tennis for 15 years. An enthusiast in the sport, he cycles into Temuka and Timaru for practice, and for the past 10 seasons has been leading man in each place. He is a regular attendant at the New Zealand championships, and generally gets on well. At Ashburton three years" ago he won the championship of South Canterbury, which was practically the championship of all Canterbury, for most of the cracks from Christ church competed. In January of this year at Masterton Pearse and G. Aitken won the Men's Doubles Championship, beating Ollivier and Cuff in the final. In the same month at Dannevirke he reached the final in the Singles, but went down to Ollivier. He must surely hold the record as runnerup. As already stated, he has been run-ner-up for the Championship Singles in Otago for five out of six years. Last year he was in eight championship finals, and had to be content witn one win. Three years ago at New Plymouth he was in two' finals and three semi-finals, and had to be content without one victory. Will he be back in Dunedin to defend has title next Easter? "Nothing surer," were his last words to "Smash." S. N. Brown, who was runner-up to the champion this year, has once previously been as near to the coveted honour. On that occasion he beat Pearse, but lost the final to E. L. Salmond. OTAGO SINGLES CHAMPIONS TO DATE. 1886—W. T. Todd 1901—C. H. Broad 1887—Dr P. C. Batehelor 1902—E. L. Salmond 1888—F. G. Bnlziell 1903—C. G. White 1889—F. G. Dalziell 1904—C. G. White 1891—A. Borrows 1905—C. G. White 1892—A. Borrowß 1906-B. S. Brown 1893—A. Borrows 1907—R. S. Brown 1894—R. 0. Koch 1908—R. S. Brown 1895—R. 0. Koch • 190 D—A. F. Wilding 1896—A. Borrows 1910—G. Ollivier 1897—A. Borrows 1911—G. Ollivier 1898—A. Borrows 1912—W. Pearse Some spirited contests should be witnessed in the belated finals of the Easter tournament, winch, if the gods are smiling, will bo got through at the Anderson's Bay Courts on Saturday, commencing at 1 p.m. Wilkie has displayed such capital form throughout the tournament that, backed by the sterling merit of Miss S. White, he should provide a tough proposition for Hamilton and Miss Campbell, even although it is to be expected that final success will rest with the latter pair. In the Men's Doubles Handicap Calder and Young meet Hamilton and Wilkie, and S. N. Brown and Taylor meet those persistent juniors, the Nioolson brothers. The Combined Doubles Handicap should also provide some attractive play. R. A. Wilkie, who umpired for the final of the Men's Doubles Championship, was paid the compliment of a unanimous request from the four players that he should occupy the umpire's seat. In the inter-University tournament, held here at Easter, Otago 'Varsity's first ladies (Misses Hunt and Faraie) were the only Otago players who were successful in reachinrr the finals. After a spirited game, in which the Otago ladies relied almost totally on the defensive, Canterbury's first ladies (Misses Cross and Jamieson) were rewards! with victory, 9—4. Otago's third and fourth ladies (Misses Hodges and Whitehead) played excellent tennis, and were unfortunate in not reaching the finals. The outstanding feature of the inter'Vaxsity tournament was the play of L. S. Jennings of Canterbury. He was obviously superior to anyone the other colleges could produce in the tennis realm, and played at the top of his form. The accuracy of his play all through the tournament was remarkable. In fact, it almost seemed impossible for him to make a mistake. Jennings cannot again play in an inter-'Varsity tournament. No champion has yet arisen at the Otago tournament to brpak the extraordinary succession of championship victories achieved by Miss F. Miss Bloxam this year made a capital fight in the first set, forcing the set to 8—68—6 before she had to acknowledge defeat, but in the second set sho succumbed fi— L Tho record to dat<» is larsrelv a repetition of the name of Miss Cirrmb-11 : LADIES' CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES 1886—Miss E. Bathgate - 1902—Miss F. Campbell IRP7—Miss E. BnHicnte 1903—Miss F. Campbell 1888—Miss R. Orbell 1904—Miss F. Campbell IRMl—Miss B. Orbell 1905—Miss F. Campbell 1892—Miss Mackerras 1906—Miss F. Campbell 18'tf—Miss R. Or!>ell 1907—Miss F. Campbell 1894—Miss Mackerras 1908—Miss F. Campbell Maekerras 1909—Miss F. Campbell 1896—Miss F. Campbell lfllQ—Miss F. Campbell 1897—Miss F. Campbell 1911—Miss F. Campbell 1898—Miss F. Campbell 1912—Miss F. Campbell 1901—Miss F. Campbell OTAGO TOURNAMENT. WARNE PEARSE CHAMPION OF OTAGO. Rain occasioned the suspending of play in the Otago Lawn Tennis Association's Easter tournament on April 9 after six contests had been completed. Some sets were got off during the week, but rain again prevented the completion of the

tournament, which it is hoped to finish on Saturday. A. Nioolson won the Mens Singles ' Handicap (B Grade). The only other finals reached -were those of the Men's Championship Singles and the Men b Handicap Singles (A Grade) Warne Pearse, of Temuka, and S. N. Brown, of Balmaoewen Club, contested the final for the championship of Otago. Both men were in capital form. Pearse opened with an attack policy, and, taking the first set 6—3, threatened decisive defeat to Brown by making a love set of the second, 6—o. Brown's tenacity then served him in food stead. Assuming the aggressive, he rove well, following in everything and cutting off at the net bo effectively that no took nine games on end, which gave him the third set, 6—o, and a lead of three games in the fourth. After that it was a battle royal, each man pressing m turn. Five all was reached, and then Pearse gradually forged ahead, taking the fourth set 10—8, and with it the honour of being champion of Otago. At the close of the championship final, Pearse, who stated that he felt thoroughly fit, met R. S. Brown in the final for the A Grade Men's. Handicap Singles, Pearse owing 40 and R S. Brown 30 3-6. Brown won by 9 games to 7. WANGANUI TOLRNAMENT. WANGANUI, April 10. At the Wanganui Easter tennis tournament in the Championship Combined Doubles Butterworth and Addison beat Powdrell brothers, o—6, 6—2, 6—4. There remains still to be decided on Saturday the Combined Handicap Doubles and Combined Champ-ionshh) Doubles, also the Men's Championship Singles between Butterworth (Wanganui) and Powdrell (Patea).. CANTERBURY TOURNAMENT. CHRISTCHURCH, April 10. The Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's annual Easter tournament was concluded to-day. Results: — Men's Singles Championship of Canterbury.—Final: G. Ollivier beat P. G. Greenwood, 6 —2, 6—4. Ladies' Singles Championship of Canterbury. —Final: Miss Williams beat Miss H. in. "Cotton, 6—l, 6—o. Ladies' Doubles Championship of Canterbury.—Final: Misses Goodman and Souter beat Mrs Baliantyne end Miss Williams, 7—6, 7—5. Mixed Doubles.—Final: W. Goes and Miss Williams beat A. B. Sands and Mies Souter, 6—2, 6—4. DAVIS CUP CONTEST. CHRISTCHURCH, April 13/ A. F. Wilding, writing to a friend in Christchurch regarding the criticism of his absence from the Davis Cup contests, says: " When I promised to come to New Zealand I had no idea that from June, 1911, I was to be a member of a largo firm in the City of London. In the circumstances I could not ask leave to make an extended visit to New Zealand." NEW SOUTH WALES CHAMPIONSHIPS. SVDNEY, April 14. In the tennis contest for the New South Wales Singles Championship Jones (New South Wales) defeated oampbell (Victoria), 6 —2, 3 —6, B—6. In the Doubles March and Sayers (New South Wales) defeated Rice (New South Wales) and Campbell (Victoria), I—6,1 —6, 6 —l, 7 —5, 6 —3. In the Ladies' Singles Mrs Ford defeated Miss Collings, 6 —2, B—6.8 —6. The Ladies Doubles were won by Mrs Ford and Miss Collings,