LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3115, 26 November 1913, Page 57

LAWN TENNIS.

BY SMASH.

The C Grade matches were again favoured by splendid weather on Saturday, and wore got off to the enjoyment of all concerned. There was an entire absence of wind on most of the courts, and the sun was pleasantly screened by a thick veil of clouds, thus serving to temper the heat that otherwise would have become much more oppressive than it was. A little more punctuality in starting those fixtures is desirable, and players should remember that if they do not put in an appearance by 2.15, they will probably keep someone waiting. On the courts that were not occupied with matches general play was indulged in by large numbers of people with both profit and pleasure. The two A Grade fixtures that wore uncompleted on the 15th inst. were finished on Saturday, and resulted in the manner indicated by the first day s play. Moa.na is to be congratulated on its very complete victory over Kahuna No. 2, though this is, of course, not a particularly strong toa.m. ’t he vounger club, however, did remarkabK well,'and look everything but throe of the Men's Singles. J. S. Nicolson gamed a hard-won victory over Harraway, the long rallies in the early part of the match toiling on the older player’s lighting energies. At one stage the- score stood at 5 all; but Nicolson’s subsequent play was very steady, and he frequently passed Harraway with fine low shots down the side lines. In the Combined Doubles Harraway and Miss Bagley were down to the extent of 5 games to 8 to Nicolson and Miss Mills, but steady play by the Moana pair eventually knocked orf the arrears, and gave them the victory. In the other Men’s Singles Browning won his match with A. Nicolson; but G. Nicolson equalised matters by taking a sot from Oxford (9 —7). The Moana ladies as a whole played extremely well throughout the match, and won their Singles and Doubles without much difficulty, while they were also remarkably successful in the Oombineds. The Otago-St. Kilda match provided some good displays of tennis, and though the former club won by 10 sets to 4, many of the contests were very keenly fought. White and Lemon gained a very narrow victory over Sfimpson and Hart by 9—7, this contest providing some excellent tennis. Hart was in fine form, and also won his Singles wi th Lemon (9 —7), and in the Combined Doubles, in partnership with Miss Hodges, he defeated Bundle and Miss Clark (9 —5) —a very meritorious victory. The Otago team, however, comprising such players as O. G. White and Bundle and Misses Royse and Cook, proved too much for St. Kilda, and won by a margin of 23 games. It was reported by the president of the association to last, week’s meeting that on a recent Sunday afternoon some players had been indulging in a game on a certain court, and after the matter had been discussed at some length, and varying views expressed by different members, a motion of disapprobation was carried, though if did not have the sanction of the whole meeting. In the northern centres, notably in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington, Sunday tennis has been a common practice for some time, and an innovation of this kind would he welcomed by many of the young players in the city, and probably by the older ones as well. Jt is said that at least five members of the Association Committee expressed the opinion that local players and clubs should have a free hand in the matter, and that it was not. the business of the association to interfere with the inner affairs of the clubs. It is also worthy of note that the recentlyconcluded World's Covered-court Championship was begun and ended on Sundays, and on the Continent all tin l big tournament finals are played off on that day. The Brooklands Lawn Tennis Club at Weybridge, England, according to a recent issue of Lawn Tennis, has 10 courts available for Sunday play throughout tho year. In the C Grade competition on Saturday North-East Valley and Hauraro met. and tho former club inflicted a very convincing defeat on the representatives of last year’s winners in this section. Tho Valley team is a very solid one, and Drvden and Murray played thoroughly good tennis in both Singles and Doubles, while they wore well supported by’ Mrs Dow and MissYorston in The Hauraro pair played very steadily (though Clarke on one occasion established something of a record by hitting a liall right out of the grounds and over an adjoining creek), and eventually won (9—B), though their opponents at one time had a lend of B—s. The North-East Valley team should not be far from the top of the ladder when (he (' Grade competition closes. Ladder matches continue to take place with great frequency in the Anderson's Hay Chib, and two more were decided during tlm past week. G. Walker challenged R. V. Bundle, but was defeated after a very even game by 9 - 6. Bendy also encountered N. Ilaggift, and succeeded in displacing him by 9 —5. The announcement in Monday's cablegrams that S. X. Doust had beaten N. E. Brookes in the Melbourne Championships would no doubt come as a great surprise to everyone. Doust has, of course, just had a remarkably successful season in England, and it is reasonable to assume that his experience among the first-flight English and Continental players has been of great benefit to him, as well as h : s frequent partnerships with Wilding. Still, he had just completed a long sea voyage, and would very likely not bo at the top of his form Doust, moreover, can scarcely be considered a match for Brookes, and. pending some explanation of tho champion’s failure, there should be a certain amount of hesitancy in acclaiming Doust as his superior. It is pleasing to note that. Brookes has announced that he aim Duiuop w.h i.-ave for England shortly preparatory to visiting America in quest of the Davis Cup, and as the former has stated that he will meet Wilding in England, the result of this long-looked-for contest will he awaited with interest by tennis players all over the world. In view of Wilding's recent successes and _ Brookes’s own pronouncement that ho is Ac greatest player in the world, the ohancee of tho Australian champion do not seem to be particularly

bright. In any event, the Australasian team, with Brookes and Wilding both in form, should be a particularly strong one, and, despite America’s prolific crop of “ boy champions,” should succeed in regaining the coveted trophy. The cabled results of the recent interstate matches in Melbourne between Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia are extremely meagre, and consist of the laconic announcement that Victoria defeated the other two States. The homo province’s team was, of course, an especially strong one. comprising as it did Brookes, Dunlop, Heath, Campbell, A. O’HaraWood, and Baird, the same combination that last year defeated New South Wales by 20 rubbers to 1, with the exception that Baird replaced Lycett. New South Wales apparently had the assistance of Doust and Jones, ns well ns Rice, Parker, Kids ton, Clark, and others, and it is very unlikely that on the present occasion the margin of Victoria’s victory would bo so overwhelming. OTAGO ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the Otago Lawn Tennis Association “was held in the secretary’s board room on the 18th, when there were present—Messrs T. Bogg (chairman), J S. Nicolson, J. R. Lemon, A. E. Harr aw ay, G. L. Nicolson, S. N. Brown, R. S. Brown, R. V. Parker, J. Monson, A. W. Wellstead, and O L. Kerens. A telegram was received from the Canterbury Association stating that. it was unable to send an interprovincial team to Dunedin at present. A letter was received from the North Otago Sub-Association thanking the association for agreeing to allow it to iorm a Noith Otago Sub-Association, ami .skiug to bo advised of the boundaries, and whether Waimato and Movvon Clubs can affiliate to it, and submitting proposals for tho Christmas tournament.—lt was resolved, that the proposals be referred to the Mat< h Committee, and that the North Otago SabAssociation be ad vised that the boundary in the south he the Waitaki County boundary, and that the sub-association be advised that, with regard to the Waimate and Morvcn Clubs, it would be necessary for them to obtain the permission of the Canterbury Association before they could affiliate with the North Otago Association. The Kaitangata'' Lawn Tennis Club was affiliated to the association. Mr Bogg drew the attention of the association to the fact that tennis was played on one of the courts last Sunday.—lt was resolved that, the president having reported that Sunday play was indulged in on one of the club’s courts last Sunday, this association expresses its disapproval of this practice. TAIERI v. PORT CHALMERS. Following are the scores in the match Taicri v. Port Chalmers, played at Anderson’s Bay, the names of the Taicri players being mentioned first ; Men’s Doubles.—Breeze and Lymburn 9, George and Booth 4; Alien and Barker 6, Basire and Marshall 9. Ladies’ Doubles. Misses Collie and Guest 6, Misses Stevenson and Marshall 4; Misses Muirhead and M'Leod 2, Misses Aitken and Cable 6. Men’s Singles—Breeze 9, George 6; Lymburn 7, Booth 9; Allen 9, Basire 5; Barker 8, Marshall 9. Ladies Singles.- Miss Collie 6, Miss Stevenson 3; Miss Guest 6. Mis Marhall nil. Combine Doubles.—Breeze and Miss Collie 9, George and Miss Stevenson 1; Lymburn and Miss Guest 9, Booth and Miss Marshall 3: Allen and Miss Muirhead 9, Basire and Mies Aitken 6; Harper and Miss M'Lood 7; Marshall and Mies Cubic 9. Totals: Taieri, 9 sets (102 games); Port Chalmers, 5 sets (80 games). DOUST BEATS BROOKES. MELBOURNE, November 22. The Interstate and Open Championship Tennis Tournament opened yesterday. In the first division, Singles, S. N. Doust beat N. E. Brookes. 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. INTERSTATK MA TC IT. MELBOURNE, November 23. In the interstate match Victoria defeated New South-Wales and South Australia. THE DAVIS CUB. MELBOURN E. November 23. Brookes states that he and Dunlop will leave for England shortly, and will meet Wilding preparatory to trying to win back the Davis Cup. He described Wilding as the greatest tennis player in the world.