LAWN TENNIS

Otago Witness, Issue 3438, 3 February 1920, Page 40

LAWN TENNIS

AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. SYDNEY, January 26. In the Singles, Lowe beat O'Hara Wood 6 —3, 6 —2, 6—2; Anderson beat Marsh 6—l, 6—3, 6—4, 6—3. In the Doubles, O'Hara. Wood and Thomas beat Marsh and Plomley 6—o, 6—2, B—6. In the tennis Singles the semi-finals were responsible for some exciting contests and high-class play in spite of the heaviness of the courts and interruptions through rain. Kingscote beat Anderson, 3—6, 7—5, 6—4, 6—3; Pocldey beat Lowe, 6—4, 6—3, 6—l. In the tennis Doubles, Kingscote and Beamish beat Neil and North, 2—6, 6—2, 6—4, 6—4. In the Singles championship of Australia the final resulted in an easy win for Kingscote, who defeated Pocldey (New South Wales), 6—4, 6—o, 6—3. In the Doubles semi-final, Anderson and Lowe beat Peach and Pace, 6—2, 7_5 ? B—6. Jin the Doubles semi-finals, Thomas and Wood beat Kinscote and Beamish, g_6, 6—4, 7—5. After a protracted and exciting display of first-class tennis, O'Hara Wood (Victoria) and Thomas (South Australia) defeated Lowe (England) and Anderson (New South Wales) in the final for the Doubles Chanmpionship of Australasia. Scores: 7—5, 6—l, 7—9, 3—6, 6—3. The winners last year won the World's Doubles Championship at Wimbledon. THE DAVIS CUP. CONGRATULATIONS. The British Lawn Tennis Association cabled congratulations to Australia on winning the Davis Cup. New York newspapers point out that Australia is .becoming the premier tennis land of the world. Brookes declares that Patterson is one of the greatest players than ever handled a racket, and will* improve as he grows older.

The New South Wales Lawn Tenni3 Association lias received a challenge from,

South Africa for the Davis Cup compete tion in December next. VENUE FOR NEXT CONTEST. January 27. When laced with a players' protest that the Australian Association will be in a dilemma, and cannot break faith with the New Zealand Association, Brookes was still emphatic in urging the unsuitability of Now Zealand, owing to its inclement weather, for the Davis Cup match, and that the only alternative is to fall back on the international regulations, which provide that a challenge tie shall be played in the country of the champion's nation at a date and upon a ground to be agreed upon by common consent. PLEA FOR NEW ZEALAND. WELLINGTON, January 26. Lawn tennis enthusiasts express surprise at Mr Brookes's suggestion that the Davis Cup contest should not be played in New Zealand because at preseni we have no one equal to the cup contests. Mr H. W. Gore (president of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association) points out that New Zealand lost its finest player, Mr Wilding, and two prospective champions, Messrs Gordon Seay and D. Jennings, of Christchurch,, in the war. Mr Duthie, of Auckland, another fine player, also was killed, but no one knows what New Zealand mav produce in the next year. Mr Patterson made a meteoric rise to fame. "It must not be forgotten," says Mr Gore, " that in the past New Zealand has held her own in 'tennis with Australia. Mr H. A. Parker in his day won in every State in Australia. On the two occasions matches have been played with New South Wale 3 New Zealand won iu 1906, and in 1904 the State representatives were defeated at Sydney. The position now is that the New South Wales Association is endeavouring to arrange to send a team to New Zealand. It had practically been arranged that New South Wales would send a team over at the time of the Davis Cup matches. Under the arrangement with Australia, if the cup is held by Australia one match is played in New Zealand to two in Austadia, and it is New Zealand's turn. In the ordinary course of events the next match will be played about December of this year." LOCAL MATCHES. MOANA NO 2 v. ROSLYN NO. 2. Totals: —Moaixa, 12' sets (109 games); Koalyn, 2 seta (59 games). KAITUNA v. ST. ANDREWS NO 1. Totals: —Kaituna, 10 sets (102 games); St. Andrew's, 4 sets (87 games). * COSY DELL NO. 2 v. OTAGO. Totals: —Cosy Dell, 7 sets (S 3 games); Otago, 7 sets (87 games). NEW PLYMOUTH TOURNAMENT. NEW PLYMOUTH, January 28. In the New Plymouth bowling tourname.it sectional play concluded to-day. The following are left in:—Bartlett (Fitzroy), Mason (Pihama), Flower (Gonville), Jolly (Palmerston North). Moffatt (St. John's), Jury (Fitzroy). Castles (Eltham). M'Neili (Fitzroy), Elliott (Patea), M'Aneny (Wanganui), Ford (Waitara), Luscombe (New Plymouth). Bary (Eltham), aiid Foy (Hawera). January 30. In the bowling tournament the semi-final stage has been reached. Ford (Waitara) defeated Castles (Eltham) 21 to 10, and Foy (Hawera) defeated Elliott (Patea) after a very close game by 17 to 15. The issue was in dcrabt till the last delivery. Ford and Fey will meet in. the final to-morrow. In the Citizens' XLatch, Hill (New Plymouth) and Rennell (Fitzroy) will play in the final tomorrow. MATCHES IN CENTRAL OTAGO. (Fbom Oub Own Cobbespondents.) CROMWELL, January 31. The bowling match, Dunedin Centre ■ against Otago Central, is being played at Cromwell to-day in perfect weather. Eight rinks are competing each 6ide, and two rounds are being played. The first round was concluded this morning, Dunedin scoring a win by three points, due chiefly to one Central Otago link going down to the tune of 30 points; The second round '.a at present in progress, with scores so far fairly even. Considerable interest is being taken in the match. r ROXBURGH, January. 30. Three rinks of Dunedin Centre bowlers visited Alexandra to-day, and engaged the local club in a match. The day was very warm and the absence of wind made conditions ideal for bowling. On the total score Alexandra won by 1 point : 58 to 57. "Two of the games were won by Dunedin by 22 to 18, and 24 to 15, while Alexandra won the third very comfortably by 25—11.