LAWN TENNIS

Otago Witness, Issue 3818, 17 May 1927, Page 55

LAWN TENNIS

BY

SMASH.

As it is fairly safe to assume that there will be no more match play this season, it may be taken for granted that the names of the Kaituna and Moana clubs will be inscribed on that trophy as the joint holders for the past season. In recent years the Moana Club has held a leading position in the local grade competitions, and although University won the senior pennant in 1924, Moana regained the premier position in the following year. This club is ta be congratulated on its excellent record, and also on its success during the past season. Kaituna is also to be congratulated on the fine showing which it made, and although the men of -the team established a fine record of victories the club could not have achieved .the success it did without the assistance which it received from the ladies. Early in the season the Kaituna ladies were not regarded as a strong A grade side, but they upheld the honour of the club in the matches, and great credit is due to them for the part they played. The following table shows the results of the A Grade competition from 1906 onwards :—

At the recent Easter tournament the matter of a supply of new balls for some of the finals occasioned passing comment, but it was pleasing to note that the good offices of Dr Moody put matters to rights in the finals of the singles. Some opportune remarks on this subject are made, by the editor of American Lawn Tennis, who writes: The playing of lawn tennis—and especially tournament tennis —comes pretty near to being exact science, so far as the rules are concerned. Yet there are matters which cannot form the subject of legislation or be governed by hard and fast rules. The server, in doubles, might suddenly drive a ball at the receiver’s partner and hit him; technically the player hit would lose the point. The server, .in such a case, "would get pretty short shrift, rule or no rule. There is the matter of changing the balls in a match. For many years there was no rule on the subject. There could be no rule —book rule —in the general opinion. Lawn tennis balls cost money, and it is obvious that no club can be commanded to give out balls ad lib —and

hang the expense. It is equally true that a big match should not be. interfered with bv niggardliness in. the giving out of balls. There should be as many of them dispensed as the traffic will stand; in other words, prevailing conditions should govern. This is pretty much what they do. The rule of common sense prevails in the matter. No important match should be played with balls that are badlv worn or discoloured, or wet or muddy—if their frequent changing will prevent this. The desire of one player, who would like to have new balls every game or so. should not be gratified; nor should the wishes of a rival who likes to hit dirty, sodden balls, chopping them so that they will not rise, be given consideration. A “gentleman’s agreement is

usually all that is needed. "Without it .there is always a chance of trouble occurring. Mr C. C. Cox, of Christchurch, who ■won the New. Zealand championshin in 1898, has been paying a visit to his home town. Speaking to a representative. of the Lyttelton Times, he said the opinion in Australia was that New Zealand had good singles players, but was lacking in respect to doubles play. Australians were noted for their doubles', play, holding their own in it with Americans, French, and players of any other nationality. From what Mr Cox gathers, he does not think that New Zealand's doubles play has shown any improvement, probably because it has not been developed Could T. W. Patterson, the South Island champion, beat..D. G. France, the .North Island champion? The Wellington Post says: “Taking the South Island championship first, it is interesting to note that the .finalists, T. W. Patterson (Christchurch) and D.: C. Johnston (Timaru) are both fairly young players, the latter, in fact, being only 20 years of age. Patterson defeated Don France (Wellington) in the Anthony Wilding Memorial Shield

competition, the Wellington player being put right off his game by the yielding surface of the court at Wilding Park, but Len France beat Patterson in the shield match, and also in the contest between Canterbury and Wellington. Therefore Patterson’s win in the South Island championship final from D. C. Johnston, 12—14, 6—2, 6—l, 6 —4, is of more than ordinary interest when compared with the North Island championship final. Now we come to the final of the North Island championship, which was played last Saturday at Miramar courts between Don France and Len France. Don’s game this season has been somewhat misleading. At times he had been playing well enough to beat even Geoffrey Ollivier, but onother occasions he had had his supporters in the depths of despair. To beat Len in the final he showed that he had the measure of his brother’s game. Now that the North and South Island championships are established, it is to be hoped that they will be annual affairs; and, if the winners of all the events could be brought to headquarters to decide who is who, the general public would soon become interested in good tennis. The whole trouble is that the good players are not brought up against one another often enough in the one season, and consequently the game as a whole suffers. It can be rectified if the powers be willing.” A marked improvement was noticeable in the standard of play in both the men’s and ladies’ competitions in the recent Maori lawn tennis tournament held at Wanganui. It was the second year these tournaments had been held on a large scale. Indications were given that Maori players may some day be active participants in the New Zealand championships. The Auckland ladies’ representatives (Miss P. Rukutai and Miss D. Newton) did very well indeed. They annexed both the ladies’ championship and the" ladies’ handicap doubles. In addition, Miss Rukutai won the ladies’ handicap singles, and Miss Newton the Maori girls’ championship. Miss Newton now holds both the pakeha and Maori girls’ championships.

THE DAVIS CUP.

GREECE DEFEATED. PRAGUE, May 8.

In the Davis Cup contest Czechoslovakia beat Greece by four matches to one.

SOUTH AFRICA BEATS IRELAND. LONDON, May 9. In the Davis Cup contest Condon (South Africa) beat Mahoney (Ireland), 6—o, B—6, 6—l ; and Spence (South Africa) beat Meldon (Ireland), 6—3, 6—l, 4—6, 6—3. South Africa therefore beat Ireland by five matches to nil. BRITAIN DEFEATS SWEDEN. LONDON, May 9. In the Davis Cup match between Britain and Sweden Malmstrom (Sweden) beat Kingsley (Britain), 6—4, 6 — 2, 6’ —3 ; and Higgs (Britain) beat Garell (Sweden), B—6, B—6, 3—6, 9—7. Britain won by four matches to one. SPAIN v. INDIA. LONDON, May 9. In the Davis Cup match between Spain and India Antonio Juanico (Spain) beat A. 11. Fyzee (India), 3—6, 6—3, 3—6, 6—4, 6—l; arid Pravada (India) beat E. Flaquer (Spain), 6—2, 6—2, 6—3. SPAIN v. INDIA. MADRID, May 11.

In the Davis Cup preliminary Prasada beat Juanico, 11—9, G— 4, 6—3, Flaqueur beat Fyzee, 7—5, 6—o, 6-—2.

GERMANY BEATS PORTUGAL. LISBON, May 14. In the second round of the Davis Cup contest Germany eliminated Portugal by three matches to nil. AMERICANS IN GERMANY. BERLIN, May 9. Froitzheim defeated Hunter 6-1, 8-10, 6-2, 6-3, and Tilden defeated Landemann 3-6, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3. AMERICAN ZONE FIXTURES. OTTAWA, May 10. At the annual meeting of the Quebec Lawn Tennis Association on Tuesday it was announced that Canada would meet Cuba in the Davis Cup competition at Toronto on June 14, 15, and 16. The winners will play the winners of the Japan-Mexico series at Montreal on August 18, 19, and .20.

1905-06 Otago 1918-19 Kaituna 1906-07 Otago 1919-20 Otago 1307-08 Otago 1920-21 Otago 1908-09 Kaituna 1921-22 Moan a 1909-10 Kaituna 1922-23 Moana 1910-11 Kaituna 1923-24 Moana 1911-12 Kaituna 1924 University 1912-13 Kaituna 1925 Moana 1913-14 Kaituna 1926 Moana and 1914-15 Kaituna Kaituna.