LAWN TENNIS

Otago Witness, Issue 3911, 26 February 1929, Page 54

LAWN TENNIS

By

Smash.

Three representative fixtures are set down for decision in the near future. The first, of, these, is. the match against Southland, at. Invercargill, .on. .March 2. I understand that a strong Otago team will be available for this game, and the match should be an interesting one as the standard of lawn tennis in Southland has been- -on the up-grade during the past season- or two.- • On March 9 the South Canterbury Association is sending a team to Dunedin, _ and_ here again Otago will have to put its best foot forward, for the Timaru ‘players ‘represent formidable opposition. On March 23 the interprovincial fixtures will be concluded with a match in Dunedin against North Otago, and this should also prove a close and interesting game. The impending departure for Wellington of Dr J. Fulton involves a cerious loss to the game in Dunedin, both on the playing and on the administrative sides. For the past eight years Dr Fulton has been a prominent figure in tournament and match play, his progress and development haying been both rapid and sustained. His tournament successes at Dunedin, Invercargill, O.amaru, Timaru, and elsewhere have been mainly achieved in the doubles game, at which he excels, but he is also a singles player of considerable ability, and he never gives up while there is a chance of retrieving the ball. He has also been' a prominent competitor at the University tournaments, at several of which he has competed with success. One of his best performances was at the New Zealand Championship tournament in Christchurch 12 months -ago, when he and Boddy met Knott and Sturt, the title-holders, in the third round of the men’s doubles, and were only defeated in the fifth set. In local matches Fulton has at different times defeated most of the leading players in singles, and he has more than one victory over Bray to his credit. He has been a member of the committee of the association for some years, and in that capacity as well as in other directions he has done much for the advancement of the game. He will be accompanied to Wellington by the good wishes of many friends in this city, and his future progress in that city will be followed with interest.

Some 20 or 30 years ago Mr H. A. Pai her, who is at present on a business visit to the Dominion, was one of the outstanding figures in the game in Australia and New Zealand, and there are still players of an older generation -who recall his prowess with enthusiasm and speak in glowing terms of his magnificent drives on both forehand and backhand. He was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School and while there he had th e benefit of coaching at the hands of Mr J. M Marshall,- who won the New Zealand championship in 1890, and again in 1896 and was famous for a forehand drive or great power and accuracy. Mr 1 arker held the Dominion singles championship on six occasions—a \ecord that has only been beaten by OUiyier—and he won the Men’s Doubles no fewer than eight times, his partners being Gore, Cox, Laishley, Swanston, Lycett and Doust. In the Mixed Doubles lie lias successful on four occasions with Miss Nunneley, and once each with Miss Powdrell and Miss Wellwood. Arnone his claims to a lasting fame, he has his name on the championship roll of every r ln Australia. He was a member of the New Zealand team which beat New South Wales in 1896, and he captained the Dominion side which beat New South Males in Sydney in 1904 He played for many years for New South Wales against other States, and his last success in tournament play was his win in the Sydney singles in 1913. When in E f '^’ an .4 \ n 1901 ' 3 ’ he won the singles ot Sittingbourne and Frinton and Norwichand was in the final of the doubles at Wimbledon. He took the European doubles title at Homburg. In 1905 Mr Parker played in the Australasian Davis Cup team and it is on record that he Brookea in an in ter-State match m 1910.

OTAGO v. CANTERBURY.

A WIN FOR THE VISITORS

The annual interprovincial lawn tennis match between Otago and Canterbury was played on the Anderson’s Bay courts on Saturday. Although a strong breeze made playing conditions rather unpleasant during the morning, as the day wore on the wind dropped and the match was brought to a conclusion in ideal conditions. The standard of play was very high, and every match was keenly contested. Although victory rested with the visiting team, the home side acquitted itself very creditably the winning margin of matches in favour of the visitors being small. , follovri . n £ are the results, Canterbury players being mentioned first:—

MEN’S SINGLES. Barnett beat Duthie, I—6, 7—5 9--7 (j beat M'Dougall, 6—-2, 4 6, Field lost to Bray, 2—6. 4—6 Glanville lost to Guy, 2—6, 2—6 Wilkinson beat Moody. 6—l, 6—B 6—o 1 rebble beat Boddy, 6:—4, 3—6, 6 —3.' LADIES’ SINGLES. 6 A p sa Speirs beat Miss Pattison, 6—o, 2 S 4 ake l° s *' Miss Partridge, 6—2, Mrs Miles beat Miss White, 6—o, 6 —3. 6 4 S g Andrew beat Miss Fleming, 5 —o’ Mrs Pritchett beat Miss Cook 5—6 6 —3, 6—4. ' ’ Miss Borrows lost to Mrs Watson 4—6 6 — 5, 3—6. MEN’S DOUBLES. Patterson and Glanville beat Boddv and Bray, 6—2, 6—l. Field and Wilkinson lost to Guv and Duthie. 5 —7, 3 —6. Prebble and Barnett beat Moody and M Dougall, 3—6. 6—4, 6—3. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Misses Speirs and Wake beat Misses Pattison and White, 6—4, 6—o. Miss Andrew and Mrs Miles beat Mrs Matson and Miss Partridge, 4— 6, 6—4, 7 — 5. ’

Mrs Pritchett and Miss Borrows beat Misses Fleming and Cook, 6—3, 6—2 MIXED DOUBLES. Barnett and Miss Borrows lost to Duthie and Mrs Watson, I—6,1 —6, I—6. Patterson and Miss Speirs lost to M Dougall and Miss Pattison, 4—6, 4 —6. Glanville and Miss Wake lost to Guy and Miss Partridge. 6—l, 4 —6, 4--G. Field and Mrs Miles lost to Bray and Miss White, 6—4, 5—7, 4—6. Wilkinson and Miss Andrew lost to Boddy and Miss Fleming. 4 —6, 6—4, I—6. Prebble and Mrs Pritchett beat Mocdv and Miss Cook, 3—6, 6—3, 6 —o.

Canterbury . . Matches. Sets. Games. . . 14 33 302 Otago . .. 10 29 ■ 270