LAWN TENNIS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16782, 11 July 1922, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS.

* PATTERSON CHAMPSON. SERVING AND SMASHING TOO GOOD. By Telegraph— Press Association —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received July 11, 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, July 10. G. L. Patterson (Australia) won the championship, beating R. W. Lycett (England) comfortably, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2. Patterson’s serving and smashing dominated the final. He led 5-1 in too first set. Lycett, fighting hard, took the next two. but only scored a single point in the ninth game. Patterson’s service was more erratic in the second set, in .which he served eight

double faults, four times when within a point of gamo. These double-faults were ! responsible for a Inna: fight in the fifth I and seventh games, in which deuce was j reached six times. Lycett was leading at 3-1 and 4-2, but afterwards Pattersons driving and overhead volleying became too good tor Lycett. Patterson led throughout the third sot, but the winning gnu* was the. longest. Lycett was obviously worn down. PATTERSON’S VIEWS. FAVOURS “SEEDING” THE DRAW. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received July 11, 0.40 a.m.) LONDON, July 10. Patterson, interviewed, sold that as far as the final was concerned he had been Inckv, but he emphasised the need of changing the method of the draw in order to distribute the best, players among the various sections. He admitted he had not served a-s well to-day as against. .•oKiemin. This was mainly due to the fact that he had the sun in jits eyes. Patterson said he was afraid his own and Anderson's success could not be ‘taken to presage an easy win in the Davis Cup. Ho believed the standard of play in the United States was much higher than anything seeq at Wimbledon this year. NOTES ON THE PLAY. Without being a hollow victory exactly. Patterson s win. in the final conM barmy have aroused much enthusiasm * 1 H . spectators at Wimbledon. He had no need to serve as hard ns he did against Anderson. hut apparently be is still taking the chance with his second cannon ball service. especially when within an 9" winning, and in this he is doing what Tilden did in Auckland, and is following out the rule that in singles you must take a chance. Evidently he has determined in all his matches to allow his opponent no relaxation in respect to the service, and the aces thrown away in double faults may be repaid in one or two other directions. Lycett would have been handicapped by the knowledge that he had no hope against Patterson, and the occasional deuce games, j bv all accounts, were due to Patterson's . double faults in trying a short cut to j clinch the advantage point. Patterson lias said quite sincerely that he was lucky in i the final, and this was so in one or two J respects. First, he was not called on to , meet the holder after a hard series of 1 matches; secondly, he hail a very easy match on against Lycett; and. thirdly, the | finajr came on a Monday, after the week-end ! res/ Patterson has put in a plea for i “ seeding” the draw to ensure that the best players shall be distributed as evenly | a-s possible. The American association makes this optional with the committee, , but evidently it was rigorously balloted j for in England this year. A reference to Patterson’s record, which is published in this column, will show that the champion had by far the hardest® game early in the round against Kingscote. and then had to meet Anderson before the final, while it is certain that Lycett could not, have got to the final if either Kine'scote or Campbell had stood in the way. The question of the draw is a very old one. but it seems certain that for the sake of the public a certain amount of ” seeding " should he allowed. Patterson takes it for granted that Australia will he the challenging nation for the Davis Cup, and Lycett *8 overwhelming defeat removes the matter from all doubt. It is to be hoped that France will go to America to give the Australians a preliminary game. The sdmi-final against the British Isles will also give the Australians a much needed practice on American courts, which are faster and will suit them better than the heavy courts they have ! played on in England. It is quite on the j cards that both Patterson ami Anderson j will play better in America, and Anderson j has the advantage of his experiences in ; America last year. By all accounts. John ston is playing a better game than Tilden this year, but whether this means an imj proved Johnston or an impaired Tilden is | n °t clear. One can hardly imagine that ; Johnston, who is a mere small bunch of I sinews, could he playing much better than J he was playing at Auckland, when the j punch and precision of all his strokes was j something marvellous. The meeting or I Andersou an.l Patterson with the American ! cracks would be worth a pilgrimage to see ; The. Americans will pound Patterson's baekI hand for all they are worth, but it remains to be seen whether the new grin will stand t.he strain. The light in England was expected to trouble Anderson a bit. and he may go much better in America. PATTERSON'S RECORD. The following is a complete record of the achievements of G. L. Patterson, at home, and abroad, since his first success, at the a£e of fourteen, when he started his tournament career by winning the Singles Handicap event at Geelong. Recorded in chronological older. Patterson's prize list is as follows: 1909—Singles Handicap at Geelong. 1911— Singles Handicap at Geelong. 1912 Singles Handicap at Geelong 19.13—Schoolboys’ Singles Championship of Victoria. 1914 —Double* Championship of Now South Wales 'with A. Campbell), Doubles Championship of Australasia and Victoria (with A. Campbell). Run-ner-up to the late A. O'Hara Wood in Singles Championship of Australasia and Victoria. 1919—Championship of Surrey (England). World's championship at Wimbledon (defeat ing H. J. Gilbert). f> o. 6-4 c-0 • H. Roper Barrett, 7-5, 6-2. 7-5; T. AT. Mavrogordato, 6-0. 6-3, 7-5: S. N. Doust. 6-2. 6-0. 6 2; A. H. Gobert 10-8, 6-3, 6-2; M .r j Ritchie. 6-1. .'4, 1-6. 6-3; A. R F. ’ Kingscote, 6-2. 6-1. N. E. Brookes, 6-3. 7-5, 6-2. Doubles 'Championship of Sydney (with R- V. Hfllonias). Singles Championship at Ensfcauipton. Dongles Championship at Rpfchampton (with P. O'Hara Wood). Doubles Championship at Beckenham (with N. E. Brookes). Doubles Championship at Newport, U.S.A. (with N. E. Brookes). Doubles Championship of America (with N. E.. Brookes). Singles Championship of Victoria. Doubles Championship of Victoria (with N. E. Brookes). .1929 Singles Championship at Geelong. Combined Doubles Championship at Wimbledon (with Mdlle. Lenglen,).. Singles

Championship of Victoria. Doubles Championship of Victoria (with N. E. Brookes). 1921 Singles Championship of South Australia. Doubles Championship of South Australia (with R- V. Thomas). Autumn Singles Championship. Autumn Doubles * Championship of New South Wales (with J. B. Hawkes). Singles Championship of New South Wales. Doubles Championship of New South Wales (with R. s’. Thomsfe). Singles Championship of Victoria. Dongles Championship of Victoria (with J. B. Hawkes). 1922 Autumn Singles Championship. Autumn Doubles Championship (with J. B. Hawkes). Singles Championship of South Australia. Doubles championship of South Australia (with R. V. Thomas). World's champion at Wimbledon, beating Morgan by default. Gravem 6-1. 6-1. 6-4; Borotra. 6-0, 6-1- 6-3: Kingscote. 0-4. 3-6. 5- 6-4. 6-3: Campbell. 7-6. 6-3. 62, (final 'core not cabled); Anderson. 6-1, 3-6, 7-9, 6- 6-3. and Lycett 6-3. fi-4, 6-2. In the interval between 193 1 and 1910 Patterson, as an officer in the Jmnerial forces, won the Military Cross for gallantry in action, proving on foreign soil the military valour., as well as the physical development, of the Australian race.