TENNIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16942, 17 January 1923, Page 2

TENNIS

On all the Courts

FIXTURES. February 19 and 20. N.S.W. ladies v- N.Z. Ladites at United Courts. Feb. 10—Canterbury v. Otago, at Dunedin. Feb. 17—Canterbury v. 'Wellington, ; a 1 Christchurch. Feb. 23 and 21—Wilding Shield match. Canterbury v. Taranaki, at Christchurch. The Taranaki Association lias suggested February 23 and 24 for the ikling Shield challenge against Canterbury. and as these dates are acceptable to Canterbury, they may be taken as a fixture. As the Canterbury visit to Dunedin is fixed for February 10, and the match against Wellington at Christchurch for February 17, three successive Saturdays are hooked. The Easter championships this year will he restricted, as far as the men’s I singles are concerned, to 24 players, the selectors being empowered to eliminate any player. To meet the ease ol the other players there will be all open junior championship for all others. The ether events will be. unaltered. It is understood that the entry fees are to ho raised slightly. The arrival of the New South Wales ladies yesterday, accompanied by the North Island competitors for Friday’s open tournament, will focus the interest of tho New Zealand tennis world on Christchurch for the next few days, it is to he hoped that the visitors will enjoy their stay in Christchurch, where local players have been looking forward keenly to the visit. Flans have been laid for practice this afternoon, but the grass courts arc likely to be on the damp side. 13y Friday, however, they ought to be playing quite well. The unbeaten record of the visitors :-.o far may possibly come to an end in Christchurch', for the northern ladies have shown their ability to take sets from them. Christchurch players will be interested in the showing oi Mrs Wright (nee Dorman) the leading Canterbury lady, who was not a competitor nt the New Zealand championship tournament. The form of the visiting ladies has been pretty fully described in the course of their victorious march through the North Island, but a very interesting comparison was made on the ploy m ttie championships' by a writer in the Auckland “ Herald, ’’ who recorded a oieat improvement all round in the ladies’ play. Tho oversea ladies triumphed, he wrote, but New Zealand was not beaten ignominiously. Many •a good fight was made, the contest often being hotter than the score. Miss Macfarlanc.'h effort against Miss Lance can be given pride of place. The. Aucklande: played plucky and splendid tennis throughout the tournament. Mrs Scott-Watson. in beating Miss Lloyd, also gave classy tennis. It- was surprising that she did not mr.ke a better fight against Mrs Lascelles. The latter is as active as a kitten, and beat her opponent with pace. Miss Howe, of Wellington, ex-school-girl champion, p 1 ay eel one gem of a set against Miss Lance, but. otherwise was not convincing in championship class. Mrs Melody, also of Wellington, was disappointing. She was reported as playing below her form. That- her weak backhan 1 must make her an easy victim to anyone above a certain standard was soon made apparent by ■ the oversea ladies. The come-back ol Mrs Hodges, who improved with every o; a m t . she played, and the disappointing play of Miss Knight, were two surprises of the tournament. That Miss Knight will some day prove a champion many still maintain. Lhe visitors from New South Wales are to be congratulated for the good sportsmanship they 5 Lowed whenever occasion arose, and for the excellent tennia they produced. Tt must not he taken for* granted, h&wover, that their tour miu*f he a “ cake-walk." for. as the New Zealand ladies become accustomed to their play and gain confidence, many a surprise may ho looked for. Miss Lance is the star player, and by her triple win proved herself fifteen ahead of any of the New Zealanders. Her