TENNIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17349, 14 May 1924, Page 3

TENNIS

NEWS FROM ALL COURTS.

***. Last Saturday was a better day for tennis than the previous one and several championship matches were played off at Limvood and Avonside courts, but in none of them was any outstanding surprise as far as the winner was concerned, eveu if there were as regards the scores. The matches at Avonside were as follows. In a round of the doubles championship Field and Denton beat Joe and Wilson 6-1, 6-8, 6-0. In the eonlbiueds, Denton and Miss Spiers beat Cowper and Miss Gillandors 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. In the singles Allison beat Lee 6-2, 6-2.' The matches at Lin wood were all singles and resulted as follows: —Goss beat Alahan 6-1. 11-9, Denton beat M’Callum 6-2, 6-6, Field beat Stride 6-1, 6-0, Searle beat Fleming 6-4, 6-3. The secretary to the New Zealand lawn Tennjs Association has been informed by cable that the team to represent New Zealand in Davis Cup matches is as follows:—J. C. Peacock, F. M. B. Fisher and Dr P. E. Allison. •T. C. Peacock was singles champion of New Zealand in 1901 and 1010. He was doubles champion nil 1960 with H A. Parker, and in 1901. 1902, 1909 and 1910 with F. M. B. Fisher.

v F. AI. B. Fisher was never singles champion but he was doubles champion as noted above in 1901, 1902, 1909 and 1910, and combined champion with Aliss Nunneley in 1899, 1900 and 1901, and with Aliss Travers in 1911. He has been in England for some years now and has been very successful at many tournaments, arid from all accounts has retained his form particularly well. Dr P. E. Allison is a well-known local player who first came into prominence as a student at Otago University at the same time as Dr Laurenson. He was combined champion of New Zealand in 1920 with Aliss N Curtis, and is at present at Homo further pursuing his medical studies He has been getting what practice hs can in his spare time lately and playing in inter-club matches with success. The New Zealand team meets Czecho-Slovakia in the first round, and it will be interesting to see how it gets on. When the idea was first mooted (on account of Peacock going Home for a trip), it was not anticipated that, it would go far, but any matches played will give us some sort of idea of how the New Zealand standard compares with those of the minor t< unis nations such as Czecho-Slovakia. Belgium and Britain. The last-named I

lin unfortunately a minor tennis nation at present, but there are signs that she is awakening to the position and making a determined effort to regain her lost supremacy. En passant Dr Allison in writing to a friend in Christchurch lately mentioned that the colonial players were tho leading ones in various clubs that he had visited. The colonials were Australians, South Africans or New Zealanders. The Davis Cup match between Great Britain and Belgium is at present be ing played, and up to date (Tuesday) each si do has won one single. England’s first string, Kingscote, had no difficulty, apparently, in beating Watson in three sets 7-5, 6-2, 6-1, but Washer (Belgium) had a hard game against Gilbert before he was able to | win, the scores being 6-3, 7-9, 2-6, 6*4, j 8-6, only one game to the good in five ! sets. The winning team plays Spain in tlie next round, and if Alanuel Alonzo is ! playing Spain should win. There are seventeen teams corhpft- j ing in the European Zo*.ie and in the | upper half Spain or Franco should fight cut the issue, and it is expected that Switzerland will win the lower half Then either Spain or France should defeat Switzerland and go to America for the challenge round against the winners of the Australian Zone, who should bq"Australi*. The complete draw is as follows: Australian Zone--First round, Japan a bye, Cuba plays Canada, Alexico a bye. in the second round Japan plays thd winner of . Cuba v. Canada, and Mexico plays the winner of Australia v. China European Zone —The draw in this zone is as follows ; Upper half, Ireland plays France, Holiaind plays India, South Africa plays the Argentine, Britain plays Belgium, Spain receives a bye. Lower half, Denmark plays Hungary, Italy plays Rumania, Austria plays Switzerland, New Zealand plays Ozccho-Slovakia. The American team for the Olympic Gaiueo and for t-he Davis Cup lias be**n announced bj cable as followsßichards, YVilliazus, Hunter and Washburn. Whether this is correct remains to be seen. It may -be the team for the Olympic Games, but hardly, one should imagine, for the Davis Cup. Although Tilden will not be ploying Johnston should be, and Johnston, Richards and Williams would- be & hard team to beat. It is just possible this year that the Davis Cup may move ’from its present location. At any iate, it is good for it to move around. The Grounds and Alatch Committee of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association baa fixed a temporary scale of charges Tor the use of courts at Wilding Park. The charge for each court for half a day will be 5s and on Saturdays IDs. This charge will apply to both doubles and singles games in tho meantime. The senior inter-club competition, which starts next Saturday, shoidd provide some good games every second Saturday for spectators. Eight courts will be devoted to these matches at . Wilding Park and the tennis will be of a high standard. The following clubs , have entered teams: —Opawa, Cashmere, St Albans, Linwood, Avonside, College, Addington and Sumner. The ..winners last year were Canterbury Col- • lege, and it is believed the team will be the same as last year, but Opawa or , ‘ Linwood may “ spill the beans ” this , The members of the various teams have not been published yet, but the following players are taking part so far as is kuown: —College: Seay, > Lougbnan, Robinson and Loughnan. . Linwood: Goss, Bowrons. Field and . | Denton. Cashmere: Browning. Hale j • and two others. Opawa : Ollivier, pats' tersom, Sheppard and one other. St Albans: W. Somerville, Tait, Whit-e----r head and one other.

SUBURBAN NOTES.

(BY “BASELINE.”) Drives of all great men remind us If we more correctly time; Follow through, we’ll leave behind us Reputations as sublime. * * CLUB NOTES. Alany tennis players, probably for the very laudable purpose of improving their footwork, are taking on dancing. Clubs fostering this are St Paul’s, who have a dance on this weekend, and Belfast, who have their annual ball next week. Both these clubs will make all suburban players welcome. CHAMPIONSHIPS. Matters in connection with the championships on June 3 are well advanced. | Mr Chapman has arranged for a dressing room for the ladies, and a tent i for the men, also an official tent. The j draw, which was made on Saturday evening, has been published. The rank- | ing list players , to, a .certain extent j were, “ seeded,” and the final games j should be good matches in ell events. Twelve guineas are to be spent in trophies. The entries were very satisfactory, over £ll being collected in : fees. For the men’s singles 29 enteri ed, the ladies’ singles 15, men’s doubles I 13, ladies’ doubles 9, combined doubles 22. making a total of 88 entries. Hie best showing was made by St Paul’s : Club, who sent in 19. Woolston was ' next with 15. then came Halswell 12, Rangiora 11. Riccarton 10, Papanui. 8, j Paparua and Belfast 5 and Kaiapoi 4. , The men’s singles has brought out ■J ail the best- of the suburban players. On paper Sullivan and Al’Keowu are the two strongest. They were not playing last year. Other increased strength comes from Dickson and Schmidt of Riccarton, who have improved their J play recently, also from W. Keetley, of St. Paul’s, who was first player for a number of years for that club and is back again. Another new entrant with *an attractive style is Aitken, of Papanui Club. With the ladies the outstanding play of Aliss Aluirson and Miss Greig appears to have frightened a number of good players from competing. Afiss Lynch, of St Paul’s Club, will make a welcome addition to suburban lady players. She plays very attractive tennis with strong drives and serve. Of the singles players who have not entered, Mrs Garbutt, Airs Spicer, Aliss White, and Hirst, Corcoran, G. Brown, and Collins would have had good chances.