TENNIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17536, 13 May 1925, Page 3

TENNIS

NEWS FROM ALL COURTS.

.Last Saturday under pleasant weaihJer conditions the senior inter-club competition was commenced. when. the first round matches were ])layed off. There are eight teams participating, and the competition should be very open, as while some clubs have a, strong team of men and a weak team of ladies others arc just t opposite. This ali tends to even the various teams up, and. as will be seen when, we look at the results, tends to produce surprises. On Saturday Aronsidc beat Canterbury College, Suburban beat Tin wood. Cashmere Mills beat New Brighton and Opawa heat St. Albans. It will be interesting to analyse the various results and lo see what difference was caused by having team a mixed. The first match between Avonside and Canterbury College was won by •the former by eleven matches to five, made up as follows:—•

It will bo noticed that when the result has io be decided on sets, the value of the ladies’ event* and ihe .combined doubles is exactly as before, on account of being nine up. so that, in a close go the men s singles and doubles results are the deciding factor. Of course, if sets were equal, games would then be counted, but in the case above it was net necessary. As a matter of interest. Cashmere won 119 games against ninety-live by New 13 righto 11. In the Avonside-Canterbury College match the winners non three men's singles and lost one. France. Dobie and Goldsmith disposed of \\\ R. ■Robinson, Hunter and G. R. Robinson respectively, each in two straight sets. Ihe last match was 1 lie game between Fish ami Angus. Fish won only after a very close game. 6-0. 4-6, 6-o. The loser is a new young placer who is rapidly making good progress at the game. In the men's doubles Robinson brothers lost to Goldsmith anti Angus in two straight sets, a result rather unexpected on form. Fish and Hunter beat France and Dobie. 6-2. 6-3, which was to be expected. Although France and Dobie are both better players in singles, the winners arc great doubles players. 11 memory serves right, this pair went through last- year's senior competition •w ithout a defeat. In ibo ladies’ singles Miss Speirs and Miss Wbitta both won. hu 1 Miss Ward and Miss Dorman both lost. Roth Avonsid© pairs won the ladies’ doubles easily. Ali bough Canterbury College lost three oombineds, two of them were very Hose. Miss Saunders and Robinson onlv losing to JJis- Speirs and •France. 9-8. Miss

Partridge anti Hunter only lost then* double to M iss Whitta and Dobie 9-« . The Li n wood-Suburban match " ai responsible for one or two surprises for instance, Goss was beaten by Till man 0-6. 6-2, 6-2, and Field wa:

beaten by Hawkins 4-6, 5-6. On the othci hand. Borrows and Mood both won their singles easily. The Linwood ladies fared badly, for they lost all singles and doubles. Tho combi neds and the men’s doubles were do—dO. like the men’s singles. AYhen the Lin wood men started their four singles, things mu>i have looked fairly rosy at first. "While Field was battling along just breaking even against his opponent, Borrows, Mood and Goss each had rattled off a love set “just like that.” A change then came, for while Borrows and Wood both won their second sets (5-3 and 6-4 respectively. Field lost his two and Goss lost his second and third. The Cashmere-New Brighton natch ns seen from tho summary given above was a very close and even one right through. The New Brighton ladies counteracted the men. Miss Eaglesome was the. only one to lose her singles, and both pairs won their doubles. The Opawa-St Albans match was a veritable walk-over for the- winners, the losers only winning two matches, though others wore close. Oliivier. Patterson and Harman all won in two straight sots against Tait, AY. Somerville and M. Somerville, whilst Clayton lost to Hatch. The Opawa ladies won all singles and doubles. The game between Miss Ferrier and Miss Buchanan was a close one. games being level nil the way to eight-all, when Mi-,s Ferrier won the last one. Both Hie men s doubles went to three sets, hilt in each case tho Ooa.wa, pi avers won two ol the three. The combineds were won by Opawa. bv three to one. Miss Walden and Hatch capturing the odd one for St Albans. Miss Buchanan a.nd I ait gave Miss Ferrier and Oliivier a fright, for the latter only won 9-8. The draw for next Saturdav is as followsAvonside v. Limvuod'. M ild ing Park 3. 4, 5 and 6; Suburban v. Canterbury College, Wilding Park, 7. 8. 9 and IO; Ca.sbmere Hills v. Opawa. at Cashmere Mills; New Brighton v. St Albans. Wilding Park, ll” 12. 13 and If. 1 1 is particularly requested i bat all matches should commence not later than 1.30. as each match is. comprised of sixteen matches. Unless an early start is made the last marches will be played in the dark, which, of course, is not satisfactory. In connection with the various pornts that have cropped up as to the entry of New Zealand into the Davis Cup arena, the secretary to tin- New Zealand Association announced on "jVlav 6 that it was hoped to have the various points adjusted within a week. The week is up to-day, so possibly we can expect to have an announcement very s| ion relative to the personnel of the ioa,m. The New Zealand Association does not seem to be aware that the w hole n atter is really ong of national importance, and that tennis players all over New Zealand are keenly interested in the idea and are anxiously waiting to see or hear more about the idea. It would appear that the association badly needs a. publicity department. As it will probably veil 11 ire assistance from the tennis public I*. send a team away it should take the public early into its confidence. Davis Cup matches have nlreadv commenced in the Furopean zone. Italy have placed and beat cm Portugal and France did the san e to Hungary.

The European zone matches must, of course, be started ranch earlier than those in the American zone on account o f so in any cn lr a n Is. The followgini extract, front American Lawn Tennis relates to an evil that, we are sorry to say. can be seen occa u nally here in Christchurch. "There is an ugly sound about the word ‘ stalling.' and happily it is seldom used. Act it crops up occasion -ill-,- j u *t as it did in the championships two 'month* 9ISO. and it i* lost as well to look it squarely in the face and see win t there is to it. "It can be said without, tear of contradiction that there can be. no continued ‘stalling’ if the umpire knows his business and is on the job. I' or stalling’ is nothing more or less than intentional delay lor the purpose of obtaining an unsportsmanlike advantage over one's opponent. 1 ertainly that <■; n be dealt with by an alert and intelligent official. The playing rules not only give him the power to deal with it. but instructs him to use it • the umpire shall be the sole judge of intentional delay and . he may clisqutility the offender.' No one could want more than that. " Hut the umpire is also the judge, and it is his duty to see that the scales of justice preserve their balance save when injustice weighs them. Ji one idaver shall not intentionally delay, neither shall the other intentionally m:rr\ . The server, for example, dciiveis the ball when he is ready and not before. The receiver is therefore entitled to refuse to accept a service that is delivered before he is reach' - the rules so provide. So it goes light down the line. If one player runs to take up his position or hurries the bail boys, his opponent does not hyve to iollow itis example. Jt is his right to move deliberately, and to refuse to be hurried. The umpire knows and he is there to act. restrain or protect as the case may be. "There is. of course, the other side of the shield. Continuous play is tv quited by the rules, but the word ‘ continuous’ is to be. construed reasonably. Delays are continual and inevitable—such as the drying of eyeglasses and of the head and body. Towelling is universal and perfectly legitimate. The fastening or replacing of a shoestring i or even of a. shoe calls for no reprimand or even object ion. Players are gentlemen < except when they are. ladies) and sportsmen as well, and they do not even raise an eyebrow unless the code is violated. The dividing line is such a tenuous one that it is almost invisible. The service can be delivered a fraction of a second too soon, intentionally; it may also be refused when it is seen to be a difficult or impossible one. A stop can be made to dry eyeglasses for the purpose of throwing the opponent off; or the player who does not wear glasses may signal for delay to drink or to retowel; or to retrieve a ball when there is a boy for the purpose. The ways arc legion. A good umpire does not permit either ‘stalling’ or hurrying. He keeps a firm grip on the match and sees that it proceeds at exactly the right speed and with the fewest possible interruptions oi play. Jt is his business to perceive even the hint of unsporting conduct and to check it instantly. His is the power and he is no better than an effigy if he does nctf use it without l'car or favour. Fortunately the need for drastic action seldom arises.”

A von side College Men’s singles . :i 1 Men’s doubles . 1 l . Ladies’ doubles . *2 0 Ladies’ singles '2 *2 ( urubincds :t I Total . 11 o The, l,inWood-Suburban ma tch Mas •nrun br the rustics liv eleven matches tto fire:— Suburbnn. Lip wood Men's singles Men’s doubles . : 2 . 1 *2 1 Ladies’ double? •_» 0 Ladies’ singles t 0 Cora blued s . *2 2 Total . 1 1 r, The Opavra-St Albans matt h played •n the Opafla courts resulted in a. runaway victory lor the home team. *s follows:— Op a va. Sl Albans. Men's singles . :i 1 Men’s doubles . 2 0 Ladies’ singles . 4 O Ladies' doubles •2 0 Combiueds :i 1 Total 11 2 On the contrary, the match between Cashmere and New Brighton was an extremelv dose one. a the ol lowing tables show : Cashmere New Brighton. Men’s singles 1 A Ten's doubles . *2 O Ladies’ singles 1 a Ladies*' doubles 0 2 Combined? . ‘2 2 Total H "When, matches are equal. sets arc (Pouuffid, thus: Cashmere Now {rig! don. Men’s singles <> 3 Aten’s doubles 1 0 Ladies’ singles 1 .*1 Ladies’ doubles 0 2 Combined? . *2 2 Total . LI 10