Tennis Topics.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XII, Issue XI, 10 March 1894, Page 222

Tennis Topics.

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THE Goal match between Mr J. K. Hooper and Mr C. E. S. Gillies for the Auckland Championship for 1894 was pl ye 1 on Saturday, the 3rd inst., at the Ed n and Epsom Club’s grounds. Tennis has attracted more attention and aroused more interest in Auckland this year than ever before, and the eveots are doubtless the final of the ladies’ and men’s championship contests, hence the large attendance at the match on Saturday. The weather was almost perfect, the only drawback being the northerly wind, though this was but little more zepbyrous. The light was good, and the court true and fast, the most disappointing feature of the afternoon being the match itself. I don’t refer to the result, but to the play shown by Mr Gillies, who certainly, from want <>f form, played much below his reputation. Mr Hooper was never asked to exert himself at any point in the game, and as he was evidently in rare form, those who came to see were deprived of what likely would have been a brilliant exposition on the part of rhe champion.

Gillies delivered the first service at a quarter to three, the first being a fault. Of the second Hooper made a good length return, but too softly, Gillies replying with a low one to Hooper’s right. The attempted half Lawford by Hooper was a failure; score, 15—0 Gillies’next service was a hot one, but Hooper reached it. Gillies’ return, however, beat him ; 30-0. Hooper scored off the next, bringing the score to 30 — 15, but got no farther in the game, as his opponent got in two tricky, bard, well-placed services, winning the first game.

Hooper’s first service of the second game was driven out over the base line by < fillies, giving the server the first point in the second game. The same fate attended his next attempt, to be varied in the third by passing the left side line instead of the base line, and reverting to hie first return gave Hooper a love game ; one all.

The third game opened with a double fault by Gillies, o—ls. His next was his well-known reverse service, which fairly beat Hooper ; 15 all. Off the next Hooper returned well to Gillies’ left, who failed to lift it enough ; score 15—30. Off the second of the following service Hooper drove back-hand and came up, leaving a lob as Gillies’ only escape. The attempt was not successful, the ball dropping well out of court, making the score 15—40. Off the next deal a brief interchange of returns the first—was seen, to be finished in Hooper’s favour by his placing prettily in Gillies’ left hand corner ; score 2-1. Hooper leads.

So far tameness, intense tameless, had been the character of the game. Gillies found the couit much too small, and the score had been mounting up in Hooper’s favour, not so much by his own play as by his opponent’s mistakes. This condition of things altered in the fourth game. The first of Hooper’s services was returned out by Gillies. A piece of good placing by the latter drew Hooper well over the left side line, his return being smartly placed by Gillies in the right corner ; but the active Hooper reached it, and scored by getting past his player on the left. The scorer being now 30 love, the next point was his with a half Lawford, and it seemed as if another love game was to be chronicled. In following up his next service he paid the penalty of rashness, Gillies passing him on the fore-hand by a brilliant return ; 40—15. He scored off the next by meeting bis friend’s return on the volley, placing quietly on his left line ; score 3—l, Hooper leads.

The first service of the fifth game was one of Gillies’ special, and scored for him by being driven out by Hooper, and ‘thirty-love ’was called when the same thing happened off the second. Hooper returned the next, which came back bard and low from the server, and tucked Hooper up in the left corner, and * forty-love ’ was heard. Things were improving, as, since the first game, Gillies had not reached ‘ forty.’ Off the service Hooper returned weakly, and Gillies’ return caught him on the run in ‘threequarter court.' Theoretically Hooper was beaten ; actually he wasn’t. His eye was in, and he brought off a really brilliant • half-volley ’ hard low over the net that passed Gillies on the left, landing inside the ba e line by a few inches ; score 40—15. Hooper’s next retu’n was netted by Gillies, 40 - 30. The next serve was planted by Hooper to the server’s left, who failed to return ; score ‘deuce.’ Hooper replied to the next serve with a good length one to the middle of the court, and tol lowed up to the volley mark. Gillies’ lob was short, and went back hard, but was well got, the lob this time, however, irrevrcildy -smeshed by Hooper, giving him the rantage. Much the same game was alopted by ll.e

VANTAGE

players in the next rest, Gillies lobbing and getting them short, Hooper volleying to his opponent’s base line. The game finished in Hooper’s favour by Gillies lobbing into the net. 4—l. Hooper leads. Hooper took next service and stuck to the volley, scoring the first two points. He then attempted his half Lawford and failed ; did it again, with the same result, thus bringing the score level. A good place on the base line by Gillies put him ahead, the score being brought to deuce by smash from Hooper, who annexed the ‘ vantage ’ by a hard backhand drive, passing Gillies on the volley. The succeeding volley return of Hoopei’s was put out by Gillies, the umpire calling ‘s—l, Hooper leads.’

Gillies’ first essay in the seventh game was a double fault, o—ls. Off the next some pretty play was born, each player driving hard and low, and getting good length and place, Hooper finishing the rest against himself by putting out. He placed the next service in the net, score 30 15 Again Hooper got on the volley line, but Gillies getting better length on his lobs, drove him back, and from the base line another good interchange of strokes was seen, Hooper eventually scoring by a fierce drive that passed Gillies on the fore hand. Hooper remained loyal to the volley game, however, returning Gillies’ next service well to the left line, and coming up and meeting the return lob with a clean volley. Gillies returned cleverly, but Hooper’s reach again enabled him to get on to it, but not with much strength, and again Gillies returned. This time, however, Hooper • got the wood on,’ coming down on the ball with a free and final smash that was greeted with well deserved applause, the murmurs of approval dying away to listen to the call, ‘6-1, Hooper wins first set.’ The time occupied for the set was barely a quarter of an hour, as the first service of the second set was sent down exactly on the stroke of 3 o’clock.

Hooper took service in the first game of the second set, and it almost seemed as if the position of the players was to be reversed, as Gillies followed up his return, forcing Hooper to loh. The strikerout, however, was not in volleying form, and his stroke landed in the net. Hooper attempted a Lawford next return, but failed, but beat Gillies in the succeeding rest by a good length one. The next score was taken by Gillies, who got in a neat, low volley placed out of Hooper’s reach. With a stroke gained by each the cry of • deuce ’ was heard, then vantage. Hooper brought off a good one that beat Gillies, and ‘ deuce ’ was again called amid applause, Gillies then made a splendid drive to Hooper’s right. Failing to return the next service, and driving the following one out, gave Hooper the first game in the second set.

The next game also worked up to deuce, Gillies showing better tennis than he has yet done. Hooper, however, responded, and after a fine exhibition of close volleys drove Gillies back, who again sought refuge in lobbing. Hooper was there, and his opponent, dropping them rather short, found them coming back hard to each corner in turn, losing the second game. In the third game Gillies collapsed, Hooper scoring a love game. The fourth game brought out really good play from both, the pace, length and placing being admirable. Gillies was evidently making an effort, and, but that his opponent was in really brilliant form, and playing with great sureness, would have landed a winner in his attempts. Two vantages were called. Each in turn was driven back by the other till both met on the volley, and sharp, hard, from left to right, right to left, the ball left each racquet in telling stroke. The rest ended, however, as had many of the earlier ones. Hooper’s placing drove Gillies off the line, and a short lob from the latter terminated the proceedings by being smashed past all recovery by Hooper, and • 4—o, Hooper leads,’ was the cry.

1 he fifth game was so nearly similar in character as not to call for Special description, volleying being indulged in by both. The result was in favour of Gillies, who wore Hooper back, smashing the latter’s returns, and annexing the game by Hooper lobbing out. ‘4—l, Hooper leads.’ The next game the Auckland champion fairly revelled on the volley, Gillies failing to get enough length on, and scoring only one ace in the first part of the game by a bril--1 ant Lawford, and reaching 30 when Hooper attempted a similar stroke unsuccessfully. Hooper’s smashing was particularly free and sure, and met with hearty recognition by tbeonlookers. In thenextgameGillies ‘let out,’gettinggreat speed, and scoring the first point bya telling Lawford that was reached by Hooper, but put out. A well-placed seivice by Hooper brought ths score level, ami the next Gillies pnt in

the net, who repeated the mistake in his next essay. Th e game and set finished by Hooper scoring off his service. Score, 6—l, and Hooper two sets to his opponent’s love. The time occupied in playing this second set was exactly fifteen minutes.

The third set opened by Gillies scoring off bis service, the next falling to him also by being driven out by Hooper. Off Gillies’ following second service Hooper played a perfect half-Lawford, nnreturnable by any man living. In attempting the same thing the following service the net got in the road, and Gillies placing cleverly down the left side line, won the game. His success was cordially welcomed, and everyone got ready to watch things expectantly. The next game Hooper went off with a lead of 30 —O, Gillies being credited with the next by Hooper lobbing out, 30—15, the latter, however, redeeming his position with a telling drive. An exciting rest on the volley looked like a point forGillies, who bad worked Hooper into an awkward position. The latter got out of his difficulties with the most brilliant stroke played during the match. Gillies, from his right corner, had drawn Hooper well on to his right, and meeting a weak return from Hooper, placed down the latter’s left side line. Hooper had apparently anticipated this, as with a marvellously quick recovery he just met the ball on the volley, placing his return stroke about a foot inside his opponent’s service line, and close to his left side line. It was so quickly done that Gillies, who could not reasonably be expected to have anticipated that the ball would be reached by Hooper, much less so cleverly returned, was left standing on the spot from which he had made his stroke. Score, 1 all.

In the next game Gillies’ service failed him, two double faults and a smash by Hooper giving the latter a heavy mortgage on the result. A bad place by Hooper was the only point credited to Gillies, who lost the game, making the score, ‘2—l, Hooper leads.’ In the fourth game Gillies was up and volleying well, running up the first three scores, then failing on the volley, giving Hooper 15, and driving over the left side line, bringing the score to 30 —4O, but winning the game by a double service fault from Hooper. Score, 2 all. The next game also came Gillies’way, who played his back hand strokes with power and precision, and placing beautifully along both lines. Hooper made every effort to get into his old volleying ground, but his antagonist’s placing was too brilliant, and hearty applause went up at the call, ‘3—2, Gillies leads.’ This was the beginning of the end, as it was also the end of the beginning, for Gillies apparently could not repeat his effort. Hooper got up on the volley and fairly smashed things, winning the game 40 to Gdlies’ 15. The next he played in the same way, only more so, and made it a ‘ love ’ game, bringing the score to 5—3 The ninth and last game witnessed a partial revival by Gillies, but Hooper was always * there,’ and the former’s lobs dropping short, were treated mercilessly by Hooper, who played his last stroke in defence of the Cup at thirty-five minutes past three.

An analysis of the game shows the following interesting facts :—Hooper won 32 volley strokes, of which 11 were hard smashes, won 1 stroke by half-volley, won 19 points off his services, made 17 Lawfords (half and three-quarter), of which he lost 10 and scored with 7 ; gave one double fault. Gillies won 5 volleys, and failed in 7, these failures being nearly all over-head volleys. Served 8 double faults, won 4 points with his service. Mr Hooper has now won the Cup outright, being the first player to achieve this. The previous champions were : 1886 W. E. Barton 1887 W. B. A. Morrison 1888 W. K. Barton 1889 E P. Hudson 1890 W. P. Goodhue 1891 W. B. A. Morrison 1892 J. R. Hooper 1893 J. R. Hooper 1894 J. R. Hooper

AUCKLAND is certainly showing its best weather side to His Excellency the Governor and the Countess of Glasgow. The Government House party are availing themselves to the fullof the opportunitiesitaffordsforimprovingtheiracquaintance with the lovely scenery in the neighbourhood of the city. Fishing and picnic parties are organised. The Private Secretary, Captain Elliott, and the A.D C., Captain Stewart, seem quite as pleased as their predecessors in office with the facilities for sport. A piscatorial expedition on Fiiday afternoon was a great success. On Saturday evening Lady Glasgow and party went to the Opera House. Owing to its being the season of Lent, the hospitalities at Government House can only be of a mild character. His Excellency gives a dinner party on Friday next, and the previous day Lady Glasgow will present the certificates to the Ambulance Corps On Sunday the Vice-Regal party was repiesented at St. Paul’s Church in the morning, and St. Mary’s, Parnell, in the evening. On Monday night the specially ieserved seats at the Opera House were occupied by His Excellency and family.