THE RECENT TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue IV, 25 January 1896, Page 90

THE RECENT TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP.

SOME PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS. ON this and the following pages are reproduced some of the very fine photographic pictures taken on various occasions during the now famous, but alas! bygone tournament. The story of those three days is too fresh in the memory of tennis lovers to need any detailed description, but a brief accompaniment is necessary to our pictures, for which Mr Hardie Shaw is,

by the way, responsible, and for which he certainly deserves great kudos. The tournament was, then, held at Wellington during the recent holidays, and was in many respects the most interesting yet held under the auspices of the New Zealand Tennis Association. That body may, indeed,

be warmly congratulated on the successes that have followed its efforts to still further popularise and improve the game. Tennis in New Zealand owes much to the Association, and this is a good and fitting place to acknowledge the debt. On the first day of the tournament the weather was delightful overhead, but a choppy disagreeable wind was blowing, and this interfered with the play not a little. It came specially roughly on those not so accustomed to playing in windy courts as Wellingtonians, and without

doubt materially affected the results. The match of the first day was between Parker (who afterwards annexed the championship) and Harman. It was a most wildly exciting match. Parker won 6—4, 6—2, 6—5, and this by no means gives an idea of the closeness of the match.

On the second day the weather was far more agreeable, and the attendance was very large. Miss Greenfield and Goldie (receiving 15*4) won the Combined Doubles Handicap, 6—4, 6—5, beating the scratch players, Miss Trimnell and Goring. But it was, of course, the third day which created the greatest interest, and on which the majority of our photos were taken. As had been the case throughout the Championship Meeting, the courts were very hard. Again the public attended in large numbers. Parker beat Hooper in the final round of the Men’s

Championship. The Auckland man made a grand bid for the second year of championship, but Parker playing Hooper’s pet game, and showing magnificent form, won well and deservedly, though by no means easily, as the scores, 6— 4, 6—2,6 —5, show. Miss Nunneley simply

walked rings round her opponents for the Ladies’ Championship, and proved herself the very finest lady player we have ever had in the colony. Harman and Collins beat the Gore brothers, who played most pluckily, after some very hard-fought games. As our photos deal pretty fullywith this day’s play, a detailed account is appended :— Combined Doubles Handicap, best of three sets. — Semi-final round: MissNunneley and Parker, owe 30, beat Miss Heywood and P. Marshall, owe 15■4', 6—l, 6— I. Miss Greenfield and Goldie, received beat Miss Marchant and Garsia, received 15'4', 6—s> 5 —6, 6—l. The final round was won by Miss Greenfield and Goldie, 6—3, 6—5. Men’s Doubles Handicap, best of three sets. — Final round : Parker, Thorndon, and Hooper, Auckland, owe 30, beat Seager and Styche, Christchurch, received 15, 6—3, 6—2. Ladies’ Doubles Handicap, best of three sets. — Final round: Misses Davy, Auckland, and Greenfield, Te Aro, received 151-2, beat Misses Nunneley and Kennedy, Thorndon Club, owe 30, 6—2, 6—2. Ladies’ Singles Handicap, best of three sets. — Final round: Miss Nunneley, Wellington, beat Miss Lean, Christchurch, 6—o, 6—l. Men’s Double Championship, best of five sets.—Final round : J. W. Collins and R. D. Harman, Christchurch, beat H. Gore and R. Gore, Wellington, 5 —6, 6—3,

Ladies’ Doubles Championship, best of three sets. Final round : Misses Nunneley and Trimnell, Wellington, beat Misses Barron and Kennedy, Wellington, 6—i. Men’s Singles Championship, best of five sets.—Final round : H. A. Parker, Wellington, beat J. R. Hooper, Auckland, 6— 4, 6— 2, 6—5. The following particulars anent some of the players will be read with interest:— NOTES RE WINNERS. Miss Greenfield learned tennis at the Wellington Girls’ High School, where she quickly developed into an enthusiastic player, who, by careful attention and regular practice, soon came to the front, and year by vear evinced steady improvement. She was senior at the High School last year. For one so young (she is only eighteen) to have acquitted herself so creditably on the first occasion of competing against such first-class players as she had to meet in the recent tournament, leads one to anticipate for Miss Greenfield a brilliant future when further practice and experience shall have more fully developed the strong points as a tennis player she has already afforded such excellent proof of possessing. Also winner with Miss Davy (Auckland) in the Ladies’ Double Handicap.

Miss Trimnell, prior to 'removing to Wellington some four or five years ago, was a member of Parnell (Auckland) Club, where she was a winner at several of the local tournaments. Since coming to Wellington Miss Trimnell has been a member of the Thorndon Club. She is an energetic and ofttimes brilliant player, and has distinguished herself by winning the Combined Doubles Handicap for the past three years in connection with the Thorndon Club Tournament. Miss Nunneley is a comparatively new arrival in the colony, having only landed from England about twelve months ago. At Home she has frequently competed against some of the most noted tennis players of the dav, and invariably acquitted herself most creditably, proving a player of great skill, resource, and determination, and possessed of wonderful lasting powers. Since making Wellington her home Miss Nunneley has been a member of the Thorndon Club, and her capabilities as a tennis player were speedily recognised, and competent judges predicted she would win the Championship at the meeting which has just eventuated. The following extracts from Home journals will show how highly her abilities as a tennis player were esteemed in the Old Country :— Pastime, referring to the Open Championship Tournament, Nottinghamshire, July, 1894, says : ‘ The Ladies’ Singles, both open and handicap, were won by Miss Nunneley, who played a consistently strong game, a trifle beyond her form if anything, her best point being

her powerful forehand drive across the court: but she has a steady back-hand, and can volley at a pinch. She did not lose a set in the singles, a very fine peforniance against such opponents. She defeated Miss Jackson 'the runner-up for the All-England Championship Meeting 1895. — Ed.) in the final. Her opponent in the final of the handicap was Mas Hillyard (the Lady Champion for 1895 —Ed./ who had pluckily struggled through till this

under the heavy penalty of owe 40 ; but she was unable to owe half 40 to Miss Nunneley, who beat her fairly easily.’ Health and Home (July, 1894) gives the following interesting particulars : —‘Miss K. M. Nunneley, the promising young tennis player, was born at Market Harborough, where she lived all her life until the last few months. Tennis had charms for her at the early age of thirteen, when she joined the Lawn Tennis Club of that town, and at fifteen made her first appearance in a tour-

nament, winning, to her delight, partnered by Mr Has-kett-Smith, the Mixed Doubles Handicap. In 1891 Miss Nunneley’s victories included the Ladies’ Singles (first), and the Mixed Doubles (second) at the Brighton Tournament, and several prizes at Eastbourne. Last year she gained the Ladies’ Handicap (first) at Liverpool (Waterloo Club), also prizes at Nottingham, Northampton, and Scarborough. This year at Beckenham Miss Nunneley was first in the Ladies’Singles Handicap, but was beaten byMiss Legh for the Open Singles, taking second prize after a good match. At the recent Kent tournament (Blackheath) she won the Ladies’ Singles. She has just added to the list of her achievements by winning the Ladies’

Open Singles at the Nottingham tournament, beating amongst others such good players as Miss M. Shaw and Miss K. M. Grey. Miss Nunneley plays in correct style and is therefore very likely to improve. Her forehand stroke is very severe, but hardly sure enough at present. This will possibly be cured by experience. She also volleys fairly well, but her back-hand stroke is hardly strong enough yet to enable her to cope with players in the very front rank.’ The Thorndon Club may well be congratulated in having amongst its members a player of such note, and from whom so much may fairly be expected, for beyond question Miss Nunneley is a tennis player of exceptional skill, determination, and endurance. MR. H. A. PARKER. Mr Harry Parker, winner ot this year’s Championship Singles, is a young player (twenty-two years of age) of great promise. He was born in Christchurch, and

educated at Wanganui College. It was whilst attending that College he first learnt to play tennis, and during that time received! advice and training from Mr JoyMarshall (thejcolony’s champion in 1890), which has stood him in good stead. Mr Parker joined the Thorndon Club two years ago, and rapidly developed into a

very capable player, and came to the front. Last season he won the local championship. He went down to Christchurch for the 1894 tournament, quite as an outsider and without any special training, but nevertheless worked through into the final for the Men’s Championship, in which he was defeated by Mr Hooper, of Auckland. Mr Parker attributes his success this year in a great measure to the advice and training of Mr Barry Goring, whose experience and skill as a tennis player is well known in the colony.