LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue VIII, 22 February 1902, Page 350

LAWN TENNIS.

(By ” Vantage.”)

The weather ou Saturday afternoon was not ail that could be desired from a tennis player’s point of view, but nevertheless a considerable number of matches were played in the tournaments now being- conducted by the local clubs. At West End several matches were played, but the committee finally decided to extend the titae for finishing the first round for one week.

Miss Stella Rice has now won the Ladies’ Championship of the Mount Eden Lawn Tennis Club two years in succession. During last week she met and defeated Miss A. Stewart by two sets to one, the scores being B—6. 3—6. 7—5. During the first set Miss Rice was much the steadier and early established a good lead, which she kept until she was 6—5. Miss Stewart then by a great effort made ft six all, but Miss Rice won the next two games and the set, the last stroke being won by a ball which hit the tape and dropped short over the net. In this set Miss Stewart was a little inaccurate, but she made up for it in the second by simply outclassing her opponent by the severity of her drives and her accurate placing. The third set looked like a gift to Miss Stewart, as she speedily obtained four games to love, but at this juncture Miss Rice came to light, and playing a steady, determined game wore tier opponent down and won the set, 7—5, which, it must be admitted, was a fine up hill effort. Miss Stewarf’s chief strength is her excellent length and pace, but a lot of her shots are too straight down the court, and her play is a little too stereotyped. Miss Rice was very steady, and in the later stages of the game kept an excellent length. In this match it was very manifest that if either of the players could have volleyed only a little it would not only have saved her an immense lot of running about, but would have made a great difference in the scores. Brabant beat Billing in the Auckland Championship by three sets to one. The match was played at Mount

Eden, and was in interesting game, but Brabant’s superior steadiness and length pulled him through. Kiee beat Maddox by three sets to two. At two sets all Maddox suggested an adjournment for tea, and from this out Rice obtained the advantage and kept it. Turner provided the surprise of the afternoon by defeating Vaile by three sets to two. Vaile played a fair game, but was as usual too slow in getting into position at the net and was taking his volleys underhand on the service line instead of overhead at the net. Turner’s performance was a very creditable one. and he lasted the match out well. As I have before remarked. I do not know a member of the Mount Eden Club who puts more “head” into his game.

In the Auckland ladies’ championship Mrs. Cooper met and defeated Miss Stella Rice by two sets to one. The first set was won very easily byMrs. Cooper, but Miss Rice after a good struggle annexed the second. Mrs. Cooper was playing a very cool game, and finally- won the third set and the match. The play of the winner was a striking illustration of my many sermons on the subject of ladies volleying off the ground. Although Mrs. Cooper is very steady, my- choice would be Miss Rice everytime. but simply because Mrs. Cooper comes quietly in now and again and places the bail across the court, or even pats it quietly back over the net, she wins, and, worse still, wins against a rival quite as capable as she is of playing exactly the same game. I was very pleased to see Mrs. Cooper’s game, and I sincerely hope more of the Auckland ladies will follow suit. Mrs. Cooper will require to get up to the net a little more quickly and to get a little practice on low volleys, and she will be a dangerous opponent for any Auckland lady-. The following are the results of the matches played at West End during last week: Men’s Handicap Singles—H. Burton beat R. Angus, 9—6. Men’s Handicap Doubles—Brabant and Paterson beat Jones and McCoy, 9—5. Bourke and Hodges beat Ormiston and Horsley, 9—7. Ladies’ Handicap Singles—Miss Butters beat Mrs. Andrews, 9—3; Mrs. Newell received a by-e from Mrs.

Gentles; Miss E. Russell beat Miss M. Blades, 9—5. Ladies’ Handicap Doubles—Misses M. Blades and O. Gittos beat Miss E. Russell and Mrs. Burton, 9—4. Brabant is playing a good steadygame just now, but he will require to be playing quite up to his form to get away with Rice should he strike

the latter on a “good” day. In the championship events at Mount Eden Mair beat Egerton three sets straight, 6—o, 6 —4, 7—5. Egerton played up very well in the last two sets. He is putting more weight into his shots, and has improved considerably in his game.