LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Graphic, 6 April 1907, Page 23

LAWN TENNIS

(By

WIMBLEDON.)

The final for the Auckland, tennis doubles championship was played at Mount Eden on Saturday when Grossmann and Vaile met Keith and A. Brown. The two opening sets were won b.y Keith and Brown in the hollowest possible manner, 6-1, 0 0, neither Grossmann nor Vaile playing at all well, while Keith was as usual very accurate and Brown most ably played his part at the net. Brown’s play in these two sets was the surprise of the match. His volleying was really excellent and he displayed a considerable amount of judgment in antieipating and cutting off returns and at times he smashed most effectively. Iff the third set Grossmann and Vaile woke up a little and won at 4-6, and then went on to 3-1 in the fourth, but lost their advantage and the set with the score at 6-4. .

Brown’s play in the first and second sets and Keith’s consistent accuracy enabled them to score a well-merited win. Vaile’s play in the opening sets was too bad to be true, and Grossmann was erratic overhead. I lately used the word “strenuous” in referring to Brown’s play. Be fully deserved it on Saturday for he played up to every ounce he had to spare, and ably and intelligently earned out the tactics of his more - experienced partner. In combination lies the success of every -good pair. Broyvn and Keith certainly played well together, but I cannot say the same for Vaile and Grossmann. They were playing a most unorthodox game in that Grossmann took all lobs. Grossmann played this game with considerable success many years ago, and in theory there is, 1 believe, something to be said for it, but to one who is accustomed to the usual recognised tactics of the double game it is at times very disconcerting, and it was dearly so to Vaile. Several times when Grossmann crossed over behind hint' he did not get far enough over, and was naturally enough passed. These tactics require too much of one man, ami they also require that one man to make his stroke if not a win at least so good as to place the other side at a disadvantage. Gfl" Keith’s fine loirs to his backhand. Grossmann, although probably better than anyone in Auckland at an overload backhand volley, could not make his return severe enough to embarrass Brown, and. as Vaile frequently failed to cross smartly enough, the result was an easy pass down the side line. Vaile practically had no overhead work at all, which certainly was a mistake in tactics. Grossmann’s volleying in the third and fourth sets was much better, but it was no more like his work in a single than el—Jk is like cheese. In the third set ths- large amount of work done by Brown in the earlier sets began to tell its tale and as Grossmann was volleying much better it looked as though the turn of the tide hart set in especially as he and bis partner were not feeling the strain so much as the winners. Grossmann had not been able’ to get any practice during the week, and this does not agree with him as his line low volleying requires accurate timing. Brown was very keen to win. ami I am pleased to see one of the young brigade in the front rank. May there be many more there before long. The game can do with them.

1 am informed that the Auckland Association has received a rap over the knuckles from the New Zealand Council. It ap|>ears that the Management Committee of the New Zealand A association

“has learned with regret that a championship meeting at Auckland was recently held in contravention o Laws of Tennis, Nos. 41 and 42,” and it has written a letter to the local association on the subject. It is perhaps well that I have not to reply to that letter. In the first place, the Management Committee’s information is wrong, for the. "meeting"’ has been dragging its weary length like "an Oriental dragon through the season, and is not yet concluded. No doubt the^inientions of the Management' Cbnuipiice are gohdj but this, lam inclined to think, is an instance of "“looking for trouble,"’ and surely there rs enough of that to be had without unduly elrasifigf ft.

Saturday, was a quiet day at most of the lawns, as many of the local players were awayifor their holidhys. ami quit-: a number went up to the Hamilton tournameiit.’ j!

Miss D. Udy has won ehaiupionship singles, beating Miss Gray 6 3, 6—3. Miss -Ihlv has a -vciy tine forehand drive, in faet, most of the men hove a lot to learn from her as regards thia particular stroke. The New Zealand University Colleges’ lawn tennis tournament Inis produced some interesting play. There is some promising material amongst the eonteslan"ts, but it will be some little time before any of them can hoj-e to give the New Zealand championship a severe shaking.

Horace Riee is a little wonder. The “Daily Telegraph,” Speaking of the recent tournament,, says his remarkable, form was the outstanding feature of the meeting. He must certainly have been in both capital form and condition to wear H. A. Parker down as he did, for Parker, too, was evidently in great form, as his defeat of the Australasian representative, Heath, showed. I see that Rice centred his attack on Parker's forehand. This is precisely what nearly every man who meets Parker tries to avoid, and, in doing so, gives the active New Zealander those opportunities for acute passing shots "that he knows so well how- to use.

The boys’ championship has not yet started. 1 am inclined to think that the local association makes a great mistake in allowing so many events to drag wearily on to the end of the season, as it does. About this time we frequently run into very broken weather, and, in any ease, 1 think it robs the events of much of their interest if they are unduly spun out. Vaile will play Grossmann in the filial of the Mount Eden Club championship next Saturday. <ln form Grossmann is by mo means a “bad thing” for this event. It is an open secret that Vaile has not taken the game very seriously this season, ..as he did not expect to be eihter in form dr condition. He has, however, come on fairly well in his single game, and it is possible that if he is. in an energetic mood he may make quite an interesting match of it.