LAWN TENNIS NOTES

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 13, 28 March 1908, Page 15

LAWN TENNIS NOTES

By the Man at the Net. The weatner on Saturday effectually disposed of tennis, but from the reports of the club play that have been sent in to me during the past week, it seems that most of the local tournaments- are well under weigh, and the various club championships should all be decided before Easter. Certainly they are not likely to have much chance after, that date if the present indications hold. The following notes on some of the more important Devonport matches are clipped from the “Star”: The final for the Men’s Championship Singles will be played on Saturday between T. Macky and Robson. Robson, who defeated Sherriff earlier in the tournament, is a young player, who should certainly have a future before him. He is exceedingly accurate and has particularly severe off-the-ground strokes. His principal faults are that he is inclined to volley too far. back in the middle of the court, and uses the cut-stroke much too often. Macky should give Robson a very good game, but I am afraid ho will be found lacking in severity and in staying power. The contest should provide some excellent tennis. The Ladies’ Handicap Singles have once more been won by Mrs. Cooper from the owe 40 mark. Until the other lady members of the club improve it seems impossible to handicap Mrs. Cooper out of this event. The ladies’ doubles fell to Misses Taylor and Caldwell; the combined to Miss Taylor and Taylor; the men’s doubles to Young and Taylor. Both Miss Taylor and R. Taylor are new members of the club and are to be heartily congratulated on their success. Miss Taylor plays an exceedingly steady game, and has shown great improvement during the- last year. R. Taylor, who, besides winning the above events, is still in the final of the handicap singles, is another young - player, who show- great promise. He is < exceedingly steady: and severe on the forehand and finds the side lines with great consistency. He will,- however, have to cultivate a better backhand before he. can go much further. He shows promise of being an accurate volleyer, and should give more attention to that department of the game. Young, who partnered Taylor in the doubles, is a greatly improved player. He still, however, lacks consistency. The Men’s Championship Doubles provided, perhaps, the most interesting contests of the tournament. In the first round Young and Brabant defeated A. and K. Howarth. A. Howarth’ was unfortunate to injure his shoulder before the commencement of the match, which necessitated him scratching from all events in the tournament. In the semifinal Young and Brabant were defeated by Macky and Hall somewhat easily. The final was deemed “a good thing” for the former pair, but a surprise was effected by Shirnffs and’ Miller defeating them handsomely by 3 sets to 0. Sheriffs played excellently, while Miller excelled himself by playing the best game of the four. It is unfortunate that Miller, who is, perhaps, better known as an Auckland hockey representative, cannot get opportunities for more consistent practice, as his play last Saturday showed’that he-is capable of reaching a very high standard. . ■ Rather an amusing illustration of the difficulty that always arises in appointing a selection committee has just occurred at Home; The trouble of course is*’that if you put leading players on selection committees, they are placed in the invidious • position of having to choose themselves in representative teams; and if yoir drop the leading players out of your selection committees the second-rate players are, as a rule, poor judges of'playand form. Well, the Council of-' the-La-wn- Tennis Association of England recently resolved that it was desirable that no player likely to be. selected to represent the British Isles in the international match for the Davis Cup should be selected as one. of the International Match Committee. It then proceeded, to elect its Match Committee, and the-first five names read as follows: —H. L. Doherty, 8. 11. Smith, F. L> Rise-

ley, A vV Gore, H. Roper Barrett. Now. these .r« without doubt live out of the first s. ! x men who would be ehosen to represent the Old Country, if all were tit ’ and well. Which proves that it is by no means so easy as it looks to decide how a selection committee should best be constitited: and the difficulty that England experiences in this respect may be some slight consolation to the Aucklanders who have riot always been satisfied with the choice of such committees or the work they have done. An exceptionally interesting double was played recently in Melbourne on a private court at Kew, at which Madame Melba, by the way, was one of the spec- — taton;, Norman Brookes and J. K. Fraser played A. W. Dunlop and R. Heath, the present holders of the doubles championship of Victoria. Fraser is a _ first-rate doubles man, and usually partnered Brookes before vne world’s champion first went on his pilgrimages after the Davis Cup. But Dunlop is really a sounder double player than Brookes, and ■ in the end the local champions more than held their own. Brookes and Fraser won • the first two sets: 6—4, 6—2; but then Dunlop and Heath asserted themselves, and after a fine struggle won the three following sets: 7—5, 6—4, 7—5. From the calibre of the players and the level scoring, this must have been one of the finest doubles matches ever witnessed in Australia.

The following clipping from the tralasian” may interest local tennis players, though few of them are likely to be in England next year to see the matches referred to: “Details are to hand by the mail of the tennis tournament to be played in connection with the Olympic games. Singles’, doubles’, and ladies’ singles’ championships will be played on the covered court at the Queen’s’ Club, London, on the 6th May and fol ol wing days, entries closing on the 25th April next; while similar events will be played at Wimbledon on grass on the 6th July and following days, entries closing on the 6th June. At the latter meeting what is termed the championships of the world will be played, but as the All England singles’ championship already carries the title .of champion of the world, it is a matter of doubt as to what value will be placed on the title won at the July tournament.