LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 1, 5 January 1910, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS.

N.Z. Championship Tournament. The annual championship tournament of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Asno-

ciation was brought to a successful conclusion at the Eden and Epsom Courts last wek. Canterbury carried off the banner for the next twelve months, with 71 points, Wellington being next with 6J points, and Taranaki third with 51 jioints. ’This year has not seen much alteration in the holding of the championships. Miss L. Powdrell again carried off the Ladies’ Championship, Mr. 'A. F. Wilding the Men’s Championship, and Misses L. Powdrell and A. Gray the Ladies’ Doubles. Messrs. Parker and Doust, who were the Men’s Doubles champions last year, did not compete, and this year the honour was annexed by Messrs. F. M. B. Fisher and J- C. Peacock. Following are the results of the finals:— •MEN’S CHAMPION DOUBLES. F. M. B. Fisher and J. C. Peacock beat F. Wilding and A. F. Wilding, 9—-7, 6—4, 5 —7, G—B, 6—2. As was anticipated this was a long hard contest. In the first two sets Fisher and Peacock playing well together gave a fine exhibition of hard driving a.nd clever net play, against the steady lobbing of the elder Wilding, and the fine all round play of the champion. In the third and fourth sets the Wildings played even more steadily than before, and the Wellington ■pair were occasionally a little disorganized. Fisher seemed to be tiring and played a much softer game than usual, but as the scores show the struggle was so even .that by the end of the fourth set (“two all”) each side had scored exactly the same number of games. In the last set, however, the strain evidently told upon the elder Wilding, who ■had played a hard double in the morning; and A. F. Wilding could not expect to cover more than his fair share of the court against two such resourceful players as Fisher and Peacock. However, the struggle was fought out keenly to the end. The elder Wilding displayed remarkable activity and skill near the net, and lobbed well for the greater part of the game. A. F. Wilding having rather more than half the court to protect, could not play with his usual freedom, but frequently brought off brilliant volleys and effected clever “saves.” Of the winners. Fisher was the more aggressive, and many of his short volleys and recoveries of apparently impossible balls were quite sensational. Peacock played the steadier game of the two, driving and (smashing well; but it may be questioned whether more vigorous tactics would not have occasionally saved the Wellington pair a great deal of trouble. On the whole it was a most exciting and memorable contest, and the elder Wilding well deserved the special round of applause that greeted him at the close. MEN’S CHAMPION SINGLES. A. F. Wilding beat F. M. B. Fisher, 6—l, G—l, 6 —l. This match needs little ■description. Fisher was practically exhausted by his efforts in the Doubles, which had just been finished, and was in no condition to put up much of a fight against the champion. Wilding, who does not seem to understand what fatigue means, played his usual cool and judicious game, serving well, and. ■manoeuvring his opponent out of position by fine drives down the side lines alternately. He made very fe.w mistakes, and though Fisher displayed remarkable skill and power in dealing with anything within reach, he could not stand the pace. The match proved once more that the difference between our best men and really first class players is that where our men can make two or three good strokes in succession and then break down, a world’s champion can go on making his strokes as often as he pleases under anything like possible conditions. Tire score in such a case is hardly a true indication of the comparative skill of the players, but it shows how far our best men fall short of championship form in certaintv and accuracy. LADIES’ CHAMPION SINGLES. Miss L. Powdrell beat Miss Nunneley, 6—4, 6—2. The match was over far too soon for the spectators, who had expected a hard fight, and were delighted with the severity of skill displayed by both ladies. But Miss Powdrell has improved very distinctly during the past two years, and the result of yesterday’s contest shows that her victories at Nelson last year and al Sydney were not a mere “ flash in the pan.” ftiiss Nunneley evidently does not stand the physical and nervous strain of such a contest as well as Miss Powdrell, and Miss Powdrell has now at last learned how to pick up and

return effectively that terrible drive to the back liand which Miss Nunneley has employed in so many championships with deadly effect. Both players stuck to the back-line game, and though Miss Powdrell is not so severe on the forehand as Miss Nunneley, she is stronger on her lack hand, and is even more accurate. On the day’s play there could be no doubt about the merit of the win. LADIES’ CHAMPION DOUBLES. Miss L. Powdrell and Miss A. Gray beat Miss Nunneley and Miss K. Braithwaite, 6 —2, 6 —3. In this match superior net play had a great deal to do with the result. Miss Gray is positively deadly near the net in a ladies’ double, and Miss Braithwaite, though she played pluckily, made a good many mistakes in attempting to cut off Miss Powdrell’s' hard returns. Miss Nunneley played up to the end, but she was no better than Miss Powdrell from the back line, and she was not nearly so well supported at the front of the court. This match was a little one-sided, but the play must have convinced many onlookers that in power and severity of strokes the best lady players have very little to learn from the men. THE COMBINED DOUBLES WON BY MISS NUNNELEY AND WILDING. In the semi-final of the combined doubles of the New Zealand Association's tournament, postponed from earlier in the week. Miss Nunneley and A. F. Wilding met Miss Williams and J. C. Blair, and defeated them, 6—2, 6—3. The ground was naturally slippery after the rain, and Wilding, taking advantage of this fact, placed his shots where his opponents had most difficulty in reaching them. In the final Miss Nunneley and Wilding defeated Miss Gray and Dr. Keith, 6—3, 6 —2. The Auckland pair hardly made so good a fight as was expected, but the play of the winners was of a very high order. Miss Nunneley made some splendid off the ground strokes, and beat Keith at the net several times. Miss Gray occasionally volleyed well,-but got few chances. Wilding was safe, as usual, and served well, and a word of praise is due. to Miss Nunneley for her splendidly severe and accurate service. Keith played fairly, but the severity of his opponents gave him very little lchan<V- The. stone hardly represents the run of the play, as there were many good rallies, but the result was never in doubt. Auckland Championships. At the conclusion of the New Zealand championship tournament the contests for the Auckland Association’s championships were commenced. The entries were 'large, and included the majority of those who took part in the New Zealand championship. Five championship and six handicap events are to ibe contested, but at the time of going to press the results were not available, ■the matches not having 'been completed.