LAWIN TENNIS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 20, 16 November 1910, Page 9

LAWIN TENNIS.

(By

ROMULUS.)

WELLINGTON. Results of Saturday's Senior Matches. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) MEN’S COMPETITION. WELLINGTON, Saturday. Victoria College defeated Muritai at; Day’s Bay by 4 rubbers to 2 (9 sets to 5), 60 games to 48. Jones had a day out fo? the losers, as he took part in both rubbers wort by Muritai, defeating his single, the consistent Cleghorn, after a tough three-se't contest. Wright, in the second double played a fine game. F. P. Wilson and Beere, at the top of the College team, were too strong, and accounted for three rubbers, whilst Smith maintained his unbeaten record by an overwhelming defeat of Lewis. F. P. Wilson v. Nagle, 6—3, 6—l; Beere v. Wright, 6 —4, 6—l; Cleghorn v. Jones, o—4, 3—6, 3—6; Smith v. Lewis, B—3, 0 —0; Wilson and Beere v. Nagle and Lewis, 6—5, 6—3; Cleghorn and Smith v. Wright and Jones, 3 —6, 3 —6. Briougham Hill defeated Wellington IL, at Day’s Bay, 'by 4 rubbers to 2 (9 sets to 4), 65 games to 50. Brougham Hill was successful in every single, but, strangely enough, the doubles were both won by Wellington, the teams playing In order of merit. Eller and Jeffrey still continued in a winning vein as a double combination, whilst a big surprise was caused by Salek and Grant defeating such a strong pair as Sampson and Dart. Salek, who at one time was a prominent player, took part in his first match for’ several seasons. H. V. Howe v. Eller, fl—2, 6—4; Hunter v. Jeffrey, 6 —2, o—s; Sampson v. Salek, 6—4, 6—l; Dart v. Grant, 6—3, 6—2; Howe and Hunter v. Eller and Jeffrey, 3—6, 3 —6; Sampson and Dart v. Salek and Grant, 6—3, 5 —6, 0-6.

Thorndon defeated Wellington I. at Thorndon by 4 rubbers to 2 (9 sets to 5) TO games to 52. Chief interest centred in the Swanston-Fisher and PeacockBrown singles, both won by Thorndon. The former pair played three sets, Swanston once again asserting his superiority as a tennis player against the Parliamentarian. Brown was in fine form and although beaten by Peacock two sets straight, was unlucky to lose the first. The Wellingtonians had their jevenge in the double, which apart from Salmond’s single, was the only other rubber won by the side. Swanston v. Fisher 6—3, 5—6, 6—2; Peacock v. Brown, 6—5, 6—3; Smythe v. J. 8. Wilson, 6—l, 6—l; Didsbury v. Salmond, I—6, I—6; Swanston and Peacoeke v. Fisher and Brown, 6—3, 5—6, 4— 6; Smythe and Didsbury v. Wilson and Salmond, 6—2, 6—2. LADIES COMPETITION. The eagerly anticipated ThorndonWellington I. fixture did not eventuate, as the Thorndon club would not grant the Use of its four courts for matches, and two of which were requisitioned for the men’s game between the same teams. As Thorndon has a membership of 105, it would have been an injustice to the 97 members who do not play in the competition, were they to be denied the use of their courts on Saturday afternoons because the remaining eight members had a match programme to carry out. The ladies’ fixture has consequently been postponed until 26th November, but will be played at Halswell-street. Victoria College defeated Wellington IT. by 5 rubbers to 1 (10 sets to 5). Eighty games to 53. Excepting for the rubbers in which Misses Francis and Kirker took part, Wellington were outclassed by the Collegians. Miss Kirker was the only player to win a rubber for her side defeating Miss Haldane, 6 —3, fl—4, while Miss Francis played three sets in both her single and double. Miss Van Staveren v. Miss Atmore, 6 4, 6 2; Miss Scott v. Miss Francis, 6—3, 5 0, 0-3; Mies Mclntosh v. Miss Wehh, 6—l, B— 6, 6—l; Miss Haldane v. Miss Kirker, 3—o, 4—6; Misses Van Staveren and • Scott v. Misses Atmore and Webb, fl—3, o—2; Misses Mclntosh and Haldane v. yiases Francis and Kirker. 3—o. o—2,

Comments on Senior Matches Played Nov. S. MEN’S COMPETITION. Hutt defeated Muritai by 4 rubbers to 2 (8 sets to 5), 57 games to 52. The result was predicted, but on the actual play Muritai were unlucky to lose the match, which at the end of the day depended on the last double, in which Wright and Jones started off with a lead of 3—o and 40—15. The former then made a eoupie of weak shots, and added to his disappointment owing to his lucky defeat by Cornell; this served to put him dean off his game, and the Hutt pair—Hawkins and Callender—won easily at 6—3, 6—l, a surprising performance on paper. Callender played a very neat game, and a great deal of the credit for the victory is due to him, as he was disappointing in his single. Tn the second set of the double he had Wright and Jones on the move continually, and won ace after ace With short placed ones from his back hand. Nagle and Lewis, after their showing on the previous Saturday, against Swanston and Peocock, were expected to shake up Hutt’s eratek double, Cornell land Ward, and when the latter found it necessary to leave in order to catch the 5 p.m. steamer to town, the two showy players were in trouble. Nagle and Lewis led, 6—2, 4—3, and it was hardly satisfactory to get the rubber by default when their opponents were a beaten combination.

Hutt had the advantage in the singles, winning three of the four rubbers, the first and third comfortably; but Wright gave Cornell a great fight in number two, the latter for the second Saturday in succession, winning by the bare game (6 —5) in the final set, an unsatisfactory conclusion as the third set should be played to advantage. From the beginning of the second set Cornell was continually in difficulties, and he lost it, 6—l, but started off in the deciding set with a very handy lead of 3—o and 4 —l. Wright, who is a player with a great heart, then got four successive games, and with his own service to follow, appeared to have victory in his grasp at 6—4, especially as the moral effect of losing 11 of the previous 15 games was hardly likely to inspire Cornell with confidence. However, as in his match against H. V. Howe, the Hutt player was able to make a last effort, which turned an apparent loss into a win. It was an unfortunate finish for Wright as success does him no harm, and a beating by one of the colts would have had a steadying effect on Cornell. Jone's was the first player to win a single for the Muritai Club in its senior engagements (Callender losing to him, 6—4, 6—l), though the other members of the team are confident that any of them would have accomplished the feat against Putnam in the Thorndon match.

Thorndon defeated Victoria College by 5 rubbers to 1 (10 sets to 3), 71 games to 52. Peaeoek was an absentee, and at one stage the fact seemed likely to causo the side's defeat, as the last two singies looked good enough for Cleghorn ami Smith, but Carter’s experience pulled him through against the former, and after just getting home in the second set, had a 6—2 margin in the final. The Thorndon pair, Cartel’ and Putnam, hardly looked good for a win in their double, but nevertheless the result proved otherwise, as two sets were ample for Cleghorn and Smith. So it remained for the last-named player to win again, it being the second occasion on which no other rubber had been won by College, consequently by defeating Putnam, 6 —5, 6 —3, he rs the only unbeaten player in the team. Swanston ami Smythe (who was appearing for the first time) had very little difficulty in their singles, though Wilson and Beere put up a better performance in their double, and ran the Thomdonites to o—3, fl—3, a favourite score in the match under review, no less than four rubbers producing a similar result Wellington I. defeated Wellington 11. by five rubbers to nil (11 sets to 1), 74 games to 42. The second double remained unfiislied, a fact which saved the second team from fl —love defeat, as Wilson and MeCaul led 6—3, 5—2.

Hill (I.), Grant, and. MeCaul (II.) took part for the first time in A grade matches. but the Wanganui representative (MeCaul) is the only one of the three anyway near senior standard. Tho Wellington seconds will bo a weak combination towards the end of the round, as Eller and Jeffrey will probably be found in the first team, as there is one place to fill, and there will be another presently, when J. S. Wilson leaves for Blenheim. Eller and Jeffrey are showing distinct signs of promise, the former in particular playing a fine game this season. He almost won a set from Brown, leading 5—2, but that last game proved too big a hurdle against a player of the latter’s experience, and he was defeated, 6—5. It was rather a coincidence that the only game Eller won in the second set was the first—he deserved to that set, as he was aggressive throughout, serving and driving beautifully, and it was anything but soothing to score the opening game of a new rubber after losing 5—6 from the 5 —2 stage. Jeffrey made some capita) allots from the back line, where Salmond kept him In constant touch with the wire-netting. He got a couple of games in each set, and would do much better if he steadied down a bit. At present he is far too rash, and hits wildly when often in the position to win the rally by a careful stroke. The colts made things interesting for Brown and Salmond when the first double came up for decision. To get to t)—3 and 6—5 against such a good combination as Brown and Salmond was a satisfactory effort, and as a result of their day’s tennis Eller and Jeffrey should benefit greatly. Grant was the only man to win even a set for his side, Hill beating him 3—6, 6 —4, 6—3. LADIES' COMPETITION. Thorndon and Wellington easily accounted for Brougham Hill and Victoria College respectively. In the Thomdon-Brougham Hill fixture Miss Archer was the only player to win a set for the losers, taking the first from Miss Batham O—S,0 — S, after which the Thorndon lady lost only four games, 6—l, o—3. Of the remaining rubbers, the seeond single and first double were the only ones in which Brougham Hill could make any sort of a showing. In the other match. Misses Mclntosh and Tennent (Victoria College) did fairly well in their singles with Miss Cock, 6—4, 6—3, and Mrs. Goldie, 6—2, 6 —5. The former, partnered by Miss Scott, were credited with College’s one successful rubber, in which they defeated Misses Travers and Cock in the first set, 6 —3. The Wellingtonians won the seeond, 6—2, and had to default after the ylost the first game in the final set. Even if Misses Scott and Mclntosh could not have won, they were playing very ably, and deserved the set they captured. Chief interest on Saturday next centres in the meeting of Thorndon ami Wellington 1., and the teams for this fixture will probably be as follows; Thorndon —-Misses Nunneley, Batham. Mrs. Holmes, Miss Butterworth; Wellington—Misses Travers, Williams, .ami Cock, and Mrs. Goldie.

General. Club tournaments are under way thus early in the season. Brougham Hill having made good headway with the various handicap events. Muritai is calling for entries for men’s singles and doubles and ladies’ singles, all handicaps. The New Zealand championships are io eventuate at Blenheim at Christmas. The Marlborough Association was rather afraid that the courts would not be good enough for a classical meeting, but tho New Zealand Association sent an expert across in the person of its chairman (Mr. F. M. B. Fisher), and he has pronounced them quite fit for high-class tennis. Permission has been granted by the management committee, of the N.Z. Lawn Tennis Association for the following tournaments to be held:— Southland -Championships.—December 26 to 28 (at Invercargill). South Canterbury Championships.— December 26 and 27 (at Ashburton). Dannevirke Tenth Annual Championships.—January 21, 23, and 24. The above are in addition to the N.Z. Association’s own championships at Blenheim (26th to 28th December). The Marlborough championships will follow the big meeting. The Lower Hutt Club will have a much stronger tenm available for its future matches in the men's competition B grade. IL Purdy will bo able to devote more time to tennis than ha* been the ca»e for a

eoupie of seasons, whilst C. Howden, who commenced playing with the Muritai C grade team, has rejoined Hutt, whoso team will then be composed of the following four players, A. B. Brown, E. R. Kirk, R. Purdy, and C- Howden. The annual interprovineial match between Canterbury and Otago has been fixed for November 26 at Christchurch. Owing to the fact that most of the tennis in Dunedin takes place on bard courts, the Otago Association has expressed a wish that the match be played on the asphalt. AUCKLAND. NORTH SHORE V. AUCKLAND. The only match of any importance played last Saturday week was that between the North Shore and Auckland Clubs, to determine which eluh should remain in the senior competitions. The two teams each won an espial number of sets, and the match was decided by games. Auckland won by eleven games, and Shore are now rated a second-class club. On one occasion they were within one stroke of winning an extra set, which would have won for them the match, but that stroke they failed to get, and they lost the match. Formerly it was the custom to decide club matches by sets only, and when the number of sets won by each side was equal, the match was declared a draw, and had to be replayed. It was on the initiative of the Devonport delegates to the Association that the new rule of deciding such matches by games was introduced, and it seems the meanest kind of luck that the rule should work to the club’s disadvantage in a match of such importance. There is no certainty, of course, that the Shore side could win if tho match were played over again, but they would be much better pleased to win or lose a straight out declsioA on jets.