Lawn Tennis.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 23, 4 December 1912, Page 9

Lawn Tennis.

WELLINGTON.

(By

ROMULUS.)

Preliminary List of Tournaments. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS— Hastings, 26th, 27tU, and 28th December. AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS — Hastings, 30th and 31st December and Ist January. HASTINGS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS AND HANDICAPS—Hastings, to follow Australasian Meeting. PAHIATUA CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS AND HANDICAPS—Date not definitely fixed. HAWKE’S BAY CHAMPIONSHIPS AND DANNEVIRKE CLUB’S HANDICAPS —Dannevirke, 4tb, 6tb, and 7th January. VVAIRARAPA OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS AND MASTERTON CLUB’S HANDICAPS —Masterton, 22ud, 23rd, 24th January. WELLINGTON -PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS — Palmerston North Club's Handicaps, Palmerston North, 22nd, 24th, and 25th March. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Saturday. Saturday's Senior Matches. TLL matches at Day’s Bay (on account of wet courts), in addition to those in which the Victoria College men’s team were engaged (owing to Territorial parade), had to be postponed on Saturday. Consequently, the only senior matches played were Wellington A v. Brougham Hill (ladies), and Newtown v. Brougham Hill (men’s). The latter fixture resulted in a win for Brougham Hill by 8 sets to 7 (rubbers even), 75 games to 01. Hunter v. Redward 5—6, & —2, 6—2; H. V. Howe v. Simpson, 6—3, 6—4; J. A. B. Howe v. Crewes, 6—4, 6—l; Roberts v. Martin, 4 —6, 2—6; Howe Bros. v. Redward and Simpson, 4—6, 6 —o, 4—6; Hunter and Roberts v. Crewes and Martin, 6—3, 5—6, 3—6. Victorian Championships—The Connected Results. Fourth- Round. —H. Marsh v. R. W. Heath, by default; F. G. Lowe v. H. Rice, 11—9, 6—2, 6—2 (Rice previously defeated C. P. Dixon, the English Captain, 2—6, 6—l, 6—4, 6——4); A. E. Beamish v. Patterson, 6 —4, 6 —2, 6 —4; J. Q. Parke v. G. Ollivier, 6—l, 6—2, 6—3. Semi-finals. —F. G. Lowe v. H. Marsh, 7—5, 6—4, 6—4; J. C. Parke v. A. E. Beamish, tby default. Final.—J. C. Parke v. F. G. Lowe, (J —3, 6—o, 6—2. CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. Semi-finals. —Brookes and Dunlop v. Hdath land Lylcett, 6—4, 6—2, 6—l; Parke and Beamish v. Jones and Wright, 6—4, 6—2, 2—6, 6—4. Final.—N. E. Brookes and A. W. Dunlop v. J. C. Parke and A. E. Beamish, 6-2, 6—4, 6—4. Petone v. Khandallah. A friendly match between these two clubs (neither of which is represented in this season’s inter-club competitions) was played on the Khandallah Club’s courts on Saturday, 23rd November, and resulted in a win for the visitors by 8 rubbers to 5, 10 sets to 6, 114 games to 79. Details:— SINGLES. Curtis v. Geo. Richardson, 6—2, 6 —3; Austin v. 8. M. Hodgson, 5—6, 6 —l, 6 3; E. R. Kirk v. Robieson, 9—l; G. A. Dunean v. Merewether, 7 —9; Miss Bennett v. Mis A. M. Batham, 3—9; Miss O. Caverhill v. Miss Clark, 9—l. DOUBLES. Men’s.— Curtis and Austin v. Richard•on and Hodgson, 9 —4; Kirk ami DunBennett v. Miss A. M. Batham, 3—9; J hoinpsou and Baker v. Holdsworth and Remington Jones, 7 —9. Ladies’.—Misses Bennett and Udy v. Misses Batham and Grubb, 9—7; Misses VaveWiill and Walters v. Misses Clark and Finn, 9—3. Combined.—Thompson and Miss Walters v. Holdsworth and Miss Finn, 7 —9; Baker and Miss Udy v. Jones and Miss Grubb, 9—3.

Comments on Senior Matches— Saturday, November 23. The writer was not in possession of the V.C.-B.H. result early enough to telegraph through for last issue, so that it will be necessary in referring to the match to have the details, which were: —• Victoria College: 4 rubbers, 9 sets, 68 games; Bougham Hill: 2 rubbers, 5 sets, 54 games. Beere v. Hunter, I—6, 6 —5, I—6; Cleghorn v. H. V. Howe, • 6—3, 6—2; Parker v. J. A. B. Howe, 6 —4, 6—l; Smith v. Roberts, 6 —l, 6—5. Parker and' Cleghorn v. Howe Bros., 6—o, 3 —6, 6—3; Beere and Smith v. Hunter and Roberts, 5—6, 4—6. Cleghorn’s was a mighty effort in so soundly trouncing H. V. Howe (6- —3, 6—2), while Max and Parker - went one better still when they defeated the Howes in the double (15 games to 9), a taste of the equality they gave in the last Provincial Championships, at which they came out as a double combination to, be reckoned with. Though Beere ran Hunter to 3 sets, the B.H. man’s win was quite convincing—l 7 games to 8—• and he had another win in the doubles. Dave Smith, playing for the first time this season, easily beat S. Roberts in straight sets.

The most notable feature of the Wel-lington-Newtown match was the classical performance given by the ex-Trinity colt, W. Crewes, in big first appearance in senior tennis in disposing of C. A. Jeffrey in straight sets. Martin, too, gave another good exhibition, though eventually well beaten by Eller. The Newtowner was handicapped, too, by several broken strings in his racquet, and had to play with someone else’s later on, a big handicap in a hard match. Brcywn and Eller scored twice for Wellington, Jeffrey and Stranger accounting for the other rubber in the second double. Low was anything but convincing in his single with Stranger, who at one stage looked to have the Newtowner beaten, but the latter’s form was too bad to be true, and he subsequently won, 6—2, 3—6, 6—3. Of all the sad exhibitions the writer has witnessed, that between Brown and Redward was the limit for two top men in our highest grade tennis. True, the conditions were unfavourable, everyone was afraid of his racquet, the ground was heavy, balls spoilt after a few games, weather threatening throughout, and interest absolutely dead. At one stage of the match the pair started “poking,” and it reminded me of a match in which the inimitable L. W. Hawking took part a few years ago. The Hutt man’s opponent decided to adopt “safe tactics”—Hawkins’ own game—and they fired away for nearly an hour before the first set was decided. Then Hawkins, whoi badly wanted to catch the early steamer back to town, said to his opponent, after a particularly long rally, in which “poking” was conspicuous: “I say, N , would you mind coming up to the net about 3.30 p.m.,. as I would like to catch the “Duchess” at 5 o’clock”; and N—— fairly blushed. In the ladies’ competition, Wellington A defeated Newtown without loss of a rubber. Indeed, Newtown scored over 3 games in only 2 rubbers in the

match, Miss Clark taking 7 from Miss Cock (6 —5, 6—2), Misses Robinson and Dempsey a similar number in the first double against Miss Travers and Mrs. Goldie (6—3, 6—4).

Besides Miss Amy Webb, who appeared in both rubbers won by Wellington B (single against Mrs. W. E. Howe, and first double against Misses Davis and Archer), Mrs. Grady was the only other Wellingtonian to make any sort of a showing at all against Brougham Hill. This couple contributed 33 games Of this side’s total of 45, leaving the remaining 3 rubbers (6 sets) to contribute a miserable dozen. Miss M. Williams, for Brougham Hill, was the only member of her team to score a double win (single against Miss Francis and second double). e English Team’s Visit to New Zealand. . lhe secretary of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, Mr. A. J. Petherick, has received particulars of the proposed tour of the English Davis Cup team in the Dominion. The members of the team, Messrs. C. P. Dixon (captain), A. E. Beamish, J. C. Parke, and F. G. Lowe, have booked their passages to Auckland by the Marama, sailing from Sydney on Monday, December 16th, and arriving at Auckland on the following Friday. The New Zealand representatives for the first match, Messrs. Geoffrey Ollivier, J. C. Peacock, F. M. B. Fisher, and R. N. K. Swanston, will meet the English team on the Eden and Epsom courts, at Auckland, on Saturday and Monday, December 21st and 23rd. The visitors will then journey to Hastings, via Rotorua and Taupo, arriving in time to compete in the Australasian championships to be held there, commencing on Monday, December 30lh. After that the team will proceed south to Christchurch, where a second representative match is to be played on January 4th and 6th. From the southern, town the team will go straight back to Wellington, and there play the third and final representative match of the tour on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 7th and Bth. On the following Friday the visitors take their departure from Wellington for Sydney. New Zealand’s representatives to take part in the second and third representative matches at Christchurch and Wellington, respectively, will be selected at a later’ date. AUCKLAND. Inter-club Matches. The second round of the inter-club matches is to be played on Saturday next. In the first grade' Eden and Epsom meet Parnell, and West End play Remuera. Owing to the latter club being ■without Dr. Abbott’s services, he being away on holiday leave, the result will probably be in favour of the older clu9>. Eden and Epsom will still be without W. A. Brown and Mrs. Brown, but should succeed in scoring a win against Parnell. The teams ehosen by Eden and Epsom are as follows:—First Grade A: Robson, Morpeth, A. S. 0. Brown, Goldsmith, Miss Gorrie Miss Cumming (singles) ; Robson and Brown, Morpeth and Goldsmith, Hunt and Billing (men’s doubles) ; Misses Gorrie and Cumming, Misses Hull and Cooper (ladies’ doubles) ; Hunt and Miss Cooper, Billing and Miss Hull (combined).

First Grade B (v. Onehunga} Henderson, Cooke, Frater, Thomson; Miss P. Gorrie, Miss Walker (singles) ; Cooke and Frater, Henderson and Thomson, Bull and Campbell (men’s doubles) ; 'Misses P. Gorrie and Walker, Mrs Goldsmith ami Miss Nicholson (ladies’ doubles) l. Bull and Mrs Goldsmith, Campbell and Miss Nicholson (combined ).

Second Grade A. —Eden and Epsom 111. (v. Auckland II) : Newell, Palethorpe, C. R. Brown, A. Gorrie, Miss Bloomfield, Miss Blades (singles) ; ‘Newell and Brown, Palethorpe and Gorrie, Newhook and Sommerville (men's doubles) ; Misses Bloomfield and Blades, Miss Stewart and Mrs Grierson (ladies’ doubles) ; Newbrook and Miss Stewart, Somerville and Mrs Grierson (combined ). Notes. For the Eden and Epijom Club tournament entries close on December 4, and the handicaps and draw will be posted on the 7th inst. The first round is noted to be finished by the 31st inst., and the second round by February 15. Davis Cup. Singles—J. C. Parke v. N. E. Brookes, B—6, 6—3, 5—7. 6—2; C. P. Dixon v. R. W. Heath, 5—7, 6—4, 6-4, 6—4; J. C. Parke v. R. W. Heath. 6—3, 6—4, 6—4; N. E. Brookes v. U. P. Dixon, 6—2, 6—4, Doubles.—N. E. Brookes and Dunloip beat J. C. Parke and A. E. Beamish, 6—4, 6—l, 7—5. So the Britishers have been successful in recovering the ashes, and the Davis Cup returns to the Old Country. The final scores were: Britain, 3 matches, 9 sets, 86 games; Australasia, 2 matches, 8 sets, 85 games. Reports show that Brookes, when he met Dixon on Saturday, was a different man to the previous Thursday when defeated by Parke somewhat easily. There is little doubt that the result will be beneficial to lawn tennis generally, and we can only look forward to securing Wilding’s services, in conjunction with Brookes and Dunlop, to again bring the cup to those shores. The matches arranged to take place in Auckland at the end of this month will now be all the more interesting, and given fine weather a great day’s sport should be witnessed. Hawke's Bay Tournament. The programme for the Hawke’s Bay championship and handicap tournament is to hand. The play will be on the Dannevirke Club’s lawns on January 4, 6, and 7. Entries close on Saturday, December’ 28, with the bon. secretary, Mr Wm. Rowe, P.O. Box 99.