Lawn Tennis.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 4, 22 January 1913, Page 8

Lawn Tennis.

North Island Tournaments. iWAIRARAPA OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS AND MASTERTON CLUB’S HANDICAPS—Masterton, 22nd, 23rd, 24 th January. Auckland championships, eden AND EPSOM COURTS —End of January. NORTH ISLAND INTERPROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT — New Plymouth, Easter. WANGANUI EASTER TOURNAMENT, CHAMPIONSHIPS AND HANDICAPS—Wanganui, March, 21, 22, and 24. WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL CHAM PIONSHIPS. PALMERSTON NORTH CLUB'S HANDICAPS, Palmerston N., March 22. 24 and 25. N.Z. UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS— Wellington, March 22 and 25.

WELLINGTON. (By ROMULUSJ Inter-department Match. THE.annual outing of two most important State Departments was held this year at Lower Hutt, instead of Day’s Bay, the erieket match and sports coming off on the Recreation Ground, while the Hutt Bowling and Tennis Club kindly made arrangements for the bowling and tennis fixtures. Treasury had a day out, and won all along the line, the only surprise being the defeat of the Audit’s tennis representatives, who certainly appeared the stronger four on paper, the first single and, perhaps, Vivian’s, being the only rubbers Treasury felt confident about. However the latter Department won the match by 4 rubbers to 2, S sets to (5, and 58 games to 59: —

Singles.—l. H. Jones v. G. H. Richardson, o—l, B—6; E. Toms v. G. G. Smith, o—6, 3—6; H. Vivian v. T. H. Hamer, <’>—3, 7 —5; G. King v. C. V. Chamberlain, I—6,1 —6, o—60 —6 (King retired after first set). Doubles. —Jones and Toms.v. Richardson and Smith, 6—l, 2 —6, 4—G (“Minga” was tired in this rally!); Vivian and King v. Hamer and Chamberlain, 2—6, C>—2, 6—o (a good recovery, but Audit must have won had “ Joe ” Chamberlain done anything right in the last tw’o sets). A Friendly Encounter—Kelburne v. Bona Bay. Rona Bay entertained the members of the recently formed Kelburne Club on January 12, when the visitors won a closely contested and interesting match by the narrow margin of nine games (8879), each side securing six rubbers. Kelburne, 5 singles and 1 double; Rona Bay, 3 singles and 3 doubles. Details (Kelburne players mentioned first):—

Singles.-*—Mirams v. Swanston, 2—9; Lawrence v. Lewis, 9—2; Blundell v. Walton, 9—4; Buddle v. Isaacs, 9—3; Kirkcaldie v. Kelly, 2—9; Hislop v. Howden, 9—7; Balharry v. Organ, B—9; Malfroy v. Pavitt, 9—l. Doubles.—Mirams ami Balharry v. Swanston and Walton, 10 —11; Lawrence and Buddle v. Lewis and Howden, 3—11; Blundell and Wilson v. Kelly and Isaacs, 11—2; Kirkcaldie and Hislop v. Organ and Pavitt, 7—ll. Inter-club Jottings.

Victoria College still leads for the Men’s Senior Championship, and it ie hard to see'wlto is to beat such a solid combination as Beere, Cleghorn, Parker, and Smith. Delama re strengthened the team in the big match against Wellington, but is out of town nowadays and consequently not available. Kean (Brougham Hill) and K. A. Henderson (Karori), two of the unbeaten players in the Men’s Junior Championship up to Saturday week, met their Waterloo at the hands of Fathers (Victoria College) and Worboys (Kilbirnic) respectively. Fathers defeated Kean, 6-2, 2—6, 6—4; while Worboys in dis peeing of Henderson, 6 5, 5—6, 6—2, gave his best match exhibition since starting the game. Two of the players who figured prominently in the Handicap Tournament (Day’s Bay) at New Year, Butcher (winner of singles) and Taylor (winner of dknablcs with Morrison) had it “out” in the Brougham Hill-Vietoria College A Junior match on the 11th inst. After a solid three set encounter Butcher got home by the narrowest of margins, 6 —3, 4— 6, 6-5 (16 games to 14)«

AUCKLAND. The Auckland championship tournament will be held on January 25, January 20, and February 1, and the draw ha.» been completed, large entries have been received. Players are expected to give every artsirttance in getting the matches off.

The ladies’ singles and doubles will commence at the Remuera lawns next Saturday at 9.30 a.m., and will continue to 1 o’clock. In the afternoon no further ladies’ matches will be played, but the men’s singles and doubles will be played on both lawns-—the top section at Eden and Epsom, and the bottom section at Remuera.

It irj not proposed to start the combined matches until the morning of Wednesday, January 29, when they will be commenced on both lawns—the top section at Eden and Epsom, and the bottom sections at Remuera. Further details will be given later as to the exact order of play on Wednesday, January 29. In order to avoid confusion, players are requested to take particular notice of the lawns they are to play on on Saturday next. J Taranaki Tournament. The Taranaki Tenuis Tournament finals resulted as follow:— Men's Championship Singles.—Ollivier beat Wallace, 6—3, 6—o, 6—3. Combined Championship Winners.—Mrs. At allace and Mr. Wallace. Men's Championship Doubles.—Dickie and WaUa«r_beat Ollivier and E. Griffiths, 7—9, Men’s Handicap Singles.—S. Powdrell (5) beat Lee (25), 60—51. •Men’s Handicap Doubles.—Powdrell Bros, (o) beat Cowan and Evans (10>, 60—43 Ladies’ Handicap Doubles.—Winner’s, Mrs Birch Johnson and Miss Kundie. Final Test—Great Britain v. Australia. SYDNEY, January 17. The tennis test match, British Isles v. Australia, opened in dull, muggy weather. The courts were fast. There was an attendance of 3,000. The feature of the contest was the brilliant display of Brookes, who defeated Dixon in two love sets, the first lasting eleven minutes and the second nine minutes. Dixon played a plucky uphill game, getting in a number of smart serves, and scoring shots, but Brookes was unplayable, and Dixon had not a look in at any stage of the game. The champion sent down many severe serves, which Dixon was either unable to reach, or miahit. Brookes displayed to perfection his power of anticipating his opponent’s shot, and of concealing his own intentions.

The opinion of observers who have seen Brookes play often is that he never played better. Again and again he sent back the winning shot when it seemed impossible to reach the ball.

Brookes himself declares that he played the best game of his life. lie took 27 aces to 12, and 26 to 9.

Dunlop easily succumbed to Beamish Jn the singles, Beamish showing beautiful backhand work and cross-court drives.

Lowe played Jones on an open court, ■while simultaneously another match was proceeding on the main court. Lowe’s resentment at the unscreened court, and at the spectators streaming past, badly affected his game. Heath made a good stand against Parke, but his weak backhand work was costly. In the doubles, Brookes and Dunlop overmatched Beamish and Dixon, Dunlop playing an entirely different £ame to his display in the singles. Brookes again sent down many unplayable serves, and his network was perfect. The Australian pair took the first set to love, a most unusual feat in modern first-class doubles. Parke and Lowe fought a dose contest with Heath and Jones. Heath proved an

indifferent doubles player, possessing no proper low volley. He found the net with irritating fequency. Jones’ brilliancy compensated for this, and won the match. The following are the results: — Beamish beat Dunlop, 6—2, 6—l. Jones beat Lowe, 6 —o, 6—l. Parke beat Heath, 9—7, 3—6, 6—3. Brookes beat Dixon, 6—o, 6—o. Heath and Jones beat Parke and Lowe, 4—6, 6—4, 12—10. Brookes and Dunlop beat Beamish and Dixon, 6—o, 6—3. The present score is:— Britain. —2 matches, 5 sets, 55 games. Australia.—4 matches, 9 sets, 57 games. SYDNEY, January 18.

The weather was blight and extremely hot when the tennis match between Australia and Great Britain was resumed. The attendance was about 3,500. Most interest centred iu the meeting of Brookes and Parke. The latter at the start outplayed Brookes, the score at one stage reading 5—2 in his favour. Then after a great deal of amazingly clever volleying Brookes recovered finely, and took four games in succession, making the score 6 —5 in his favour. Parke won the next two games, but Brookes secured the last three, and took the set after 31 minutes’ play. I’arke won the first game in the second set, mainly through two great recoveries, but subsequently Brookes mixed his game and rattled Parke, ‘who made some weak strokes. Brookes was right at the top of his game. The set lasted 18 minutes. Brookes securing 45 aces to 43 and 31 to 20. ThLs match was noteworthy, as it was Parke’s first defeat iu Australasia.

Dunlop made a better showing in the singles against Lowe than he did on Friday, but he found Lowe's superior placing too mueh for him.

Jones won the first set against Beamish, but went to pieces afterwards, the heat affecting his energy. Heath opened sensationally against Dixon, taking the set to love. Dixon thereafter played innflitely better, ami the score in the second set reached three ail. Ten duces were called iu the fourth.

Beamish and Dixon succumbed to Heath and Jones, mainly through Jones’ fine network overhead work, and severe serves. Dixon's tossiug was a valuable asset to his side, but Beamish tired towards the finish, finding the net too often. Brookes and Dunlop, as anticipated, defeated Parke and Lowe. Parke played many pretty passing shots, and Lowe’s serving occasionally beat even Brookes. The following are the results:—Lowe beat Dunlop, 6—2, 6—4. Beamish beat Jones, 5 —7, 6 —2, 6—4. Dixon beat Heath, I—o, 6—3, 6 —l. Brookes beat I’arke, 9—7, 6—2. Heath and Jones beat Beamish and Dixon, 6-4, 4—6, 6—l. Brookes and Dunlop beat Parke and Lowe, 6—2, 6—3. Australia won seven matches, 17 sets, and 149 games, Great Britain winning five matches, 12 sets, and 121 games.

Dixon declares that in his long career he has never seen anything to equal the display that Brookes gave on Friday.