Laun Jennis in New Zealand.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 2, 1 November 1899, Page 75

Laun Jennis in New Zealand.

By H. A. Pakkee (Ex-Champion)

i iifslfilP W® growth of lawn tennis H as een so ra P^ *kat ew as I wou hi imagine that, twenty » BPNilii P y ears a g°> ne g am u was j I quite in its infancy in 'W^^^^M^ England, and had probably %nsa|ilpsssw barely been introduced into >2k ' New Zealand at that time. I do not know to whom belongs the distinction of playing the first game of lawn tennis in this colony, and, as the information obtainable about its early days here is meagre and not very z'eliable, it may perhaps suffice to say that by the summer of 1884 it had secured a strong hold in all the principal centres. Prior to the invention of lawn tennis in 1874, croquet was the only game which presented social opportunities, and at the same time, enabled women to compete on fairly equal terms with men, and to this fact may be attributed a great deal of the lattor's popularity. Lawn tennis, possessing as it did the same inherent features, and having the additional assistance of its own merits, soon made its way into popular favour. As I stated above, the information relating to the prehistoric period prior to 1884, is somewhat inaccessible, and as no open championship meetings of any consequence had been held in the colony, it is impossible at this lapse of time to classify the players of that date with any degree of accuracy. Two or three names loom out, however, whose possessors were the giants of those days, and it is generally conceded that before the advent of the Fenwicke brothers from England, Messrs B. Y. Goring, of Wellington, W. E. Barton and B. P. Hudson, of Auckland, and B. J. Ross, of Ohristchurch, were the strongest players in New Zealand. Those were the days when a man had to be in condition, aB owing to the style of play in vogue, a match often lasted for three hours. The deadly forehand drive, which is now the principal engine of attack in the hands of a

first-class player, was then quite unknown, And as a matter of fact, the majority of players imparted a slight under cut to their strokes which, though detracting somewhat from the pace, enabled them to place with a nicety of precision that is seldom realised at the present day. Activity and ability to get back everything thus becamo very important features in the play of every export, and spectatoi's wero treated to exceptionally long rests, often extending to fifteen or twenty strokes. These, though very pretty to watch, were apt to grow rather monotonous, and the certainty of return, which had been acquired by the best players, threatened, by turning the game into n mere exercise, to seriously impair its popularity. In these early days tho volleying game was only in course of development, and any player who was capable of keoping a good length was sure to take a high place in tho lawn tennis world. Nowadays, (irat-clann play has undergone great condensation, as the aggressive tactics of volleyers have compelled base lino players, when on the defensive, to adopt a "kill or euro" policy by attempting either a clean pass, or at least a sufficiently difficult shot to forco the man at the net out of position, with a view to scoring off a probably weak return. To come back to histm'y, however, in the year 1885, an Open Tournament was played at Farndon, near Napier, which was won by E. P. Hudson, the then champion of Auckland, who played in excellent style, and placed too well for M. Fenwicko in the Final. Hudson's victory in this match was all the more meritorious as Mr. Fenwicko wan a rising young player in England, having played in the final for the Championship of Northumberland in 1883, This is tho first mention we have of the famous Fonwicke brothers who, like the Beushaws in England, carried all before them in New Zealand for several years.

1886. — This year must be looked upon as the most important in the annals of New Zealand lawn tennis. Encouraged by the success which had attended the previous meeting, another Open Tournament was held at Farndon in December of this year, and the occasion was taken advantage of by Messrs. Jardine and Logan, of Napier, to suggest that the principal clubs should allliate and form an Association. The

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idea being taken up with spirit, the New Zealand Luwn Tennis Association was very soon an accomplished fact, and the first championship meeting was held at Farndon ut Christmas, 1886. No leading players from Canterbury took part at that tournament, and, consequently, that province was not represented, but both the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Club and tho Dunedin Lawn Tennis Association were subsequently admitted to the privileges of membership.

Messrs. Wood, Hudson, Bartou, Can*,

Wafcson, Kennedy, Tuke, Anderson, Grould, J3egg, Grillies, Grassland, W. A. Ridings, P. C. Fenwicke and M. Fenwicke, were all competitors in the Open Singles for the handsome cup of the value of twenty-five guineas, provided by the Association, and P. C. Feuwicke, who had but lately arrived from England, came through the final after a very severe struggle with Hudson. The Champion Doubles were won by Messrs. P. C. and M. Fenwicke. Miss Lance won the Ladies' Singles, and with Mrs. Way won the Ladies' Doubles. The next meeting of the Association was held in Christchurch, on the Lancaster Park ground, at Christmas, 1887, and as the entrants included the best Southern players, as well as the pick of those whu had competedat Farndon the previous year, this Tournament was quite representative. After beating Messrs. Kennedy, Goring, M. Fenwicke, and finally JA. D. Harmau, the champion, P. C. Fenwicke won the cup for the second time. The surprise of the meeting was provided by Harnaan, who did not consider himself a strong enough player to compete, and was only prevailed upon to enter the lists at the last moment. To the astonishment of everybody, he not only came through to the final, but more than once only needed one stroke to win the championship of New Zealand at

the first time of asking, a feat that,

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since 1886, has not yet been accomplished, lie failed, however, at the critical moments, and the champion's superior condition, aided in a great measure by judicious refreshment, pulled him through. The Championship Doubles went to Hannan and Wilding 1 , who were destined to win this event on no less than five different occasions. Miss E. Harman showed herself to be the best lady player, and in partnership with Miss Gordon also won the Doubles.

The Championship Meeting of 1888 was held at Napier during Christmas week, aud

the players entered for the Singles were Messrs. J. F. Jardine, B. Y. Goring, R. D. Harmari, F. Wilding, C. Gillies, A. F. Logan, A. C. Bennett, A. E. Harravvay, J. H. Todd, K A. Kebbell, P. Marshall, E. H. Williams, R, Koch, E. Tanner, C. D. Kennedy. G. J. Gillies, A. P. Chapman, W. F. Anderson, T. H. liawsou, C. D. Brandon, E. Boddington, M. Fenwicke and the ohiimpion. The cup uas won for the third time by P. 0. Fenwicke after meeting Goring, Bennett, 0. Gillies, Harman and finally M. Fenwicke. The final between the brothers

Funvvicke was a very closely contested match, nl I five sets having to ho played, and it was only the champion's steadiness and perseverance that pulled him through, as the younger brother won the first two sets. Having now won the cup for the third time, it became his absolute property. The finest exhibition

of lawn tennis was undoubtedly given by Messrs. Harm an and Wilding when they met the brothers Fenwicke in the final of the Championship Doubles. This event was again secured by the champions of the previous year. It was not until some time after this that the running-up game was introduced into New Zealand, and, in their early victories, Harman and Wilding played the now old-fashioned game of one man at the net and one at the back of the court, working together, as a writer once expressed it, like two buckets in a well. For this game they were a peculiarly well suited pair, Harman being very proficient at

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the back of the court, while Wilding, in addition to being possessed of a wonderful eye, a telescopic reach and eat-like activity, had great powers of anticipation, and volleyed with considerable severity. Possessing the main requisites of a good double player, Wilding shone in this branch of the game, and though in singles he was always hard to

Dunedin, N.Z.

beat, he never reached first -class rank, owing, perhaps, to starting the game rather late in life, and not acquiring a correct style of making off-the-ground shots. The Ladies' Singles were won by Mies Gordon of Christchurch, who, in company with Miss Hitchings, also won the Ladies' Doubles. It is interesting to note at this meeting the first appearance of P. Marshall, who played

so brilliantly in the Championship Meeting at Auckland in 1893 ; the late R. Koch, one of the finest players the the colony has seen, but whose weak constitution prevented him from winning highest honours, and C. E. S. GHllies, the well-known golf player of to-day, who was then a very fair exponent of lawn tennis. The scene of the next Championship Meeting was in Dunedin, and as has generally been the fortune of meetings held in this

town, the most adverse climatic conditions prevailed. P. C. Fenwicke having left for England, speculation was very rife as to the probable champion, and indeed it seemed difficult to pick the winner from M. Fenwicke, Harman, B. Y. Goring, R. Koch and J. M. Marshall, tho latter of whom, though new to championship play, was well known as a strong player. The new Challenge Cup was won for the first time by Minden Fenwicke, who successively put out Grossmann, Harman, and finally J. M. Marshall, whom he beat by

three sets to one. It was undoubtedly M. Fenwicke's year, as he and Jardine also won the Doubles, after beating Koch and Collins, who had previously met and defeated Messrs. Harman and Wilding, the champions of 1888. Miss Gordon again won the Ladies' Singles, whilst the Ladies' Doubles were gained by Misses Gordon and E. Harman. 1890. — With this year began a new era iv the history of lawn tennis in New Zealand. It is said that coming events cast their shadows before, but few who witnessed the matches in Dunedin could have imagined that any radical change in the style of play was imminent. The fons et origo of this revolution in style was the publication in England of the Badminton Volume on Lawn Tennis, and to explain this it is perhaps necessary to indulge in a little ancient history. When lawn tennis was first introduced, some of the most successful players were those who had been familiar with the royal game of Tennis, and in this game heavy rackets with a great deal of lop on them are used to impart a sevei'e cut to the ball. In England it was not very long before the futility of a heavily cut ball was demonstrated by players who had been proficient at the game of Rackets, but in New Zealand, where innovations could not be easily tested owing to the scarcity of tournaments, the older style in the main prevailed. The drive had, it is true, been tried, but in the absence of a knowledge of the correct method of making the stroke, and of the necessary practice to ensure mechanical precision, it had up to the present time been found wanting. It was conceded, by the majority of players, that when it came off, it was a very fine stroke, but the attempts generally resulted in driving the ball out of court, if not out of the ground. They always brought forward the unanswerable argument that Fenwicke played with "cut," and therefore you could not say that " cut " was bad, as Fenwicke had conclusively proved his superiority over all other players in the colony. J. M. Marshall was the man who was destined to bring about a change so beneficial

to New Zealand lawn tennis. At the meeting in Duneclin Marshall had played with a loosely strung racket, the result being an accurate placing game but quite devoid of pace. During the following year, however, he made an exhaustive study of the principles

inculcated in the Badminton Volume, and by incessant practice obtained a mastery over the "drive" pure and simple, which had, up to this time, been quite undreamed of, and indeed it may be doubted whether Marshall's execution of this stroke has ever been equalled in the colony. Of the meeting itself it is unnecessary to write at any great length. Both Fenwieke and Marshall played a weak game in the earlier rounds, and the former would have succumbed to Logan, who won the first two sets and held a lead in the third, but, recognising that Fenwicke would probably improve, he retired at this point, as he was more anxious to see Napier victorious in the tiual than to win the first round himself. The correctness of Logan's judgment was exemplified in the second round when Fenwicke, playing in his old form, put out Harman. This match proved the excitement of the day, and was watched with great interest. Both men played well, but Fenwicke secured the first two sets. Harman then woke up and, playing brilliantly, took the third set, beating the champion constantly with his famous drive from right to left. It

proved to be only a flash in the pan, however, as in' the next set Fen wicke soon asserted his superiority, and scoured the match by three sets to one. He then qualified for tho final by beating Dalziell of Otago.

Marshall began by having a very hard match with E. J. Ross, which nearly onded in the latter's favour, but after winning this his progress to the final was easy.

The final match for the championship of Now Zealand was watched with the keenest interest. The Napier men were very confident that JAmwicke would win, and wero prepared to give odds on thoir man, but as from the play hitherto, Marshall's chance did not appear to be rosy, the odds wero usually uffei-ed in vain. Marshall began very nervously, and lost the first three games. All at onco he got into his stroke, and thenceforward beat l/enwicke from start to finish. The champion played well and pluckily, but the pace was too hot for him and the placiug too scientific. Marshall hit out at everything, somo of his drives being positively terrific. Fenwicko was unablo to volley much, and at the back of tho court he was helpless against the hard backhanders sent down by Marshall. The latter's services were also very severe, and on many occasions

the champion could only look at them, so fast did they travel in and out of his court. In the third set Marshall, who had as usual been runniug round his backhand shots, began to feel the effects of the pace he had himself forced, and slackening somewhat, a ding-dong struggle ensued. He led at s—B,5 — 8,

but amid intense excitement Fenwicke made it five all. The. score then see-sawed to eight all, when Marshall put on a spurt and secured the two following games, the set, and the championship. To the onlookers the victory seemed an easy one, and as far as the actual game was concerned, Fenwicke was outplayed, but few were aware on what a thread the championship was hanging towards the finish. During the latter part of the third set Marshall was thoroughly blown and tired, and a little more placing by Fenwicke might have won it, in which case the ultimate result would have been really doubtful

This Tournament

was also instrumental in bringing to light a very fine lady player in the person of Miss I. Rees, of Ashburton. The final, which was played between her and Miss Gordon, the then champion, proved very exciting, Miss flees securing the coveted title , by the narrow margin of

one game. Her style was quite unorthodox, but she had a cheery way of hitting out hard from the elbow, as one hits with a stick at rounders, and the pace she got out of her shots, combined with the activity and determination she displayed* gave promise of a brilliant future, and it was with the deepest regret that the lawn tennis world read of her untimely death about five years ago, when in the zenith of her fame. She was the best

lady player New Zealand has yet produced, and in her Miss Nunneley would have found an antagonist, if not quite her equal, at least worthy of her steel.

There is very little to say with regard to the Doubles. In the Men's Event Messrs.

Harmanand Wilding again proved themselves the best pair in New Zealand, while the Ladies' Doubles, that intensely uninteresting event with its eternal rallies — or as they should be called "rests" — from the baseline, were won for the third time by Misses K. Harman and Gordon.

[to bb continued.]