LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 87, 6 January 1908, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS.

WELLINGTON ■ ASSOCIATION'S

TOURNAMENT.;

CONCLUPING DAY,

The very- successful ' tournament of tho Wellington [Provincial ;Lawii Tennis . Associa-': tion' wWconcluded-'on Saturday'afteriloon' on 'cqitrt's, some'good''play beinig witnessed jin. the. final, rounds'./;. The courts played' fastor tliair'tho3e ,"at''l)ay's Bay, ;and th'erd was ■' • >'"In'the• the-Men's Champion'•l BhipySingles, Swanston niet\Howe,-and won tHo-'first - g ; ame, 50—30. The sccond game wa's keenly ' fmight".jout, long! rallfes 'taking placci ' in-wliicK S»vaiiston did some strenuous. hitting; ,and Howe , put up .too much •' • Bl\ois?'s(ittfrc.- f Aad*. 'bjeoff called point by". a:,beautifur, driyo. ';H'owo' won the next gan^e'jby,.clever batk; end' driving: and volley- ,. ing; and also'made'the'fourtH'his 0wn,.50— 15',yhis-Qpponetit . being only, able to win ,ono shot. .- ■ Howe's'-i-play then' fell to'- some extentV. his length being yery ,-faulty, and Swanstoii kept him constantly''on "tho;.ruii. The scqro- '.w ; as, now 4—2 in Swanston's ~ favour; Tlie -two next games '' were 'hotly . contested, "deucei'.being called in each,: but ' Swanstoiils longer .'oxperience. : 'and greater aocuracy' enabled him io win them 'both,, securing' for him t-he: .first .set; 6—l. :; In' y the second ;set , settled; down, in his play,; and gave avsplendid/e'xhibitiori. qf corner/'to 'corner' driving, which.. 1 was.- too much-~for' his opponent,' .whoso..play gradually ifell 1 ' off. ; This- set was a love one; in favour of Swanston.. -" '■ The'. final .-.round, between ' Ollivier ' and . Svranstoh did not disappoint tho expectations that had been formed-: of. a, specially fine display of ' tennis." ~ Swanston gaVq the best /exhibition which bo.'.'htj? alordißd during the tonrnanient, his driving being -very severe, and ; placing perfect. '• The match ended -in his ifavour- 6—2, ' 6—3.- i ,Tho' first: game, was obstinately .coiitcstedj ; each: iplayer "winning alienmtb'''-jiwints ) \''andvdepc!B. being eight- times. ...This"; game "was won by'.Swan- , stoii: through - a.' mistake ; ofhis'.' opponent. ! smarteriing up a: little, ; and effect- > jng some remarkablo: saves, replied by winn r ing the' next gamei !.which wa's also' a deuce one.' This -put Swanston:-.onhis mettle, for the', following game;: in! which his serving was , particularly able'and; well:placed,.and his opponent. could aeciiro only; two points, 2—l ■ beihgj. called ,in favour of ' Swanston. Ojli-. Tier's American service in .tho next 'game wais'-yera:. : faulty,-and ? he obtained .only one point, . the;- game .ending '3—l: in-., Swanston's, favour:- ■ Swanston. won a the. next two games

very easily, , liiit'in'.'thb last .'game' but one greater equality 'was vshownj" alternate points being '\achiev'ed by -both competitors. Ollivier 'made a - very special effort to win this game, .and after;'some hot Exchanges he sue-; ceeded,s-r2 being exiled in Swanstan's. favour.,V Bib:: last.'gapie; was VprpductiYe ;6f some ' fine.: driving,, .both ; player's : finding' • the"; chalk' lines' repeatedly ,iiV; their driving, while ;sbme ,oiF;thc •rallies' 'svefp.most interesting.;'ln- thi} - end' Swahsbpn- 'won,making the isefc' in; h'is :favbuj. In the seocind.' every,., point, with detorminatjioni ( -bpt .'as Swaiistbn played with :deadly ac'curacy, v his "oppftrient had to* eridure ' defeat, . 6—3 being - called -iri ; ston's ; favour.-'- /Swanstonj'r.who:. Vhas ■ been' pUy»BV!^i?lly'-j^;i^iiijs:^on^<mt.''tiie ; ,was ~'enthijsi.astibally [ applauded; 'on" . vrinpipg r this,:his'first\AVellingtph' "Provincial' Championship. l ■ • v;- 1 ■'' ■' ■The..final l of the ;* .Ladies' >Champiqn'ahip~ aptl 'Jliss: E. .^Williams',, awmbonj of' the; Wellington ~CJuj).;.';,: 4 ,'.clcbo' finjsh wa?'expccW,%Kut .Mrs. Hickgon's ac-' curacy' and. safe"play; for her opponent's • mixture -':ofv brilliance. .'fanij' an-'. accuracy.Mrs;. Hickson, .won- her first ■ Wei- j j lingto'n-:Pfovincial s phainpionshipj.' 6—Q,. 'and.it,is thought;;jn. : ccirisequence,'.-that her claim for inclusion in the New Zealand ladies'! team . against" • Soiith, .Wales,; vbo ■ 'recognised-'.by';'tl)o;;Solepfcign- Cppjinittee.' ; :in the .'semi-finjiljbfi'Jth^ ; 6bVe,, prec^atipri. nf; the "fijier points; of '(!;c..'gamp l beat Miks .■Hickspn,; : an^" ; Ollivie?; ' Gt—4. anU Swanston" andi'MiSSf Marchant. andi'Goro. re-.■ suited; in , ' : a .vic£9ry-;'fbrithe /'former, pair by 6—2,- 6—4; ; tp/MiM;Mar-''' chant and Gore, after soir.c in terras ting rri 11 ie s had. taken and; deuce' had been twico "slled. ■ : Swanston . ovened - • on .-his- servipo, games all being ~ ,Safo and -.acc'ur'att, rather than brilliant,' play was. exhibited on f>dth sides. Miss 1 ilarchant won her'service fairly easy, only one poiht falling to"'the other but Mrs. Hjckson and Swanstbn had no ifficulty in winning the last four games of the- firpt set, which ended 6—2, in their favour." The second : s6t"was more -evenly contastod,"eac> -pair winniiVg-Rames ;alterriately tiJl. three all; had . been. called. - Swancion's fino smashing. nVid volleying wero a feature of 'this, set, 'land liis'ipjrtheir'; aided .him /Kv her unerring tplay., ; Gore ;was' ; not at' all sucoossful m his smashing; though his, partner D6ld ■ her own 'by somefine ; "crojs-court serving. Swanston won tho next game with eomo telling ' driving, and}'.'.being in better condition than' Gore, he was able'tp profit bv this advantage' till/tho,Vset resulted 'in his favour -This, is the first timo. that either-'Mrs:, Hicksoii 'or'Swahston.:has 'been a winnor. in a combined,championship doubles event, though both Miss. Marcharit - and Gore hav6 had. the distinction more than once'in dilferent centres.-'. ... . V \ ■

final of 'tho'Ladies' Championship troubles _wSsi won easily by Mrs! Hickson and >>illiiims. against. Misses'Hickson and J. Scott, 6—o, £—1. ' . 1 U» 6 - victory-•■of. Miss ■K. Wilson nntl "ft 7 .' CallcrKlar (rcc. Miss Hickson- anil H. A...Keeling r (rcc.;lo)' in tho.,Corobined Handicap. Doubles; "was ; mainly ; duo to tho accuracy .or thewinters.as. against Reeling's faulty play at. tho net.• ... .. . ' . following are the results of Saturday's MEN'S, CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES. • Semi-Final.—B,. N- ',K. Swanston Heat H. V . jMowc, 6—4, 6—o. Final—R. N. K Svraiiston beat G. Olliner, 6-2, 6—3. ' LADIES' 'CHAMPIONSHIP '

Final,—Mrs, Hiclcson beat Miss E. "Wil hams, 6—-2j- Or - 0. *.

! .CHAMPIONSHIP DOTJBLES. .. /.Hickson .and Miss E. Williams beat Misses Hickson arid J.' ' Scott' 6—o, 6 —1..; '

COMBINED CIIAMPIONSIIIP DOUBLES. , Semi-Final.'—:Miss,'Marchant and. H. M. Goro beat Miss Hickson and G. Ollivier 6-7-3,.'6—4. <■ . ■'

Final.—Mrs. Hickson and R.iN'. JL.Swanston beat Miss Marchant and H. M. Gore, 6-7-2)6—4... \

HANDICAP DOUBLES,

i -Wilson and:W. Calendar (rec. 20) ™ ls ?:Hickson and H.- A. Keeling (rec. 10), oO—l4;'' • ■ i

PRESENTATION OF PRIZES.

~^r -. M. Gore, a vice-prosident of the Association, expressed regret, in ,r* short speech, at-tho conclusion of ..tho .day's play that Dean McKeniia, of Masterten,- who was havo presented 4ho prizes, had not been able to remain long 1 enough for the purpose. In his absence Mrs.'Gbre had been asked to present them. Mr. Gore made fitting acknowledgment of the hard 'work dono in connection with the tournament'by tho ; officers: of tho Association, especially, the hon. ■- secretary, Mr. A. 11. Kimboll, . who, . working ' under great difficulties, had made- tho event a wonderful success, 'and MrsHlogben and Mr. Lawrence, whose efforts had also been unwearying. Ono -great feature ,of the tournament had 'been tho. number - of .young players who had coino to the fore. ' Flo instanced, among the:; ladies; Misses Dimant and Hickson, who, lie said, had. proved 'themselves equal to many of tho ■ Association's old players, and might bo eipected very soon to-develop into Wellington.champions,- and. among the gentlemen Messrs.-Watkins, Clark, iEller,-Jones,. Lewis, and Howe. On bolialf of. the Association lie thanked the Thorhdon Chih for-granting the use .of its courts , for the concluding events of tho. tournament. . . -

,-Tho prizes wcro • tbon • presented by Mrs. Gore. . ' ' " i • .