LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 413, 23 January 1909, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

I'fr. li| , $ , V ■ s .' (By Inter-Club.) : • .'Saturday waa'cold, almost, like winter, but tfe, asphalt' 'courts" were dry enough fortho enthusiasts Ito roll' up for; practice in 1 view of. - the. tournamentsv at- Mastorton, Danne.;.virke,.,.and ; : Marton. ; , What : a; pity it is that j ..'these;shree'.;. tournaments.7 should clash; yet maybe it,-doesnot matter much, as there seems to bo plenty of players to give good entries, at the lot. Naturally, of course, the best run meeting will, in the 'future, command most- attention "from' players,, but possibly Dannevirko is a shade too far away for , Wellington players, ..especially when they can.: attetid meetings at Maslerton or Marton. , ■T : V: : ; The Easter meeting to be held ill Wellington is now all the. talk;/iind, as probably only championships will bo played, the less experienced players' are' somewhat disappointed, But .they should'.not': be,as the experience' will improve them; evqn~ though they may be defeated. It does not matter, surely, if they : do; not-igain a prizo,' provided. that .they strive to improve their tennis; by playing ; against better ' players. ■ . . s ; Perhaps a handicap singles for men and ditto-for ladies might''catch .on, .if time and grounds can be. spared. Why' not try it?' 7 Make ;entry: fees' the., same as: championship; singles; ono condition' to be that twenty entries 1 must bo received,. otherwise events not- to bo run oft'. 7 ■ ' • Tho ball selected by 'tho- Now, Zealand Association; sdenis to be. giving ..general satis- | fa'ctioni-o Of courso, no matter, what make of ball is used; some faulty ones are bound to be discovered. Before, making: its choice for 1909 the New Zealand Association should obtain a: report from, all associations, and from all Tournamont ,Committees as to their opinions of the make in use, and whethor the J make. is bettor, ( as good as, or worse than .the, make formerly used;

..■' Already'.." Auckland is \sppkeh of asKthe: place wher6 , tho next' New'.Zealand Championships' are. to': be held, and players, forewarned arid forearmed," aro even how pairing in view 'of the meeting' being: held in the Northern City." They, are wise, as riot a few .Were disappointed at tho' last minute at the Nelson" meeting.. Some lost their) matches' and- partners" through entry forms going astray.,.; Competitors should be compelled to send .their.; entry, forms'in' by' the proper, time, and no entry should be. accented un»

less the fees are- forwarded with the entry form. Secretaries of tournaments have enough to think of without attending to late- entries, and ohasing competitors for entrance, fees. , • •

The Now Zealand Association seems to be lying very, low as to the when and the where of the next Davis Cup contest, > and also as to the unpleasant things said by Australian papers about it, because of its resigning from the Australasian Association. From general conversation it has beon gleaned that the Now Zealand body intends to fight the question to the bitter end, and holds that its resigning from the Australasian body will not debar it from having an equal say with Australia on all matters concerning. the international championships. It would seem that the international rules Bay that Austr'alai with New Zealand is considered a. nation, and naturally (now that the cup has been won) the two combined must be the champion nation. Therefore New' Zealand has as much soy in th'o whole affair as Australia. That little word. "with" may. mean a lot, but, for the sake of .the sport, it is to be hoped that our friends across the water will act in the same sporting stylo as Now Zealand did when she reluctantly ■ and erroneously federated so that a 'team could bo sent to Wimbledon after the Davis Cup. It is only right that the New Zoaland Association- should put its case clearly before the tennis players, not only of New Zealand, but of/Australia, and the writer has been informed that a report will be furnished at the proper time. , .. ■ ■ At the Taranaki meeMng, as at the Nelßon local championships, Miss Powdrell again puV up a' splendid fight against Miss Nunneley,' but was unabla to repeat the victory achieved at the recent New Zealand meeting. Tho courts were rather heavy after the rain when the final of the ladies' singles' was played. This- suited Miss Nunneley's style of play to perfection, many of her. stinging cut drives scarcoly rising more than a couple or three inches. -Miss Powdrelltook'.tho second set at 6—4, her placing being well nigh vif-\ feet. In the third set Misß Nunneley maintained the attack, and frequently scored outright with heY,drives, taking the set, 6—3. Mrs. Payne, always popular with the public, made her reappearance at tliiß meeting, and played as well as ever. Miss Cave, another player who has not beon seen for some time, competed, and, after defeating Miss Brewster, fell an easy victim to Miss.Nunneley. Frater. of Auokknd, rec. 20,w0n the secondgrado handicap comfortably.