LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 645, 23 October 1909, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

(By Sebver.)

It is now timo that : the local'governing body,should announce its-programme for the summer tournament:"'The dates of the Christmas and New, Year holidays this year do hot fall on days convenient for the miming of■ a tournament. Tho Christina*.holidays will certainly be better.than.those of the New Year,beeauso it is .not likely.'that Monday, : January 3,; will, bo observed, as n general holiday; Taking ". for ■. granted that: the association will hold a handicap' tournament— championships, nro out:of tho question—it.is quite certain that the . majority, of the entries ■ will cotad from those who. nro. unablo to obtain tho extra leave, necessary to. .ennblo .them. to visit. the championship ■ tohrnnmdlits being " held elsewhere,' and it is hardly to bo expected that these players will: commit themselves to an extra day on tho chanco'. of being' left iu the finals of a hnudicap event... , •' At a; meeting of the delegates held last Thursday evening, tho, sub-commttteo's proposals, with reference to the inter-club matches,' wore submitted by'tho management committee. Tho proposals brielly stated are as follow:— Tho shiold teams to.consist, of .six , men and six ladies';, each member of ;a team' to play, a single, a, double, and a combined double; : tho cup teams to'consist of six men and four ladies, and! each member Of a team to play a single and'a double) nd combined doubles to be .played; teams in tho pennant and racket grades to consist, of four men and two ladies, each member to. play a' single, and a double; no . combined' doubles to bo' played; in tho shield and: dup grades tho men's singles' and doubles and combined doubles -to bo the best two out Of three sots, and: the ladies' singles and doubles to be; two sets straight; iri.the pennant and racket matches the men's singles and doubles to consist of 6116 set (to bo the best out of seventeen games), and'the ladies' singles and. doubles-to Consist of one set (to be the best out of, thirteen games). The delegates decided, after ft lengthy discussion," to adopt'these proposals and, at a meeting of. the. management committee, held afterwards, it.Was.resolved that alterations be made'ih. accordanco with these. proposals. It was contended by the supporters of the scheme that tho only objection to it was tho present shortage Of grounds.; but now (hat tho association expects to have, grounds of its own shortly, it was far better to. mvo this scheme a. trial'than to.hold on'to the old order of things, \vhicli had caused' much dissatisfac.ThV task of providing grounds for these interclub matches .is' not. going to be an easy one. for' tho .management committee, The Helve' courts at Day's Bay have been leased nsain, and Hot less than tweuty-fiVo of tho city and suburban clubs' courts will bo availnbic for play, this' number -'..boiim an incroaso of six court* on.last years total. But there will be no fewer than, eight additional teams entering,: and these teams will requirb:. more than the six extra courts to play'on. ." -80, Under the' present circumstances, it is questionable whether the : Management. Committed is justiKed ilr allowing clubs to enter teams out. of .proportion to the , number of courts 'which 1 thevare willing or able to placo at the committed s disposal. But where to draw the line! T.ihc, for. instance, tho case of the Victoria College Club entering- six .teams, -and ottering' four courts,, and the Kllbiniiß' Club? .entering two teams and offering ..ono-court;

The College Club has no better claim to, the consideration of tho cominitteo than the Kilbirnio 'Club, because,"of• tho six teams entering from tho former club, two of them nro senior teams, and will require at least twd courts each. This means that both clubs aro practically ontering two teams for each court offered. ■• ■.■■■•-. ■..'■. •: ■

Two of tho grass court clubs—Lower Hutt and Jiidwill Street—opened their courts for play lost Saturday afternoon. The rain On the previous evening had made, the grounds heavy and, on the Itutt court, it is quite clear that two or three weeks' rest will bo necessary beforo the courts will bo ready for constant piny. . ■ . •

lho adjourned annual meeting of tho Karori Club was held last Wednesday' night, there being. ft good atondance. Mr. G. A. Eobort-son-.was persuaded to carry on the- duties of secretary for. another season. The question Of entering a team for tho inter-olub competitions was-lield over, pending tho decision of the delegates as to tne proposed alterations in these matches. .Thorndon Club will open its courts this afternoon if the weather permits. lho annual.general meeting of the Now Zealand Lawn Tennis Association is to bo held iicxtl'riday. evening. ■ h'rom-Australia conies news of great preparations ior tho Davis Cup match, and the Managing Unmuttoe is forming many sub-commit-tees to deal with tho various matters. One is n " advertising Committee,-another is a grandstand committee, and one has been appointed to inspect the balls.' The ground prepared tor,tlio court is an exceptional one, being HO feet long and 120 feet wide. - Tho reserve court, prepared incase tho lirst one should be - cut" Up, is in splendid condition. Tho grandstand to be erected is to provide accommodation for 7UOO people.. - ( ■ A Biirpriso-occurred at- the Strathfield (New bouth,Wales) tournament held at -the beginning of this month. In the men's championship singles, Horace Kico was defeated in tho straight, the scores being, 7-5, 6-1. The day was windy, and the, courts wero slippery, but Jpncs ..showed his .'superiority,, both in play iv,li" Pm-er. Ho has since defeated L fen^ 3, ?-& nnd H ™s. expected that h6-uould meet .Sharp in the,final. Dut this kI?«L°J R I ICOI , S »P' to bo. taken too JaZ P' ? he n 1"> »nd Sharp are under cont„Z „ui b y, tl w selector for the Davis Cup J°S%«ltno<ifffl,''if.Jones proves his worth by doieating Sharp, ),e should certainly take first place on his present form alone. • ..;