LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 663, 13 November 1909, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS.

. ■ / ■ ' .(BtSebVebO•■■■'■•. : ■••'■,'■• ' Matches set down to deoidech to-day are' as'follow:—For tho shield, Wellington A v. Victoria College,, Brougham Hill v. Newtown, and Thorndon v. Wellington B. Eor the cupBrougham Hill v. Victoria College,' Khandallah v. Bidwill, Strcefc-and Lower Hutt- v; Muritai. There will, not be' any pennant matche. , ;, and only one;match,in the racket grade between the Brougham Hill and Vic-, toria College-A , teams.- ■;■'.'.-.", ■■..... J "'". '", A fair idea of tho comparative strength'-of-the shield teams can' be , gathered' from last week's games. . Of the.',cnp. teams, ..tho .Lpwer. Hutt team appears to •bo ■ the etfongßst paper, but, IChandallah ..and "Brougham Hill ehould both be good, enough' '.to..;make./.the final result doubtful. The Hutt ladies shouW have no difficulty- in-winning-right through the competition." ■ "■/■ -~•'■' A good beginning was'raadfiwjtlctho.interclub raatchos last Saturday.- The.wind interfered with the play on*some,of the courts, more especially at the Bay. .The. latter are .in fair condition, but some annoyance-was caused by soot, which had been put over' the. ground at the , , end of the holiday season,-for the purpose of improving the turf. , -In two of the courts the balls : wero quite black before a set was finished. An improvement has "been raado in the method of hanging the-note.-They are now hung and stretched in pairs, and players yyl) not be put to the .trouble of having to stop play through the note , being blown down, as happened on.several..occasions last season. '; ■ '■■*' "/ "' Ladies who travelled to the' Bay on Saturday wore rather surprised:'when, on paying their, steamer fares, they were informed that tho concession, tickets, which were issued to them last season, had been withdrawn.: Neither the Perry Company, nor the ".'Association had. notified them of this change.' '■'.' ; ■'' '". '..'■ All the matches played at ' the Bay were finished in time: to allow the' players 'to catch the-fi o'clock boat back t«i.'towny. but in .town several.games had to be played on more than the allotted courts. A little-more bustle would , have made this unnecessary, and players might help a little by not unnecessarily prolonging their ma-tches— as was the case'ia two of the matches last Saturday—when ,they havo easy, games' on. v ' : ' ' The match between , the Wellington A and B teams provided better tennis than the. scores shoit. .Certainly the result was expected, and'little interest is taken''in,a walk-over. Only four of each of these teams journeyed to the Bay, where they , dispensed with umpires and played their matches in a happy-go-lucky fashion. It had been arranged that .Wilson and Fraser, and Paterson and .'Clarke should remain behind and play their'niatches at home, where they eould assist their'ladies' teams. Clarke played as emergency in place of Eller. ' The Brougham Hill men put up a good performance against Thorndon by securing five out of nino rubbers. This match supplied the surprise of the day,in;the defeat of Peacock by Hawkins. Hawkins is undoubtedly tho steadiest single player in Wellington, and it was his steady play that won the match. Peacock won the ftrst set 6—5, but Hawkins's "steadiness , was top much for his patience.. In the second set'he tried , to force the gamei , but to no purpose. became erratic, and his play showed want of judgment. Hawkins took the second set-6—l, and playing 'with' morc'.confidonee secured the third 6—3. ~'•:..•• .-

Quiuuell was indisposed, and Laishley played first single, meeting Swanston, who won- comfortably. J. A. B. Howe,. although an emergency, played ' third .single, and ran Toong into : three sets. Hunter was playing at his best, and scored-a good win against'Smythe in the singlc.iand (with Laishley ■in-.the double) ran Swanston and-Peacock into.thro?.sots., : i' H. Howe and Watldns Scored' two'wins each.Slomaii led Watkins in both sets in his single, but .the latter player ■ showed that he-is ■ still tho-gbod finisher ~that ho'proved hiinsolf to.bb last season, arid 'won' both sets at 6—5." Howo is.not in. his proper placo &s. fifth :Single; 'ho should be'playi.ng tliird. Of the,ladies in this match,-Miss Davis was the',only.; one to win a eet in tho ; singles. , ■■"" . ".'■■ ■:' ' : •" ".•' Newt6wn\was fortunate in meeting Victoria College when that team was weakened by. tho■ absence of Beere and AVeir. Beero was out of town, and Weir has injnred his shoulder. Morris'was beaten through lack of,condition. In tho first set he' played brightly, and; although his opponent, Prouse,: was doing his host, ho, won G—3. But : after, reaching 2—l in the; second set Morris went to pieces, and Prouse won as he liked, 6—2, and then won G— in the last set. Redward and Wilson had atwo-set match,the latter winning both at 6—5.' Neither gave agood exhibition of tennis. Wilson made no use of tho width of the court. : Newtown won the'rest of the singles;-'.but Lewis,: suffering, from a strained wrist, just managed , -to win from Taylor.. :■ ; ; i '...:\".. \ r :.'x. ■ ~:- y . .', VThe three doubles went to Nowtown, ■■ Taylorand Eichelbaum took the first set from. Jeffery and Lewis by hard driving, but 'in the- two .following sets they failed to .win a game,.-...-,.,:'...' ."In both single'"and double, Mrs. Nagle and Miss van Staveren held , ever, honours "in" sets. Misses Webb and Demnsey, who wore members of tho Brougham Hill' last season .did not play unto expectations... ' . •-. '■'" '-.''. ~ : . . The Brougham Hill Club.-.Has.-.put, a. strong pennaut .team into this -season. • r-~ ' Kilbirnie's team was"outclassed; on Saturday; , Do Roso was tho only one of< tho losers to pnt up a good fight, and "Edwards was fortunate in securing the last game.;-, .■■'•■ ' . ' In the ■Newtown. B-:v, C Victoria College A match, Luke and Mitchell played exceptionally well, and.deserved , their victories over more experienced opponents,-" Wilson and Isaacs. Tho Newtown ladies were outclassed in this'match. It is not likely that Muritai will be ,abus to again raiso such a strong team as was sent out to Petone. The Potono ladies played well, and won all their sets. " , ' '<■':.''.'.■,,:-.: '■ , ■ ■■■'■.

The Newtown A team 'iwas treated rather badly last Saturday. This team travelled over to the Bay to discover , that, only three of the Victoria Collego B team were there to meet them. This is not the, first time that college teams have played'.this-little trick: \ •'...-■ In tlio racket grade , contests, tho Ottenlal Club's team made a good start by. winning' its first match with a good margin. , The ladies did exceptionally well., Bowden was the only player to-win a set for the Trinity team.; The Khandallah men were too weak for the Trinity A team',; and .lost every, set, but tho ladies won their, sets easily.".;',... x '.-'.■