LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 693, 18 December 1909, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS.

(By Sekveb.)

TOUENAMENT FIXTURES. New Zealand Championships; at Auckland, on December 27, 28, and 29. Entries closo on December. 20. .. ' , ' ■ Hastings Club's Championships and Handi-, caps, at Hastings; on December 27 and 28. Entries closo to-day. ; Auckland Championships and Handicaps,. at Auckland, on December 31 and January 1 -3, and i. ■ Wellington Handicaps, at Day's Bay, on Janu-. ary 1. and 3. Taranaki Championships and . Handicaps, -at Plymouth, on January 1, .3, and 4. Entries close on December •£>. Pahiatua Championships, and Handicaps, at Pahiatua, on January 1 and 3. Entries ■ ■'. closo on December 27. '■'•;■'■■ Hawke's Bay Championships and Handicaps, at . Dantevirke, on January 21 and 22. . En- ' ..tries close on January 15. -•■-..-■■ Kangitikei Championships and Handicaps,. at Marton, on January 21 and 22. Entries close on January li.. Wairarapa Championships and Handicaps, at Masterton, on January 21 'and 22. ; Entries : close on January 15. . " '•...■■. -.'^

This afternoon's inter-club fixtures are as follow—Pennant—Jluritai v. Victoria College A'; Petone v. Brougham Hill; Kilbirnia v. Victoria College B. ' Kackot—Khandallah v. Victoria College A; Oriental v. Brougham Hill; Trinity B v. Victoria College B. ~ . " Witn the finish of to-day's matches, the inter-, club competitions will close, until January 15. This long spell, is necessary on account of the' number of players wno taue part in the tournaments, several of which run well into the first week of January. . ■ ■ Last Saturday's matches were played under perfect conditions, but the events, as a whole, furnished little excitement. The Victoria College v. Khandallah, and the Brougham ; Hill v. etone matches in the cup grade, resulted in close finishes, but the tennis in both, was' hardly up to cup form. In the Brougham llill v;- Potone match, tho former team, just won -with'little to spare. In two of the ladies"matches, tho Potono players only wanted one point to win the 6et, rubberand match. Mrs. Burton is.not a good single player, but she made good use of her ability to volley, which her opponent, Miss- Home, was quite unprepared for. Misses Hayes and Bennett played a good set-all match. Misses Curtis and Carter, of.the Petone team, were the only ladies in this nSatch to score wins. Of the men, Duncan put up tho best performance for the losers by defeating O'Leary. The first set, which was won by Duncan, 'was well contested, but after that the. match was finished in two breaks. .O'Leary won the seer ond set, 6—l, and then Duncan took charge and won the third set at 6—2. 'Duncan has improved his backhand at tho expanse of his forehand strokes, and in this match O'Leary gave him too many-opportunities to play backhand drives. These invariably scored when O'Leary came up- to tho net. Cornell and Marriaer had some good rallies in their single, but.tha former was always too sure, and won without being extended., Lawrence surprised his opponents by beating Parkinson in two sets. The'/Petone "tail" was too weak .to be I able to get three sets out of any of tho last three singles and last double.. Tho result of the Victoria College v. Khandallah match should placo the College team fltth on the list at tho end of tho season. Fleming was the backbo.no of the Khandallah team, winning both his matches. .Rutherford played well and scored a good win against ilichardson. Munsn'eld, Duncan, and i f 'air>wou their singles and doubles. Miss Batham was the'only lady to- score a win; the rest-of the ladies' games'being drawn. Correll was the best of the Bidwill Street team, which'went down badly to Muritai. Ho defeated Harton in his single and, playing with Swinburne in tho double, scored another win .■against Sanson ;. and Harton.. The Muritai ladies were the stronger of two weak teams. ; So far this season the . Newtown A and •Brougham Hill, pennant teams havo had un;interestiug and unsatisfying matches, and both ■teains aro longing to'"meet each other so as : to-got a good game. Several of the players in .these teams are much too good for pen.nant .grade, and would bo r playing in . top ] positions in cup teams, , ,were they in other clubs. Tho best of last , Saturday's pennant matches was between the Kilbirnie and Muri- , ,/tai teams. Miss Asquitli played well and 'scored two good wins. Martin and Worboys, ;two juniors, put up good port'ormahces, '■ win- >, ning both their singles and th.eir double. ■ ' The Public Schools'- Association tournament (finished last week. : Of the girls, G.,'Andrews land A.: Carolano played exceptionally well; ■'.the' fonher reaching tlio finals' in.the : singles, :.doubles, and combined doubles, and' winning fin two,of them. Of tho'boys, J. Dawson, of the Terrace School, showed'most promise, scoring good wins in singles and doubles: , Clubs in tho Wanganui district are forming a district association and will affiliate with the New Zealand Association.- By the formation of this association, the Wellington body will lose five of its clubs, but this is little ; compared to the benefits that theso clubs will 'derive from local- control. The proposed district is too far away, from Wellington to be properly controlled.by the,. Wellington Association, and.--Wanganui is well situated for immediate', communication with all parts of :this-..-district. '•■ In addition' to tho'-five clubs .already mentioned, about twenty clubs will .join tho new association, which "will mean that at. least five hundred more players ifill ho 'brought under the control of tho New Zealand Association.' ■ ..., ■. ', Wellington will be represented in the Now Zealand championships by a strong contingent of the best players. Amongst those who intend to be present at this meeting will be, Mrs.' Wagg, Misses .Nunneley, Travers, Batham, Cock, Williams, Dimant, and Davis; and Messrs. Fisher, Fraser, Peacock, Prouse, Blair, Brown, Jackson, Hawkins, and Reilward.