LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 February 1910, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

(Br SinvraJ TOURNAMENT FIXTURES. Manawatu championships and handicaps at Palmorston North on March 16 and 17. Entries close ;on March 12. Wellington provincial and junior championships on March 25, 26, and 28. Entrios close on March 19. ' Wanganm championships and handicaps -;. at Wanganui on March 25, 26, and 28. Hawke's Bay championships and handicaps, at Napier, on March 26 and 28.

Tile second round of the pennant matches will be played:out between. the Newtown, ;Brougham Hill, Kilbirnie, and College A teams. - The College 1 A and the teams, were—at the end of the first round—oven in matches-- but the former team takes, fourth place on sets won. Should the Newtown team win against Brougham Hill to-day, its position C 9 winner of tho pennant,is assured, and: the; competition in this grade will be closed.

Eleven matches ware drawn to be played last Saturday afternoon, and out of this number only six were played: tho others went by default This state of affairs was caused by the. decision of the Management Committee not to postpone the matches -on acoount; of,: the cricket match. It can be safely. 6tated that the teams which defaulted were compelled to do so by a' .few players whose, interest in tennis is like the unknown quantity "X" in algebra. It: is no secret'that some, of the members, of the shield teams 'will, make any exouse to avoid playing a threeset • combined ■ double;V: Now,' most .of these players have enjoyed good tennis during : the first round in this grade; : and surely it ;is not Tasking '-too much: to require them to play one round of combined doubles.

The only match played in the shield 'grade was . that between - Wellington A and .Victoria College,-and the result was a close, finish in favour of . the Wellington team. Rubbers were even, and ,so the game was won on sets. Blair and Miss Williams, and Sheppard and Miss Travers,; 6cored thebefit;;wins for "the winners. - Brown and Miss Cock, met a good double in Beere and Miss M'lntosh, and just won two sets, both' at 6—5. The. defeat of Wilson-- and" Miss' Dimant' by Clpghorn- and Miss Beeves was a surprise.' The first set was won by the Col'legians at' .6—3. ' Thou the Wellington pair evened by taking the second set at 6—;5, -and also ! secured a'good lead in the third est, but failed, when waiting - one point, to win the set, ; and eventually lost the set at 6—6... Cleghorn 1 is ".'undoubtedly the moat improved player in the College team, - and ho and Miss Beeves ore; to be opmplimented on their good win. Two more rubbers' were added to the Collegians' credit ; through'the successes of Smith and Miss Tennant. against Ward-and Miss, Newman,: and of De la Mare and Miss Scott against Eraser and Miss Webb.

- The Newtown and Thorndon teams won by default.

The Lower, Hutt and Victoria: College teams scored decisive victories lin the cup grade' matches. The ■ first-named' team met the Brougham Hill representatives who failed to play' up to expectations. . The Jackson v. Sampson' single was well contested,-: and' Sampson had.a good chance of winning the first;set,' but: ■failed' and* lost at > 5—6.'. .'ln the ' 'second i 'set'"Jackson."was surer,-ahd :r ho?T?6h ? a"t' ,6—2. Green, who 1 mot- Marriher; had one of' his brilliant turns; and 1 gave his opponent- few opportunities , in' a - two-set 'match.- Lawrence;and Clere - chased* the' ball for three long sets,' of which Clere managed to secure two. Callender was.J on his game', but "Drummond was ; decidedly, off, and the result- was . an easy 'win for ' Callender. .: Howden defeated O'Leary in a-, two-set match. , Kean,.- by defeating Treadwell, after close on two hours' plav, was the only one of the Brougham' Hill team to: win ' a single. Jackson and Green" defeated Sampson and -Drummond,: and- Clere: and - Callender-:de-■feated La.wrorico and O'Leary.- Howden aid. Treadwell . lost • to -Marriner- and. Kean. The Hutt ladies were -too good for the Brougham Hill representatives. Miss 'Hayes playcd v a draiini' match with Miss Poster, and '-partnered with Miss ;Eothschild,'defeated Mrs.;Wagg and Miss Foster in the double. All the other sets were won by Hutt. . - '- . No three-set rubbers took place in the Victoria College-Bidwill Street' match,, and- most 'of the ' 6ets' were won comfortably. Taylor was too ; forceful for Hamilton. It. Pavitt played - well and 'defeated ;Eiohelbaum in •the -;single, and with Hamilton put Taylor 'and- Mansfield ! out. in the 'double. The Victoria College; ladies.' proved' too -strong'for-' their' opponents and- won every match' easily. In tho pennant grade matches Broughharn Hill and Kilbirnie secured ' easy win's. ': The Muritai -' toam' : defaulted 'to College A. ..v.-.". Of the three racket grade .matches, set down to'be'decided, only one was played, which resulted in a win -for Khandailah against. Oriental' by.'s sets to" 4. The ; /Trinity A and B teams- won; by- default; against'the two collego teams. ' . ' Tho final 'round in tho county ' cup competition in : the ■ Wairarapa Centre, wilT.bo played between • tho;. Masterton and Carterton teams. : Five., ■ teams entered:,for this competition. - Masterton defeated: Pahiatua Inst. Saturday' by 5 rubbers -to 4 rubbers.The ■ Mastertin men-wero successful in all their matches excepting tho first double in which Swainson and Druce defeated Cox and Gawith, 6—3, 2—6, 6—4.- The Jlisses Hughes won; their , singles, and the double. '•; Mr.- T.. H. Jones, honorary secretary, of the shield committee made the - journey to Christchurch Tnth':the. representative. team" last 'Saturday, week.. Whilst expressing. his appreciation-'of- the atten-. ti'on' received - from Messrs. -Ross (presi*: dent),' and Eric Taylor (hon. of the Canterbury. Association, ho "thinks that -the, arrangements'.for .the 1 ' matchwere -not quite satisfactory. "' Ho con:siders that - the teams should/'be submitted to tho: respective associations,': and the conditions and details ,of the match arranged, at least a week prior to tho dato fixed for the match, instead of leaving those; matters'.for ..the captains, ofthe :teams to agree, upon.After' seeing tho mafcV lie thinks that, it would! bo infinitely better, if the-matches aro.'to be confined to one day, that each mem : ber of' tho team, should, play -two singles and one double instead of .'one': single' and two doubles. ' .';.- : ■ .

The Newtown, Club's handicap events aro furnishing some' close ' finishes. : In the final 'of the men's doubles Godber and Emeny (14) defeated Grady and Luke (16) 50-H7. ' In the semi-finals of •the singles 'Powell (14) defeated Emeny (27) 75—72; and Lenas (10) defeated; Redward (ser.) 75—71. 'Miss Dempsey (8) meets Miss d'Emden (25). in the final of the ladies' singles. '.' - ■■■