LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 807, 3 May 1910, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS.

DAVIS CUP PRELIMINARY TIE. Bj Tclecranh-Prcss Afesociation-CoDrrlcht.

London, May 1. The preliminary tio for tho Davis Cup, between the British Islos and the United States, will bo played at Wimbledon., [The winner of the preliminary tio has the. right to challenge ths holder of the Clip (Australia with New Zealand), last year the preliminary tie was played in New York, and the United States won, but lost in tho challengo round in Melbourne]

CANTERBURY OR WELLINGTON?

SOME FEELING.

!13y TelezraDli.—SDCcial CorresDondent.)

Christchurch, May 2. Tho information regarding the selection of Wellington as the scene of tho contest for the Davis Cup, and the. speculations as to whether ■or not Anthony Wilding would be one of tho competitors, has been the subject of a considerable amount of comment on the part of local tennis players.

Mr. E. J. Ross (president of tho Canterbury Tennis Association) and Mr. A. E. .Wright, a member of the association, put the matter as follows to a "Press" representative: At the present juncture the Canterbury Association has no desire to discuss the pros and cons of the Ifnnajieiiient Committee's decision, becanse it has not yet received any official information nu the subject for several years past. However, theio has been t» great amount of dissatisfaction expressed by the Canterbury Association with regard to what the association considered tho'(tendency on the part of tho Management Committee to usurp the functions of the council of the Now Zealand Association. When the rules of the association'were under revision soiuo time ago tho Canterbury delegates (Messrs. • Gass and Wright) had tho question of the povrcre, of the committeo gone into fully, with the result that the committee's r powers were restricted to administrative details. Matters of policy wore to bo referred ot the council. So that tho Canterbury Association might not be accused of having been lukewarm in the matter, application was made on February 1 last to have theDavis Cup contest decided in Christchurch, and tho matter was further impressed un tho Management Committee when it was informally discussed with a " member ,of that committee. The only reply to the association's application of February 1 was received trom the secretary of tho New. Zealand Association, and was to the effect that the Management Committc-o was fully alive to the importance of tho application, and that the Australasian Association. would be urged to tnkn prompt action. When a cablo message, announcing that the Australasian Association had allotted the contest to Wellington appeared, the Canterbury -Is.it>. ciation wrote to tho New Zealand Association asking if any recommendation h.id been made on the subject, and, if so, nu what date was it made. This letter ,wns

written on April 30, and to it no reply was received. The telegram appearing yesterday morning was tho first intimation of tho action taken by the Management Committee. The Canterbury Association hold that the matter should havo been decided by the council, so that all the affiliated associations might havo had a voice in the decision.

Regarding the statement hinting at thn possibility of Anthony Wilding not taking part in the contest, the reporter saw Mr. P. Wilding, who stated that when Mr. Anthony Wilding was last in tho Dominion ho pnssed his finnl examination for the Bar, and his intentions were to mako another attempt to secure the tennis championship of England, ami then settle down in this city to the practice of his profession. After last year's contest for tho Davis Cup it was obvious that pressure would be brought to bear on him to plaj Hi tin-, next contest, and so assist to retain the championship for' the fourth year. It was then conceded that the country of Wilding's birth wna entitled to tho honour of having the contest decided within its boundaries on the second occasion. When the championship was defended, the contest took placo in Melbourne, as n. compliment to Jlr. Brookes, who is b Victorian. Accordingly Mr. Anthony

Wilding made arrangements with Mr. Brookes that, if chosen, they should platogether, and Hint Mr. Brookes should Ik> his guest in Christchurch. Both these players looked upon it as settled that the contest would be held in Christciiircu, anil considered that Christchurch would bo a suitable place from fho point of view of the gate, and, probably from that point, of view, Christchurch is as'good as any other place in the Dominion.

It is now announced that-tho Australasian, Association has determined that tho contest shall take plaee at Wellington—a decision that has been arrived at apparently on the suggestion of the Management Committee of tho New Zealand Association thai Wellington is tho only fit and proper place for tho contest in tho Dominion. This sub-committee of five members took it upon itself to depnvo Canterbury of its claims, and to disregard tho wishes of the two men who won the championship. Mr. Wilding emphasised the fact that the championship was secured and retained by the brilliant play of Brookes and n llding, and by tlicir expenditure of time and money in training, consequently they had every right to expect that their wishes would bo consulted" as to the locality where the contest should take place. Hie state of affairs that had arisen appeared to him to indicate that it. was time'that a stand was made against the centralisation of tho control of sport in Wellington.

COVERED COURT DOUBLES. WON BY AN AUSTRALIAN PAIR. By Telesraph—Press Association-Copyrielit London, May 1. At tennis, in the covered court championship doubles, S. N. Doust and R. Poidevin (Australia) beat A. W. Gore and H. Roper-Barrett (the holders), 6—3, 4—S 7—5, I—6, B—6. , ■ [In the covered court doubles final last year the holders beat A. H. Lowo and F. G. Lowo, 6—l, 7—3, 6—l, C—2. A. W. Gore is tho all-England champion. Doust is from New South Wales.]