LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 978, 19 November 1910, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

(By Side-use.) Tournament Fixtures. New Zealand Championship, at Blenheim, December 20, 27, and 28. Southland Championship and Handicap ■Tournament, December 26, 27, and 28. Wellington, Provincial Handicap Tournament, at Day's Day, December 26 and 27. Pahiatua Championship and Handicap Tournament, on January 2 and 3. Wellington Provincial Championship and Mastcrton. Handicap Tournament, at Wasterton, January 21, 23, and 24. Entries close Friday, January 20. Danncvirko Championship and Handicap Tournament, on January 21, 23, and Saturday's A Grade Games. Last Saturday, though somewhat windy, was bright, and only sufficiently cool to give a tang to the play. All the fixtures were got off barring one, and, taking everything into consideration, the afternoon s play was a success. Interest naturally centred on tho Thorndon-Wel-lmgton match, which placed the result of the A grado competition beyond doubt, the Ihorndon courts were in excellent and fast condition except for a little clover, which caused somo discomfort. The Days-Bay courts were also in good condition, but somo teams complain that the measurements are slightly wron" The Thorndon-Wellington fixture was on the whole rather disappointing, although there were flashes of play in it l'isher was at first apparently, suffering from the effects of the previous night's late sitting of t the House, and, in his match with Swanston, took some time to iind his game. His forehand was at first very weak, but, by tlio second set, had greatly improved, while Swanston's backhand showed sbme weakness. Swanston's condition certainly gave him the match, and his length and pace were excellent. Ihe scores, 6-3, 5-6, 6-2, in favour of bwanston, give a fair idea of the merits of play,, except that tho match should | not. have run to three sets. The Peacock-Brown match resulted in a wm for tho first-named at 6—5, o—3 Browns persistent rushing to tho not evidently tired him out, but it was Peacock s superior generalship that gave him the match. Brown has not yit struck tho top of his form. Salmond showed too much steadiness for Didsbury and won comfortably. Smytho had Wilson running from , the start. Thou"h long rallies were tho order of the day, llson quite failed to show any winning form. Luck, however, certainly seemed to be against him. , The double, Siiiythe. and Didsbury v Salmond and Wilson was decided largely by_tho fact that it was played on-grass, although u llson s wont of condition had something to do'with it also. Smyths played a very steady and altogether excellent game. The match Fisher and Brown v. Swanston and Peacock was distinctly disappointing, the result being due mainly to'two causes, viz., the fact that the whole match was already decided, and the persistent double faulting by 1 eacock._ Tho deciding point was duo to a misunderstanding between Peacock and bwanston. It was a pity that Salmon was not played against Smythe, and Wilson against Didsbury. They Would both have, roado much' , better ' matches than thoso actually played. • College defeated Muritai, and, i r ' been for T. H. Jones, tho defeat would have degenerated into a drubbing. Jones has struck form early u s *j eason > an 4> with his experience in the A grade matches, we may expcct greater improvement by tournament time. v 'on his single from Cleghorn at w-'i? ' ni -3 ; and his do » bl ° with fright v, Cleghorn and Smith at 6—3, 0-3: F. P Wilson was too strong for A agio, as tho scores show—6—3, 6—l. Leere forced Wright into a game foreign to his usual style, and defeated him shuttlecock-fashion, at G—4, 6—l. It is probablo. that, should tho match have depended oh this single, Wright would have made a better showing. Lewis is hopelessly out of form. Brougham Hill defeated Wellington' II winning all the singles comfortably in tmy sets, while "youth was served" in the doubles, Eller and Jeffries decisively turning down Howe . and Hunter., • Sampson a "r, ni , man , a ood to run their match with Salek and Grant to threo sets, and rather unwisely holding their opponents too cheaply, threw away their second set when it was well in hand. Salek and Grant, coming, at them in the last set, had them thinking, and won easily at 0 to love.

The B Grade Events. . In the B grade Petone defeated Trinity in a well-contested match. The weak member, in what wero apparently matchr irn I ll^ - lvas J ac °bsen, who lias not fulfilled his early promise at tho beginning of the season. Greives was the strength of his side, his sure driving being too much for Parkinson. Correlf, although ho made a' close match with Duncan, found the latter too tough a proposition. The scores were ' 5—6, 5—6. Swinburne ran Austen to a three-set match, Austen 'finally winning at 6—3, 3-6, 6—7. Andrews won his two sets straight from Jacobsen, G-3, G-4. Victoria College X rather deserved the innuendo implied in . the report of tho result published on Monday. It is said that two of the College teams men only turned up, and intimated that tho ;rest of tho team would not materialise seeing that tho captain of Victoria College II had had no notification of tho other team's intention, ho had every right to claim by default; Brougham Hill defeated Hutt; Townsond getting tho best of a three-set match from Browii.' Hurley's experience' did ■not serve to kill the fire aiid youth of Kirk, who played a pretty game. .Kean should have won his match against Purdy in two sets if he had not slackened up giving his opponent an opening of which good use was made, but Kean won the third set comfortably. Barton's generalship gave him an easy win over Clere. Tho result of the double, BartonKean v. Brown-Kirk, was largely due to Kirk, who played an excellent game, and on play, is easily tho best man in tho Hutt team. Townsend and Hurley won from Purdy and Clere, 6—4, G—i. Ladies' Matches. Tho tho ladies' A grade, Victoria Collego defeated Wellington, Miss Ivirker winning tho only rubber for Wellington, while she and Miss Francis ran their donblo with Misses M'lntosh and Haldane to three sets. In tho singles Misses Scott and. M'lntosh had to play three sets to defeat Misses Francis and Webb respectively. Items of Interest. In tho ladies' C grade Kliandallah has not had a loss, and should' bo in tho running for that grade. . Last Saturday was a Incky' ono for Brougham Hill. This club had seven teams in in different grades and each won its match. Palmerston North Cluli opened its courts last Saturday, and considering tho fact that there is an increased membership, and; that tho courts are in excellent condition, i it is hoped .that it will enjoy a successful season. , The inaugural ceremony in connection with tho formation of tho tennis club associated with the Petono Wesley Church was held last Saturday afternoon. Tho court is of asphalt,- and is not' yet quite completed. There was a numerous attendance, and games were played during tho afternoon. The club is not vet affiliated with tho W.I'X.T.A. ; By winning the .American , championship for tho sixth time, and scoring his fourth successvo victory, W. A. Larned accomplished a feat (says "American Lawn Tennis") surpassed only onco in the annals of American lawn tennis, passing tho record of It. D. Wrenn, who was four times champion, and getting within ono of ttio record of It. D. Sears, who was champion seven times. Datfis Cup. S. W. Doust, when interviewed at Fremantle, combats the prevailing opinion that England is to blame for the fact of the Davis Cup falling through. Ho asserts that the matter of a guarantee should nover have been broached. Also that tho personnel of tho English team that decided Australasia to withdraw its guarantee was an excellent combination. On these lines tho blamo rests wholly in Australasia. Anthony Wilding.' Tho "Referee," in commenting on Wilding's inability to smash, makes uso of tlio following cutting to show that he is trying to learn!- It is from a discussion

of recent play at Dr. Luling's court at Sapicourt, France: "On that Sunday night Wilding was a perfect wreck. Ho had got up at 5 a.m. and motored out to the flying-grounds at Mourmclon, . near Chalons, where ho was able to achieve his heart's desiro to fly, Ho was taken for a five-mile spin, but afterwards admitted that ho felt 'very queer, and his heart came up to ilis mouth,* when tllfi motor of tlio aeroplane suddenly stopped when they were a few hundred yards high up in the air, and they camo down with awful suddenness. Luckily, tlio motor started again just beforo they reached terra firma. Wilding admitted that ho had - closcd his oyes and considered himself a 'goner/ but what his last thoughts were ho would not sav. He merely observed that ho wasn't a bit keen on flying any .more, and that ho would now, after all, carry out his intention of going through Europe on a motor-biko to Constantinople, notwithstanding tho urgent warnings of his friends that ho would bo murdered in tho Balkans or bo kidnapped by some Transylvanian princess,'*