LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1129, 17 May 1911, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS.

MR. F. M. B. FISHER IN AUSTRALIA. THE DAVIS CUP. During his visit to Australia, Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.r. (who returned yesterday), look part in several of the State tennis championship tournaments. In Adelaide he was fortunate enough to win the championship doubles, with Mr. H. A. Parker (the ex-New Zealander), and the championship mixed doubles with Miss Stewart, of Victoria. He was defeated in the singles by Taylor, tho South Australian champion, in the semUfinal round. Going from South Australia to Victoria Mr. Fisher, in company with Mr. Eddison, a Victorian player, secured the invitation doubles championship or Geelong. During his, stay in Melbourne he was able to bare a consideiable amount of play with the wor d-iamous erack-Xorman E. Brookes. Describing Brooies's play, Mr. Fisher says that he not only possesses the strokes ot the majority ot players whom he has seen, but ho also has many others which are peculiarly his own. One of his most effective strokes was lus forehand drive, duo to the fact that, be always hit the ball on tho vise, instead of at tho top of tho bounce, as tho stroke is usually played in New Zealand. The efloct ot this was that tho return, apart from the fact that it was invariably well-placed, went back with extraordinary »ace. Not onlv was Brookes's play oif tho ground exceptionally accurate, but his rollcying was qiiile'umisual. The only really weal; tpot in his plav was in his overhead work. His "freak" shots were inmum-i----üble, and he niado absolute "winners" of return strokes, that the average player would consider himself lucky to get back to any nart of the court at all. Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Fi-l.er bad many days' practice with Brookes, be was never able to secure a set from him. his best effort being 7—5, and his worst 6—2. After leaving Victoria Mr. Fisher went tn Svdney, arriving there in time to play in the New South Wales championship meeting. Ho was associated with H. A. Parker in the doubles, tho nair being beaten in the final by Campbell and Rice.

Speaking generally of Australian tennis, Mr. Fisher said he thought that the play over there was not above the New Zealand standard. There were, however, many more first-class players in each State than there are in New Zealand. Their system of intorclub matches, which excited great interest, helped to produce numbers of first-class players, because the game was kept coiner practically all tho year round. Mr. Fisher said he desired to pay n tribute to the hospitality of tho tenuis officials throughout Australia. _ They hail done everything to make his stay as pieasant as possible. The Davis Cup. ."Whilst Mr. Fisher was in Sydney, tho officials of the Australasian Lawn Tennis Association urged upon him the necessity of tho New Zealand Association deciding as soon as possible the placo where the Davis Cup event was to be played. It' was particularly pointed out that it was desirable, in tho interests of international tennis, that everything possible should bo done to secure the best condiiious New Zealand can offer for the world's championship to be played here next December. Wilding's Defeat. AVhen questioned on tho matter, Mr. Fisher said that the news of tho successive defeats sustained by Wilding at tho hands of Laurence (tho French boy), Decugis, and Goubet could not be explained bv tho leading players in Melbourne. "The only conclusion we could como to," saiil Mr. Fisher, "was that Wilding had become stale. Tho French boy Laureuze is practically unknown in tennis to thoso who follow the gamo out here. It has lo be remembered, of course, that ho beat Wilding in tho French covered court championship, and wo aro unable lo know exactly what tho conditions were."