LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1322, 28 December 1911, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS.

THE PLAY AT CHRISTCHURCH

THIRD DAY'S GAMES,

SOME STIRRING ENCOUNTERS.

(By Aosociation.)

Christchurch, December 27. When the Now Zealand lawn tennis championship meeting was resumed «t Lancaster Park this morning, tho drying process that commenced yesterday afternoon had continued btill further, and the result was that the courts wore in good order. A cool easterly breeze was again in evidence, but it did not detrimentally affect the play in the morning. I a tho afternoon it was stronger, and blowing More across the courts, tho result being C™u,K tO " CS wcro dc ? Cc M somewhat. n»L p '?S r ? is ,vas maf, ° with tho loiirSitTrapiWr.T* 8 being eot throUEh D«fiug tho afternoon Lord Islington, patron of .the New ZoaJand Lawn Tennis Atsocintioii was present, accompanied by Lady Kathleen Somerset. In the combined doubles, Kidston (Australia) and Miss Gray (Auckland) met F. 1. Wilson and Miss Greenfield, and beat them after a more even contest than the score indicates. Kidston's careful and accurate play stood him and his partner in good stead, and Hiss Gray put plenty ot torce into her drives. ■ Both ladies played well. Wilson's best stroke was ins drive, and ho used this with effect. Miss Greenfield got in a lew good tosses. 11. \Y. Brown and Miss Nunueley played a quick match against Oliphaht and Mrs. Rose, who found tho driving powers ol their opponents too much for them. The contest between H. Rice, of tho Australian Davis Cup team, and Miss L. Williams, of Sydney, and T. K. Quill and Miss E.- M. Baird, which closed the day's play, was one of tho best matches to-day. Rice's net play and saves were splendid, and his partner showed possession of a swift serve, with plenty of spin on. Miss Williams also drove hard and well, and showed marked anility to get into position for a coming stroke. Jliss Baird's driving was also capital, and she placed her shots well. Quill played a clever came throughout. The veteran, It. D. ilarman, put up a good fight against Peacock, the present, champion, in the men's singles. Peacock's placing, however, had his opponent beaten through. P. M. B. Fisher had i> tough struggle aeainst H. W. Brown in the first get, which went to B—6 beforo he secured it. Afterwards, however, Brown's nlaj was not quite to good. Sonin of Fish'er'e returns to good strokes by Brown wero surprisingly pood, and he sent in toinc filio cross-court drives. Miss E. Goodman played a plucky game against Hiss K. XI. Nunnoley in the ladies singles, and got , in some fine forehand drives, nicely placed, lliss Nunneley's staying powers and forceful hitting, combined with skilful placing, proved too much for the Christchurch player after the first game or two. Miss ■>."■. Hartgill beat Mrs. J. C. Lord rather easily, .playing a faster gamo throughout One of the best exhibitions of tho morning was provided by Miss ,E. Travers, the present champion, and Jliss E. M. Baird. Both played* hard, and showed . great ability to cover ground in getting to the ball, Jliss Travers especially so.- Tho latter possossss a good hard drive, which helped her materially. Jliss Baird's back-hand play was admirable. By tho time that three fast sets had been completed, both players had pretty well had enough. Lato in the afternoon Miss Travers met Miss JI. Butterworth, and won comfortably, her play being too fast for her opponent. Miss A. Gray, of Auckland, beat Miss J\. j>l. Nunneley after a desperate struggle. Towards tho end of the third set Miss Nunncley foil and injured her ankle, but resumed playing after a few minutes' rest, and seemed none the wor*o for (he accident. The score reached 5 all in the third set, and one set all. After a .?$ y finish Miss Gray mana sed to pull oft the next two games. The winner was completely tired out at the finish, haying shown troiuendous energy in covering'the ground to leturn Miss Sunneley's wcllplnced shots. A fine display was given iu tho men's doubles by P. M B. Fjsher and J. C. Peacock (the present champions) and G. Ollivier and Jennings—two young Canterbury players. The net play of the Canterbury men was exralleut, and their volleying was a treat to witness. Peacock placed some of his shots admirably, and Fisher's returns were again a feature of his play. Some long rallies were played, and the games were won pretty well turn about in the second set, until the scores reached 11—9. The older players lasted best throughout what was the longest match of tho tournament. In tho semi-finals of tho Men's Doubles, Brookes.and Dunlop, of the Australian Dane tup team, easily beat Kidston-a practice member of the same team—and Wertheim, of Victoria. Kidston, as usual, played cleverly, especially at the not, but Wcrthcim appeared to suffer from nervousness, and smashed too many of his strokes into the not or outside tb'o court.

The star item to-day was the match between Wright and M'T.ou K Ulin (the -Americans) and Fisher and Peacock (tho iNcw Zealand doubles champions) in the senior final of the Men's Doubles. The iVew /ealonders, though quite overmatcheil, gave a plucky and clover display, and.tho Tallies were greeted with applause. Both Fisher and Peacock showed beanlitul- net play, their volleying being bnllinnt. Their returns to veilplaced strokes were roally splendid, and they got in soiuo fino smashes and drives M'Uughlin played more steadily to-day than ho has yet deno at this tournament. His tremendous eorvo and smash, and his great wrht work wero the subject of general admiration. Wright once more showed what a imc general ho is and continually plavod to get from his opponents the "shot'ho desired. ■ His drive down tho side of fho court was beautifully placed and unplayable The Aew Zealundcrs got to 3-1 in the first set, but the Americans secured the next five games and the set. (n (he second set tho Americans were 3-0, and tho Aew /ealnmkrs won a game. Then the fcoro. want successively to I—l I—" 5-2, 5-a, 6-: i. In the third set tho Americans got to 4-<l before lh o N c , v z K ,. anders scored. Visher and won tho htrh game but no other in the set. In the ladies doubles, Misses Travel of Hawkes Bay, and Gray) of AwMh^ redoubtable opponents, Miss L Sydney, iU id Miss N. Hart gill, of Dannevirke, both of whom play a verj' strong game. Play concludes tomorrow Iho plajxrs still remaining in are as follow:—

Men's Singles: Third Round.-Ollivkr and K,dstan. P M B. Fisher and $X£ T Q QuilT °" P£aOock and iir** ie ?r , Singles: Third KonndSriace Hartgill D. E. Scott. Semi-final • 1 Grav , mA K Travws and Men's Doubles: Pinal.-Brookes and JlLoughlin (America. Probably this match irill not be played, as it has been suggested that the result of this should bc ., al ' ol )'«l l <> 1» determined bv the resuit of the contest between the same two pairs m the Davis Cup competition. Ladies. Doubles: Second dames Chisnall and Lord and Misses Baird and Aunnelcy Semi-finaJ.-Misses P. A. f-tpwart and Wellwood and Misses UraJ ' ; MiSfiM B " tto ™t» t.'oinbined Doubles: Second ]?ound.-C 1 . Lo.v and Miss Jlartgil! nnd Fisher and Miss Trflvers Third Round.-O'Hani Wood, anil Viss Stowiirl and H. W Brown and Uliss Nunnelev; I). J TJo"s and Miss Van Stayer,,, and Peacock and Miss Mmpsoiii JMdstoii nnd Miss firav J, 1 Jennings, :ind .Miss 13. Cross and 11.

Men's Champion Singles. Hcsl of fivo sot?; wlvanlago $H*. Pitsent, champion, ,1. C. Peacock, 'Wclliii--ton. D l'"irst round: O'tlara AVood beat W hhfppiiril, 6—2. fi—2. li-|. Second round: Kidslon walked over from K Iptflu; r. M. li. a-hor |, o! ,| ]] \\. Brown, 8-T., 6-2, fi—3; O'Unra Wood Mat h. Honninsloii, li--3, fi--4 B—C , T I!. Quijl bttit_ G. 0. Aitkcn, 3-ti, ii-3,' Third round: .). C. Pracock best n 0 Harman. lj-1, G--1, 6-(: t'i R Onill boal H. Mow.th, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, .

Ladies' Champion Singles. « Best of throe sets; advankgo sets. Pro-i-ent champion, Miss Eva Travel's, Wellington. So* -lid round: Miss K. M. Nunneley . <\U Miss K. Goodman, B—4, 6—2; Miss N. Hartgill bent Mrs. ,1. C. Lord, C-l. 6-0; Jliss K. Travcrs beat Hiss JJ. JI. Baird, 6-1, 4-G, 0-2; Miss E. Scott beat Miss A. L. Browstcr, G—2, 7—5; Miss JI. Buitenvorlh walked over from Jliss L. Williams. Third round: Miss U. Trovers be.it Miss JI. Buttonrorth, fi—.l, (>—3; Miss A. Gray beat Miss K. JI. Nuaneley, 6-4, if—G, 7—5. Men's Champion Doubles. Best of fiyc sets; advantage sets. Present champions, F. JI. B. Fisher and J. t. Peacock. Third round: Wciiheim and Kidstou beat Borrows and O'Hara Wood, G—3, 3—7, fi-2, 7-5; 1\ JI. B. Fisher iuul J. C. Peacock beat G. Ollivier and Jennings, i—f>, 11—9, 7—5, G— 2. ■Semi-final: Brookes and Dunlop beat VVertheim and Kidston, 6-0, 6-0, 6-1; bright and Jf'Loughlin beat F. JI. B.' iisner and J. C. Peacock, .6-3, 6-3, 6-1. Ladies' Champion Doubles. Best of throe sets; advantage sets. Present champions, Hisses Eva Travers (Weihngton), and R. Wclh-ood (Hake's <i-ty d r?™ d = Misses Buttcrworlh and Simpson beat Misses Molesworth and' 6-1 []-°3 S llllams aud Hartgill, Combined Champion Doubles. Best of three sets; advantage sets. Prefect- champions, Jliss B. Wcllwood (Ihnvke's Bay) and H . A. Parker (NSW) lip,. "»«»•'■..KMslon and Mi ss A. Gray 6--0 111 " ll6on aud Jliss Greenfield, Second round: E. J. Ro.* and Miss L H. Uois_bent Lampo and Jliss Turtou, « 'n'T 01 and Miss A Gnv