LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1396, 23 March 1912, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

[Bt 'Footfault."] COMING EVENTS. April 5, G, nnd 8— Wanganui Championship mid Handicap Tournament, at nanganui. April (i and S.-Hawke's Bay J.awn Tennis Club championship and handicap tournament, club's ground, Napier .South. Davis Cup: France's Team. In view of Trance's challenge for the Jliivis (.'up, the following remarks make interesting rending, as lliev refer to the nieinlx-rs of (he Trench teain, viz., Laurcnu, i Dceugis, and Cohort :-.Sinec trances first entry for the Cup, in l'Ktt, her players have made great improvement, and it would be ijuite beyond the powers of Belgium's present pin vers to repeat their performances of that year, -trance's- star player then was Max' IVciiKiS, but ho was beaten bv Temaire hiiicp then, however, Decisis h'imsclf, who will be :10 this year, has greatly improved, but Ins youngir compatriots, Goliert and J.niirentz, have outstripped him, and today he stands, on results, a close second or third in France. Gobert is clearly his superior all round this year on actual perlormances. Laurentz, the bov wonder, w'lio slarlled the tennis world bv defeatiii!,' Wilding, although only 1(1, 'and lias continued this fine showing bv repeated detents of tioliert, is better til least in singles. Alf. Dunlop spoke of this player as quite the most promising; lie saw in huropp, so that there is no doubt each year will see him improving. As Gobert ami Laurent?, are available for the singles, Trance's chanecs in that branch are distinctly good lor the preliminary lie, winch, by the result of the draw, they play against England. -\s to the doubles, they arc equally well armed. Leaving Laurent;; out of the' question m this branch—though, as a matter of fact, he and Gobart are a strong pair— they can enter Decugis and Gobcrl, who last Juno won the English doubles championship. In that contest thev were not extended by any English pair.' Tho Englishmen. It does not, of course, follow that because no English pair did extend them that none could, lor it is fairly certain mat IJixcm and Itopcr Tarretl will represent England in the doubles, and, if they smt each other, (hey would be grcat.lv stronger than any combination that plavTf"i) J'«ir's chanipionship. If Barrett has recovered from the severe strain that made him retire in the la-d set in the challenge round of Inst year's championship, he may plav also in the singles against France, l'robablv he will not do so, as the effort might (ell against him m the doubles to follow. On his performances in the preliminary tie last year against America, A. ir. I.owe should be chosen for the singles, and would pvobably play in them. As he extended both i.arned and M'Longhliii. he should do well against the Trench players. He never volleys, and is n very steady base-line player; but is lacking in killing power. Mill, his very steadiness is just tho sort of play that would worry p'lavers of so mercurial a temperament'ns the Trencli. men. Their meeting will bo watched with great interest.

Arranging, or "Seeding," , ifl v.4' 1 '"- in "Fry's Magazine" or I'cbruary, writes on "Heeding (lie Draw •.— "If the arrangement scheme bocamo an fait accompli all other tournaments, large and small, would necessarily follow suit and 'arrange.' Where an eiilrv is made un of twenty-five players, onlv two of tliein would have an earthlv chance of winning, it makes no difference (o the ultimate i-esnlt whether they meet in (he first round or in dm final. But wherein lies the difference is in Hie gntc receipts on (he final day. As the promoters of anv tournament know, it is highly desirable, from a iinancinl point of view, to have the best possible match on the, final day, i.e., an encounter between (he two players having the greatest reputation. In many eases the very existence anil carrying on of the annual tournament dependent on a satisfactory gale on the final Saturday. In case of there being only two firsl-class players among tho entrants it is distinctly hard luck if the fates decree that they should meet in an early round. The more even (ho entry tho less chance there is of an unsatisfactory final. But to leave the arrangement of the draw to a combination of chance on the one hand, and arbitrary arrangement by a committee on the other, will, 1 hope, never happen." Easter Tennis. The Hawke's Bay Club is holding a championship and handicap tournament on the club grounds. Kapier South., on Easter Saturday and Monday, April (I and 8, and as six grass courts of good qual'Jy will be available for piny, the meeting should be an enjoyable and successful one. The programme of events includes: Men's championship singles and doubles, combined championship singles and doubles, ladies' championship singles and doubles, men's handicap singles and doubles, ladies' handivap singles and doubles, combined handicap doubles. Thus all grades of players are entered for. Tho entries close on Tuesday, April 2, ami cnlrv forms may be had on application (o P. \\. Pasley, lion, tournament secretary, P.O. llox G, Port Ahuriri, Napier. A Little Surprise, Tennis, liko every other game, has its surprises, and great indeed was the one which was nerved up at Brougham Hill on Monday evening last when Misses Howe and Mack defeated Mrs. ,]. A. 1.1. Howe and Miss Hayes, the score being !)—O. Very consistent indeed were the younger pair, whoso play was characterised by the utmost steadiness, while at times Miss Hnwo secured some very fino winning shots.