LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1575, 19 October 1912, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS

[Bi 'Footfault."] THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH. A Note on the English Players. The lawn tennis season has again' commenced. Though the weather prophet has not been propitious, some of the opening days being of tho very damping order, still players are eager for practice, nnd trust that tho season will be more favourable than last. Tho necessary fillip to a somewhat waning enthusiasm will bo provided by the visit of the Davis Cup English representative team, the dates for which hare already been fixed. Tho visiting players are C. P. Dixon, A. E. Beamish, J. C. Park, and F. Gordon Lowe. Upon looking at their photographs in the illustrated papers, one is struck by the difference in the physique of the four men. In Dixon and Park we have robust, and in Beamish and Lowe the slim, wiry type. All look extremely formidable. As no doubt tliey are. The writer' on one occasion had tho pleasure of seeing J. C. Park play an exceedingly' long match of five sets at the Mount Temple Club Courts in Dublin for the championship of that club, when his opponent was S. L. Fry, at that time the Scottish champion, when Park came homo winner by-practically ono point. Park is 4 extremely vigorous, and reminds one of Beals Wright, the popular American. Not only is he a first-class tennis player, but also a football enthusiast. He plays for tho Irish International Football Team, and as a member of that team played against tho All Blacks on their Home tour. □oust on Brookes. Ono always looks with interest for fresh comments on Norman B.Brookes, and the following (by S. N. Doust) will bG of interest:— . He considers that the most wonderful feature about, tlie Australian .chamiuon'H game! is the fa'of thrtt u hb 41 h'ds' ; so little match play to keep it perfect. Mr. Brookes only competes in two or three tournaments a year. Mr. Doust oonsiders that Brookes is strong in every department of the game. "Becauso his ground shots were not executed with tho same elegant stylo of the Dohortys, nor his overhead work of the same force, ho was considered," says Mr. Doust, "to be good at only two points of the game—serving and -low volleying. But what could be tetter than Brookes's return of tho service. Ho takes (ho ball on the rise. Standing well inside tho baso-lino, even to tho fastest Auiorciili service, he very seldom fails ,o gel the ball over tho net, and into such an awkward position that he is at ooco the attacking party. His service, we know, is world renowned, and ho seldom makes a double fault, although tho secuirl service is as fast as' tho first. His despised smashing, although, not sevcro, is always difficult to recover in a single., and it ! s fatal to keop on lobbing unless you aro prepared to run miles. As a lon vnlfeyer he has no equal. His generalship and temperament are perfect. He never misses tlie easy shots. He is active on the court without seeming effort. He is gifted with a wonderful sense of anticipation, which, added to his accuracy and unerring judgment, make him, in my opinion, tho best player in the world."

Horace Rice and Parker. The following comments on the recent victory of Horace Rico over Parker in tho singles, and tho Rice Bros, over Parker ana Quill in the doubles aro very interesting:— The Bimple explanation, but becauso simple not easy to givo at first sight, is that,' although tennis has none of tho glorious uncertainties of cricket, it is well known that with plaj;ers each capable, on his day, of, defeating the other, as Parker and Horace Rico undoubtedly aro to-day, ono of them will have his eye in, and all his strokes will come off just right, and find the very spot, so that tho other will never get going. Rice certainly played as finely as he ever has, and showed no 6igns of going oil' his game. , The record cf Parker is too good to treat this recent victory as other than an illustration of the saying that "every dog has his day." And when they do meet in the Smithfield tournament, Parker may turn tlift tables, on Rico; but when either does win he is entitled, from an unprejudiced critic, to full credit for his success, without any oxplaining of it away. I~ know that was just how it was taken by Parker, as fino r sport as ho is a player.

Tho Rices v. Parker and Quill. The doubles was a different question in two ways. It was, in fact, a. hardly-fought contest, in which each pair in turn had victory almost within their grasp. Horace and Edgar Rice went away with a rush, and at ono timo looked to have a win in straight sets well assured. Ihen Parker got in many fino strokes, and worked like a Trojan. His "smashes of quite low balls were played as, only he dares to try, and he was recovering tosses in quite a new style—for him. Quill was serving and returning splendidly, but was weak overhead, and Edgar Rice was missing a few easy strokes. Twice in the second tho Rice brothers led by a vantage game, nnd 10-15 , against their opponents' serve, and each time the Now Zealand combination saved iinely, and ultimately took the set at 14-12.■ Then in tho third set the latter pair looked to have the match well in hand. Thoy led at 2-0, 4-2, and 5-3, and- each of these loads should, in a well-played double, bavo meant tho set and mutch for them, . Quill, however, on tho weak overhead, and tho Sydney pair concentrated their attack on this weakness: and, though Parker intercepted and recovered well, it was just on this tho match turned, and tho Rices won fi—l, 12-14, S-G. A Wellington Note. The Match Commiltce is to bo congratulated on having secured (he services of Mr. A. L. Berry, of the Thermion Club, as lion, secretary, nnd no doubt he will provo a very efficient officer, ns ho has dono on other occasions. .