TENNIS SURPRISES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1634, 28 December 1912, Page 5

TENNIS SURPRISES.

CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING. OLLIVIER AND MISS TRAVERS BEATEN. FISHER IN BRILLIANT FORM(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Napier, December 27. ' Fine weather again prevailed this morning for the New Zealand lawn tennis championship tournament at Hastings, and the players and spectators were early on the grounds. Some line games were witnessed, notably that between Swanston and Peacock, and that of Hisses Hartgill arid Baird against Misses TraverS and Gray. The other games were not so attractive.

In the second round of the men's singles Fisher disposed of Lampe/ 6—2, B—7—s, and Ollivier put D. K. Diithie under for 6—2, 6—l, 6—2. Miss Hartgill easily defeated Miss Hill, and Miss Travers put Mies Van Staveren out of action.

•The contest in the ladies' doubles between Misses Hartgill and Baird and Misses Tracers and Gray ended somewhat contrary to expectations. In the early stago it seemed more than probable that the local girls would win. Miss Hartgill was driving strongly, and for a while Miss Gray seemed nonplussed by the attack, but she had a powerful ally in Miss Travers,- who time after time pulled oil her brilliant drives and cross-court strokes. Miss Gray recovered a good deal, and gradually the tables were turned, and tho last set was annexed by Misses Travers and Gray by 6—o. ! The Sw'anston-Peaoook fight wfie really worth going a long way to see. Both.men were in splendid form, and their back-liiie work and low volleying were' at time!! such as 'to win loud applause. As the gamo progressed, Swanston'9 form, seenied to improve, while Peacock 6eemed to lose part of his dash. Swanston took the third set in brilliant style, 6—2; tlien Peacock got to work again and took the next set-back, 4—G, but it was clear that Swanston's day of victory had come, and he took the final 6et and the match, 6—o, amid loud applause.

Great-interest wes taken in the match between Ollivier and .. Fisher. It was thought that.upon his Auckland form Ollivier would beat Fisher, but the redoubtable "Dahn" was in form, and he set out to make things uncomfortable for the holder of the New Zealand championship. Ollivier was either out of form, or lie had gone stale, for he opened badly. , Except for occasional flashes of brilliant play, he was much below the expectations of his friends, but there was no disguising the fact that he knew the game. His placing arid driving were at times .splendid* but Fisher's play was irresistible. No such volleying and halfvolley work has been seen for a long time. There is little doubt that Fisher on form can: hold the championship unless a hew Bichrriond enters the field.

After defeating Peacock, Swanston added H. W. Brown to his "scalps," but lie took some time to accomplish the victory,- and the score of G—2, G—2, 6—2, does not properly represent the play. Bothi players shoived up well in base-line 1%.Miss Hartgill's victory over Miss Clarke in the third round of the ladies' singles came after a very attractive game. Miss Hartgill's play shows that she will be a big factor in New Zealand tennis. As Miss Travers had fallen •to Miss Gray, Miss Hartgill lias a big chance of winning ith© chanipionship. Miss Travers's. fallwas most unexpected, but Miss Gray played a: grca.t gaine,_ . One of the concluding contests of the day. was the men's doubles between Fishef and Brown and Peacock and Swanston. . At first it looked as if Peacock arid Swanston were going to, 'win* Brown was decidedly "off/' arid- his play wae not« improved,by .tho ; apparent displeasure of his partner, but things mended. Fisher played shot ■ after shot which could be taken as riofhiiig else blit brilliant, and Brown plucked up - arid did good work ■towards the end. Peacock and Swanston played a rattling game, but Fisher's volleying . and half-volleying and Brown's recovery, ended in the match, going to Fisher and Brown, 7—9, 6—2, B—6, G—2. . The results aro as follow:— Ladies' Doubles. Misses Travers. arid Gray beat Misses Baird arid Hartgill, 6—B< . Mrs. Maddison. arid Miss K. Weliwood beat Misses Brathwaito and D. Weliwood, (i —3, 6-3. • Men's Singles; Swanston beat Peacock, 3—6, 7—5, 6—2, 4-Gi G—o. ' Fishfcr beat Lamps, 6—2, 6—l, 7—5. Ollivier beat D. IC. Duthie, 6—2; 6—l, G—2.

Fisher beat Ollivler, 6-4,. 6—4, 6—4. Swanston beat Brown, 6—2, 6—2, 6—2. Ladies' Singles: Second Bound. Mi 63 Travers beat Miss Van Staveren, 6-2, 6-3. Mists Hartgill beat Miss Hill, 0—0( B—o. Miss Hartgill beat Miss Clark, 6—4, 6—B. Miss Gray beat Miss Travers, o—o, 6—2. Men's Doubles. Duthio and Dntllia beat Waddingbon and A. 0. Wellwood, 5—7 ( B—6, 6—3, 3—o, G—2. . , Fisher and Brown beat Swan&ton and Peacock, 7—9, 6—2, B—6, 6—2. Combined Doubles. Margolionth and Miß3 Clark beat E. Wellwood and Miss D. Wellwood, 6—3, 6-3.

Brown arid Miss Gray beat Peacock and Miss Simpson, 6—4, 6—2. . The finals will bo played to-morrow. His Excellency the Governor will be present on Tuesday.

NOTES ON THE PLAY,

SOME BRILLIANT MATCHES. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Hastings, December 27. Tho New Zealand Tennis Championships were continued to-day in perfect weather, and under ideal conditions.. The semi-finals were entered upon, nnd consequently the interest became keener. If the first .day's play was comparatively tame there was ample redemption to-day, when the poorer players had been weeded out.

Chief attention was given to the Men's Singles in the semi-nnals, for whibh Fisher met Ollivier, and sufprised the cognoscenti by winning handsomely in Si straight sets. The older player _ was in capital form, aiid used a variety of strokes ivith excellent judgment. He Had the chninpion. in trouble from tho commencement. Fisher volleyed ' splendidly anticipated his opponent's jplay with unerring keenness, and won outright on his merits. Ollivier's supporters were nonplussed, and. quite niiturally argued tint the fact that ho had nut got going wjs due not so much to the strength of the opposition as his own weakness on tho day. What force there was in this contention wits to be shfrwn later.

Swimston next met Browin in the eamo ©vent, and from tliG commencement there was only one man in it. Both men flayed from the .base-line almost exclusively, and lons rallies wore, frequent. ' These almost invariably ended to Swanston's advantage, with the result that Brown tried running up. This byno means improved his chances, as llis opponent comfortably beat him with arnica lob nr a handy passing drive. The miitcli 1 is easily described: Swanston, playing very accurately, was content to let his opponent venture and 1093. Whilo this match was on, another important fixture was taking place on the adjoining court, whei'O Miss TriiverS was contesting tho title of Ladies' Singles champion against Miss Gray. Hero again the unexpooted happened, for Miss Gray won in unmistakable fashion. She served overhead in fine style, and rushing up to the net at every opportunity quite dominated the play. The champion failed to get her shots past this clever rind determined opponent, who showed a marked superiority on the day. Miss TraveTS received many fine drives, nnd showed to advantage in long rallies from tho baseline, but she was obviously not in tho best of form. Tho last important.item on tho billot faro was tho semi-final of the Champion Doubles, betwen Fisher and Browii on ono sido of the net and Swanstoii nnd Peacock on tho other. Tho suggestion that Filler's win over Ollivicr was not entirely justified on his own individual form, was quite disabused in this event. Fisher played tho .grime of his lifo,. and ot all the meritorious games played by k oeo who haa oomo to to regarded m an_

| in-and-out player, probably none have surpassed that of to-day. He gave a really brilliant exposition of the game of tennis, qtiito overshadowing the other threo players. This was partly brought about by tho poor showing made by Ih'b partner, for Brown was quite on his gamo in the earlier stage, and, virtually speaking, could not, play a shot. The result was that the Wellingtonian had to score entirely off his own, bat, and this he did in the most convincing style. His opponents, on seeing the weakness of Browh's play, appeared to think they had a good'thing on, and pasted them in to the latter player. Fisher, however, was übiquitous/ being all over the court, and played ivith . marvellous accuracy. Ho had the opposition completely' baffled. Whether he, lobbed, volleyed, drove, or cross-cut he was always effectivo and usually if the ball came withiii "cooee" ho scored from it, just as certainly Broivn failed. As the gain© proceeded Brown gradually recovered form, and in the last set he did quite a full share in securing victory for his side. Fisher occasionally fell away in the last two sets, i but on the whole ho retained his wonderful form from start to finish of the game. ■ -His play was highly attractive; being characterised by a great variety of l strokes, a deadly service, and consistent ; accuracy.

Peacock made determined efforts to stem the tide by overhead work, but most of his smashes failed, and on the whole his work was marked by inaccuracy, while Swanston was apparently feeling the effects of his earlier matches.

To-morrow Fisher meets - Swanston in the final of the Men's Singles, whilst Fisher and Brown meet Ollivier and doss in the Doubles.

DAY'S BAY TOURNAMENT,

CONCLUDING DAT. The handicap meeting held at' Day's Bay under the auspices of the Wellington Provincial Lawn Tennis Association, starting on Boxing Day, was completed yesterday in' beautiful weather. The results were as follow.:— lien's Singles. Third round—Muir (24) v. Bcere (owe 8), 60—52. Semi-finals.—Bull (scr.) v. Edwards (8), CO—s2; Butcher (8) v. MUir (24), 60—52. Final.—Butcher (8) v. Bull (scr.), 60—50. Ladies' Singles. Semi-finals.—Miss Miller (10) v. Miss Isaacs f24), 50—38; Miss Thornton (20) v. Misa Ward. (22), 50—43. • Final—Miss D. Thornton (20) v. Miss Miller (10), 50—31. . Men's Doubles. Semi-finals.—EeGves aid Butcher (4) v. Beore and Simpson (owd i), Taylor and Morrison ■ (24) v. Sim and Muir (30), 70-59. • Final.—Taylor and Morrison (24) v. Reeves and Butcher (4), 70—58. Ladies' Doubles". Final.—Misses Caverhili and Curtis (scr.) V. Misses D. Thornton and Thompson (26), 60-57. . * Combined Doubles. Second'round.—Bull, and Miss Davis (owe 6) v. Hunt and Mrs. Sampson (16), by default.

Third round—Edwards and Miss Miller (10) v. Bull arid Miss Davis (owe 6), GO— SG; Thornton and Miss D. Thornton (30) v. Lewis and Miss Veitch (8), 60—47; Crombie and Miss Hindmarsh (20) y. Eyres and Miss'Halley (24), GO—44. Semi-finals—Crombie and Miss Hindmarsh (20) v. Edwards and Miss Miller (10), (!0—55; Sim and Miss C: Stevens (18) v. Thornton and Miss Thornton (SO), 60— 57.

Pinal.—Sim and Miss C. Stevens (18) v; Crombie and Miss Hindmarsh (20), 60-38.

INVERCARGILL TOURNAMENT.

Invercargill, December 27. At the teniiis tournament H. S. Hamilton (Dunedin) won the' Men's Champion Single, defeating Crammond, 6—3, 6—o, 6 3. He 6eoured. Slazonger's Cup outright. The Men's Handicap Singles (B grade, were won by Hill (Dunedin), who defeated Instone, 9—3.