LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1639, 4 January 1913, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

[JBi ?Eautrxvsa."i THE BRITISH ISLES' aUARTET. Hastings Club's Championships and Han- ■ dicap?—To follow Australasian Sfeot- / ing., To-day. '■ ■ \ Hawke's Bay (Jnampionships and Danno- - virke Club's Haridicap»-I)aniievirke', January <,"5, and' 7.' -' '"* '*"'" ? British lslo3 v. New Zealand—At Welluur- '. ton, January 7 and'B. '■'■.'■'-.',,' '' Tarauaki Lawn Tennis. Association Championships and Handicap Tournament—At New Plymouth, on January > -16; 17, 18. ' ; * -'■'-,-'•' Wairarapa Open Championships and Mas- ■ torton Club's r Handioaps-^-Masterton, ■' January 22, 23, and 24. ■■- ■ ';■■:>" v">. ; .:;.!"'*""'■■ ■—^~~'" ■''■\:.r..' Facile Princeps-rThe English Captain. When'asked to desoribe the Englishmen and their mode of play,; one is forced to remark that'they are all'typically English, and play-a beautifully free, open, straight-out game. ,'.. . '.■ : "W| > ' The" American seryice is conspicuous by its ; abseuce."'•' Strikes are free andfiill of gT'aop, length, and-pace. ' : ; .i' ; ■Dixon, in the matter of all-round generalship, stands out pre-eminent, his play , stampsi-him >at ■■ onco -as/'an' all-round world's tennis champion; Ho has experience,' quickness.to docido oxaotly.what to do, knows where to placo the ball, how to work his opponent out of'position, and finally how" to grasp the openings'for winping shots. ■,These things,;., indeed, aro merely child's play to him: :'ln hew praqtically-perfection. -;. V' i ;" . : '~ Parke—the Most Agile Man In the Quar- ■;'■■■'■'■-;/[.■■■:■. Parke, although lacking, to some extent, tne marvellous exporienco "of his captain; ia-by far tho most agile of this most interesting and 'brilliant' quartet; Shots that appear to" an'ordinary player to bd impossible of recovery delight Parke. Bushing from side 1 to side with' the quickness of a greyhound, he strikes the ball with all his might, and either puts it down the side-lines with a delightful precision, or "a full • length aoross-courfc shot that loaves no; possible hobo "of return. Possessed with an' abundant amount of stamina.'-nothing seems top much for him, and he shines more' brilliantly, whon pressed most by his opponents; In the off' season-at Home,:. Parke amuses'himself by playinjr international' Rugby football for his: beloved, but distrossful7couhtr'y—lreland—besides indulging'; in' other;' gentle .'athletic' pursuits. • : ■ Beamish—Easy and Graceful. ,-"' Beamish, the third <inan of 'the tcamj must bo given first place with regard to playing; tho most"ateaotiva'game. . By a : long way he'stands out , by .tho ease and grace with which he. executes, his shotß. : •''■' "'' ' >-'. ': ■"''./■."; y .'-'5 ■;■'"''.' ■'■ ' No player has over appeared on a court in, New Zealand anything: like equal to him in this lespoot. ' "'■ : '.>. ■- '■.-..' .'-"'. ' s : ■■/.'. toWe'i Extensive Reach, ' The fourth player, Low*, is also possessed with a very appreciable amount of free, easy action that enables him with his lengthy reach.to command tho court very extensively when, playing up at tho net. His volleys aro chjan, crisp, aad hard, hia driving power is also commendable. ■ .'":' ■'• .'.■■ -.-.'■ ,' : All-four, players are keen adepts at golf, and, indeed, may be summed up as good all-round English sportsmen. . opportunity of witnessing these fiho players at the Thorndon courts on January; 7 and 8 should., be grasped by all playersi ■ ./. ~ : '-' ■■'■■' :.'.- '-.'.. Features of the Hastings Games, The two greatest surprises in tho championship meeting were the remarkable form shown by F. M.. B. Fisher and tho somewhat: easy downfall of Miss Travers in the,:•'ladies'.■ championship', singles. Fisher's consistent form right ■ throughout- the- tournament ;was remarkable; Had he spared 'himself to some, slight degree there Us no doubt that he would /have annexed the New Zealand Championship for-1912. "Playing as he did, and reaching tho,finals in'each case of the singles, doubles, and' combined doubles, there' is no'"doubt that condition told, as indeed it really would on anybody, arid that it proved too-much for him.- However, without detracting "anything from Swanston's fine performance, Fisher deserves hearty congratulations for his fine exhibition. ''■'We'* hiive i all seen- how Miss TriTers fell to Miss Gray. ''Miss Travers hail not been playing quite up to her usual, form for some little timo before tho mef'ting, but it was hoped "that- now surroundings would help her considerably, and apart from th'e singles -her play was really first class." '■ " •'■' '" '■'.' -Mies-Gray, however, must be congratulated, for heT very great pluck, playing as she - has done year after year in New Zealand-championships—at last to "bo successful in' gaining the much coveted honour of Ladies' - Singles Champion'of Now Zealand.- ' ■*'.-.-' • -*> Day's Bay Tournament. Though the tennis at this meeting palle, a little when compared with that '• at Hastings, still somo ; good play was-wit-nessed at-times, and some of.,the juniors played up well. '.''■' The men's - singles was 'won by L. Butcher, who made a very good display in the final in defeating Bull, of Gisborno. Some of his side-line drives wero'par excellence, and as ho was ■up against no mean opponent his win'was a really good one' :'':'■■ -' ■ • : ' ■" , '-' 1 ' The winnors of tho men's doubles were rather "liberally- treated -in the -matter of, handjeap)'and had no great difficulty in'cominß out victorious. The same may bo said of tho winners in tho combined. 'The' ladies' single's"' were annexed by Miss- Thornton, a phicky young player, who possesses somo really good shots. Certainly she could have won with considerably lees'handicap. . ' • Perhaps tlio two that really had tho most difficult task before them wore tho winners'of the 'ladies' doubles, Misses Cavorhill and Curtis, -They played good tennis, all through', anil their performance . of' giving 20 points in'SO in tho final of tho doubles was. a feat that it takes somo manipulating to accomplish. They well'deserved their win.-- •-—' "Twelfth Night" has' been revived bv Mr. Greuville itarkcrin.London. - Lilian I Wacarthy U tti* Violx. '