TENNIS CHAMPIONS.

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

TENNIS CHAMPIONS.

MATCHES IN CHRISTCHUROH,

(By Telegraph-Presi AsMotatiom) : -Chrlstchurch, January 3. Tho tenuis matches between the Davis Cup team and, tho ' Now Zealand toain wore played to-dayl in tho presence of e, fair attendance of; spectators. ; Tho. results jvero OS follow ;— Lowo (Britain) -boat Swanston .(Now' Zealand), 0-3, 0-8, 0-3. '. Parke (Britain)-: beat Goas (New Zea- •', land), 6—l, 6—2, o—l. -."....' ■' • ■ i , ; Dixon, n)id Beamish; (Britain) beat Ollivior and Fisher (New Zealand). B—o. 6-3, 0-8, (5—2, 6—l. .■■■■: > ' ■■-■~ Tho'first Binglca match—that between ' : Lowo:,and Swanston—'possessed particular ' interest.in that it marked. the first ap- ■ < pearanco in Christchurch of a member of tho present world's champion tcami Lowo played an essentially back-line ganio, and did not seem to mind how inuch running about ho had to do, provided it was to*. ■ -' wards tho net. • A feature of his-play, war his backhand work. When in anything like position to do so ho invariablyTmad< use of tho backhand for all varieties o'i * strokes, ■ hia chief asset undoubtedly! being'■-' his deadly cross-court drive, which! just skimmed tho not. He'was.'nothing like : . as strong on his forehand, and Swanston, ! perceiving this, provided him as .far'.at/'ho could in that quarter. ■;'.".■ .• v : Swanston certainly played well. Ee ■■-,-,' kept a'-good-length,'and. his judgment/in . the matter ofilplacing kept his opponent: on the move. His sen-ice, however, ■■ ■■" possessed few, terrors for his adversary, and his backhand work was not too sat-\ '~ isfactory. Lowo, on tho other hand, mado :"'''• good off ; his ijervice, which was. "well placed and with plenty of work on the' ' ball. ":".': ',' .' ' ; , The next match, that between Parko : ' and Goss, was not expected to be ai verj '' serious affair, but tho Christchuroh vote- ' ran nevertheless did not do so badly when v faced with the. conqueror of Norman' , Brookes. Not very much was seen of .Parke's famous lightning Irish drive, - which made his match, against Brookes, ' out now. and again ■he brought it :■, into '.-' action, 'and it wasa most effective stroke, '..-'■•'.\ iQoss sought rcllof from fast driving by : • lobbingi at which ho is an adept. • Ho ■ made 6omo headway by so doing; but tho ■". result was ■ novcr m doubt, and Parke, ' , without being at all extended, won tho ' ','-,-. mntcV in three straight sots, 0—1,'6—2, J 6-1. y. ./• .*•.■' ■/.y ■■• ■.■•."• ■ ■'■■ i Tho treat of the afternoon was the play ' V in. the doubles, when Fisher and Ollivier ,'!j motlDixon and Beamish. Tho teams were : -!i ];W«11 matclicd, and five' sets had. to,bo \ ' .played before tho final result'was.'played.: -'■' ' Tho New Zealandors started off well, and ; ';: for- the .time seemed.likely, to. bo the' win- ■:' ning team, but Fisher ■'■•■. Beamish, who, was out'of; sorts in tho ,' earlier stages of, tho'game, improved con- :'.: sidorably. and it was this diffcrenco'that swayed tno result; .-■.'■ ~''■'-.'•■''"'■:'< ■; '•■■ ':■ y■';