LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1665, 4 February 1913, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

[By FoomciT.] PEN PICTURE OF BROOKES. Auckland Championships—Eden and Epsom Courts, to-day. • ■ ■, Wellington Provincial Championships '■•' and Palmerston North Club's Handi- : cap Tournament—Palmerston North, March 22, 24, and 25. . •. ; Hit Struggle With Parke. : A detailed account of jthe match between Brookes and J. Ci Parke, when these two met for the second time, is now.to hand, and "Austral" very,clearly shows how and why Brookes was successful in defeating : tho Davis Cup victor. Ho states:— ■'•-.'- What a game it was! For n little while it seemed, indeed, that Brookes could not succeed. ; , Following in on ; his service, he was passed clean again 'and again. Working closer in, he was still beaten' by the pace of Parke's strokes or by tho insidiousness of tho •-•'. ■ hitter's slow drops to his feet. Go--ing for greater pace, on his volleys, he overlnt. the .ball. Against Parke's., services ho first tried for~ greater depth; on his returns, and, following in, was beaten. Then ho tried dragging Parke in with short cut balls, relying on his own skill in passing him or tossing clear. At first this. method failed, for Parke drove the I short ones so hard that Brookes could ! not again reach them. But Brookes gained'more skill as. the niatck ,pro- , grossed, and Tiis command of depth of stroke became so great that Parko never knew what to expect. v .Moreover, when Brookes was right, : back Parke was deprived of the mark to aim at. With-'tho definite gap • between .the volleyor and the side line [■■ .'. to aim at, he can.seoro.a bull's-eye .every, time,: if the stroke is not ox- : tremely difficult,', That is just;where Brookes beat him. . -..■) ■:'■*■'■ .Continuing. "Austral"'says: On his own servico Brookes, N of course, ran in, and tho great skill of his service landed Parke in such .difficulties; that ho' could not, after the first seven games, get past Brookes. A good service' he'; returned deep,and, slow, making■;it' diffioult for iParlcer.tp> <lrite:.;liatdi hlf .he: could, he cut it short, and dragged Parke in. Then, when.hesaw the chance to make- n really stinging: drive of great depth or close to the edge of the lino on Parke's backhand, lie'chased'in'after it, and gained the net, not on anything.'but on a'wellestablished advantage. He was, in short, showing that he Can, if ho c,hoose, play tho wholo game and every variety of it, and;it was the ntixturo.that Parke could not assimilate. He.never knew,what to expect.; Brookes was.still beateniby superlative drives, but he anticipated and out off just as many—and more; and; however astonishing, was the recovery- of Parke, Brookes was still ■ waiting,": liko a cat, close in, and so close that Parke had. ot last, to toss, and foiled frequently in that stroke.; .What is Norman Brookej's Metier?' ' Clearly, Parke's chief ability is to pass a vojleyer clcso in .with drives beyond the skill of any player we have seen, but even he ,has his limits,; and Brookes gauged them accurately, mid conquered. But it showed that Parke's, victory in Melbourne-was no fluke. It was an entirely meritorious victory, and it came largely becauso lit excelled \in skill any driving - Brookes had o'v'or met, though he had beaten S. H. Smith, the migh'tiest driver in England in 1007, and because Brookes doss'not get enough practice out here, in Australia against good players. '._,-• - , ; ' ..

Iho question of tho relative supremacy of Parke and Brooke?,, of course, jtifl remains to bo finally settled'as between thorn personally. Each is one in hand and a three-set match, has not the panic yftlue as a tost as a five-set, and the weather was extremely hot. i This latter, however, niid the glare -were: against Brookes as a vblleyer and as a man of less robust physique. ■'~ > Those who saw this contest, however, and the one tho day before between Brookes i and Dixon, will have Mo hesj. tation m saying that Brookes is to-day tlio finest player the world has eeen. That would bo possible even if Parked WW was the only one'that could boat him. Against all-comers, Brookes would train many more successes 1 than would Parke. ' i ■ .-. r ... .

City Grado Games and Winnen 1912-13.

There are now only two more rounds to complete this Boason's matches, viz., those set down for to-day and for next Saturday. It is now quite' safe to pick the winners, i tho club with tho most winning teams being Brougham Hill. The. club must be congratulated.' They have all stuck together and worked well. The men's junior, third grade, and fourth grade honours go to this club, and in the ladies' the winning junior team lies between Newtown and Brouehnm Hill; tho third grade Brougham Hill wine. , . ,

• Tho men's senior grade is iron by Victoria College, who thoroughly deserve their win. The ladies' senior is won by Wellington. There has been a. falling-off in interest in tho game since the holidays, on account of so many players being out of town. _ Upon their return practice will bo again- in full swing, in preparation for further tournnments,

Tho fina of tho Thorndon Club's men's championship, barring .accidents,' should be between Swanston and Peacock. Swanston is in tho final and»Poacock has nowonly one round to reach it. Tho match will prove of groat interest. .