LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1687, 1 March 1913, Page 16

LAWN TENNIS.

[By Footfault.] : —— / TWO PROVINCES ON ASPHALT. The Asphalt too Much for Swanston. The interprovincial tennis tournamentCanterbury v. Wellington—was played under adverse conditions. TJie heavy rain which fell prior to the match destroyed all hope of the game being played on tho Thorndon. oourts. and the Brougham Hill asphalt courts had to be brought into requisition. This was a disappointment to some of the players who habitually play on grass. ' Wellington's victory wag rather a sweeping one, winning, as they did, by 7 rubbers to 2, ■ and 15 sets to 5.

Perhaps tho player most disconcerted by the asphalt was R. N. If. Swanston, and his match against G. Ollivier, which was gonerally looked forward to as tlio game of the day, was a very, disappointing affair. ,

Those who-have been doubtful as' to the merits of theso two players oan hardly take Saturday's match as any criterion of their abilities. Swanston was "all at sea," and never really rose to the occasion. G. Ollivier, howover, showed some of his best form, and had Swanston displayed something of the form he did against Dixon it would have been a battle royal. One is still in doubt;as to who is the superior player. - Fisher Outlasts Goss. W. Goss put up a good fight against P. M. B. Fisiher, and, in fact, in tho first sot had dt all his own way. Fisher rallied, howover, 'in spite of several 'minor incidents which he complained of as putting him off his game, and in the end came home on condition, as Goss seemed completely done up. The Other Men's Games. J. C. Peacock did not have a great deal of difficulty in disposing of W. Pearse, winning in two sets straight, though the latter always plays a good game, and is a fino sport. Greenwood fell to H. W. Brown, after a fairly oven two-set "go." W. Slieppard's match against H. WhiteParsons was not altogether a spectacular gamo; the latter player did not show good form at all, aivd Slieppard did not nave to play hiis best to win. Seay, a young player with a rather attractive style, fell to Smythe, though ho did not go down without a fight. In tho doubles, Wellington won all throe with ease. Ollivier and Goss should have mado a better stand against Fisher and Peacock. However, Peacock's overhead work was excellent. ft Miss Nunneley and the Other Ladles. The ladies' team proved, on the whole, much too strong for Canterbury. Misses Travers and Nunneley each won her single with the loss of two games only in oach instance. It was pleasing to see Miss Nunneley once more entering tho lists, and at times, she showod signs of her one-timo brilliancy. _ At any rato, sho secured her victory in ihe same decided fashion as of old. Certainly, since she retired from championship tennis, one does not see the wcll-fought-out matches that took place in tho ladies' grado as when 6ho wns a participant. . Miss Van Staveron, who had had the misfortune to scald her hand rather badly just prior to tho match, had a proI longed fight with Miss Bloxnm, but camo out victor in spite of tho disability under which she played. ■

The only Christchurch lady to win her single was Miss M'Dou'gall, who defeated Mrs. Goldip after a three-set "go." Tho latter won the first set and led ■! love in the second, but the Christchurch lady was one of those persistent "gct-baclr-everything" players, nnd Mrs. Goldie seemed to tire and only secured two games

while her opponent captured the necessary twelve. Brougham Hill Championships. So far the men's games in tlio Brougham Hill Club's championships have been l'airly one-sided, but tho ladies matches liavo prodded somb very close contests. In the doubles Misses Davis and Archey very nearly lost to tho Misses Stevens, two young players who will bo'heard of in the future. Tho Matter pair securcd tho first set, and as tho second one was "five nil," it was a close encounter. In the third set the winners made a surp tiling of it by winning 6—2.

Misses Hack and Home also gave Misses Davis' and Archer an anxious time, playing with'great judgment. The score was 6 —4, 5—G, 6—i in favour of tho senior players.

In tho ladies' singles the most notable win so far has been that of Miss E. Stevens over Mrs. J. A. B. Howe. Tho young player's driving and placing were meritorious. She stuck to it right through and many rallies resulted. Her victory was a well-deserved one, more especially as Mrs. llowc secured the first set. Government Departments at Day's Bay. Tho following aro the results in tho tennis tournament played at Day's Bay on Tuesday last between three of the Government Departments:— Advances to Settlers' Office No. 1 v. Valuation Department:—O'Leary 6, v. M'Clintock, 1; Esam, C, v. Watson, 2; Harding, G, v. Carter, 3; 11. Scott. 3, v., Simpson, 6; Miss Batten and O'Leary. v. Miss Cooke and Watson, 2; Miss Lyons and Esam, 3, v. Miss Udy and Carter, 6; Harding and Scott, 6, v. Simpson. and M'Clintock, 4; Misses Batten and Lyons, 3, v. Misses Cooke and Tidy, G. Advances to Settlers' Office No. 1 thus won by 5 sets to 3.

Advances to Settlers' Office Xo. 2 v. Land Tax Office:—Douglas, 1, v. Cooke, G; Burns, 4, v. Grout, 6; Mio, 3, v. Cliilkard, 6; G. Scott, G, v. Hodgkins, 0; Miss Ahem and Mio, 1, v. Miss Graves and Grout, 6; Miss Marchant and Scott, 4, v. Miss Armstrong ,and Hodgkins, G; Douglas and Bums, 5. v. Clark.and Clinkard, 7; Misses Marchant and Aliern, 2, v. Misses Graves and Armstrong, G. Land Tax Office team thus won by 7-sets to 1. Final:—Advances No. I'v.'Land Tox.— O f Leary, 6, v. H. Clarke, 2; Esain; 5, v. Grout, 7; Harding, 6, v. Cliilkard. 3; H. fecott, G, v. Hodgkins, 4; Miss Batten and O'Leary, 12, v. Miss 'Graves and Clark, 10; Miss Lyons and Esam, G, v. 1.153 Armstrong ond Hodgkins, 3; Harding and Scott, 3, v. Grout and Clinkard, 6; Misses Batten and L3-011S, G, v. Misses Graves and Armstrong, 3. . Advances to bettlers No. 1 thus .wqp by G sets to 2. Wilding's Movements. , 10 sa - vs that Wilding may not tillable in the following paragraph:— Mr. A. I. Wilding, who left for a brief visit to Sweden ■ this week, hopes so to arrange his business affairs, that he will not only his title at Wimbledon next year, but, if invited' by Jiis association, represent his country in the Davis Cup P?'/ l' m '»ary round.. We do.not say 'invited by the _ Australasian Association,' because there is just the possibility that before the last day' for receiving challenges arrives New Zealand may decide on a friendly,separation from Australia. As an independent country the Dominion may send an independent challenge. Now claiming one or two candidates for international distinction, notably Mr.'C. Ollivier, its present champion, the New Zealand L.T.A. is naturally anxious to de--velop this talent on fruitful soil; but whether the alliance with tho Commonwealth—an alliance which won the Davis Cup in 1907, and retained it the two following years—is to be broken before next March nothing definite is yet known. If it is severed both colonies must necessarily weaken their immediate prospects of success, for the present champion (whero the winning of two singles is concerned) is nearly as valuablo to Australia i\s to' New Zealand."" "All right," says tho Sydney "Sunday Times." We should be glad to see New Zealand strong enough to enter the lists 011 their own, and they have had theii 1 innings of .tho Davis Cup, and may not wish to wait for another. Wo have done our share. Ollivier lias proved himself able to extend the Englishmen, and is very young. A season or two more will greatly improve him, so that he will be as good as his admirers 'believe him to be. Ho is keen, and ha 3 improved greatly in tho last six months. All the same, I fancy Wilding ivfll see the advisability of attacking tho fortress with Brookes by his side. Having regained tlio Cup (if they can), it would be a more opportune time to separate, if that is really advisable.