LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

[Bv Backhand.!]

QENERAL NOTEB AND NEWS. Looal Happenings. Ideal weather on Saturday laat gare tennis players the chance that was needed to sot Ehe season going, and the large attendances at all the courts augerod well for tiie success of the new tennis year. Aftor a few more fine playing days, club members should bo in form by the time that the competitions, commence'. Tho question of grounds is still unsettlod. _ The association's management committeo has had several meetings, but as yot matters have not advanced sufficiently for any definite announcement to be made. American Championships. M. E. M'Loughlin retained the National Singles Championship of America' by defeating Morris Williams, of Philadelphia, by three sets to one. The contest took place at the end of August. In the doubles both tho ' holders, M'Loughlin and Bundy, and the challengers, Strachan and Griffin (both under 19), were West Coast players, and tho holders proved easily triumphant, winning 6—4, 7 —5, 6 —l. What of 1914? Tho Davis Cup will scarcely reaoh home (says "American Lawn Tennis") before wo shall begin to say what of 1914P and start to arrange our lines of defence to repel tho assault that we know is already preparing, and there are some who, faint-hearted to a degreo, aro already beginning to despond. How shall we retain what we have so hardly won if wo are oalled upon to meet tho attack of the mighty Brookes and the indomitable Wilding ? they ask. Wo are not of those who despair. We welcome the ohallengo of tho lawn ten-nis-playing nations. Lot them all como, we cry. The more tho merrier, •nnd instead of fearing that Brookes and Wilding will come, wo fear leßt they will not. Who would not make any sncrifico to watdb the'wonderful Australians engage_ our best, and tho best of Great Britain, Germany, Franco, Canada, Belgium, South Africa on tho velvet sward, with its boundary of white, which wo love so well P We pray that they will come, and if our Dest efforts do not suffice to win the victory, we shall bo the first to acclaim our erstwhile foes, and congratulate them oil their success. But wny become pessimistic? Why anticipate defeat P The old guard, has passed, or is passing, but we halve bred up now, champions, and behind them aro pressing eager youngsters, who are destined, ere many years have passed, to shoulder the M'Loughlins, the Williamsos, and tho Johnsons from the places they now oooupy bo worthily; or, bettor yet, to contest with them for supremo honours for the greater part of a decade. Stern and 6tronuoua Tussla. Splendid tennis was seen in Melbourne on Soptombor 27 in tho first of tho two deciding matches for the Bayles Shield and premiership of Viotoria. Tho two clubs that qualified for tho play ■ off were Melbourne and University. Both clubs were represented by their full strength—tho_ two Davis Cup players, A. W. Dunlop' and R. W. Heath, being included' in tho metropolitan ranks, whilo University's team waß oaptained by A. O'Harra Wood. The large gathering of spectators were treated to the finest exhibition of tennis seen in Victoria since tho Daviß Cup Challenge match (says an exchange). The issuo of tne match hung on tho result of the engagement between, tho four tennis Titans —Dunlop and Heath and the Wood brothers. .

A stern and strenuous tussle for tho first set, which had its full moasure of spectaoular hitting, was extended to 18 games before Dunlop won his service to "fifteen," and tho Melbourne pair squeezed homo at 10—8. University got ahead on tho third game of second set. and won out by hard hammering at 6—4. Dunlop sustained his reputation for tactical ingenuity in. the deciding sot, but tho punishing powers of the two hurricane hitters again prevailed; and University won the rubber at 6 —4. Tho set saved by Dunlop and Heath, however, gavo Melbourne tiio two points for a win on the total scores by 2 rubbers 5 sets 47 games to 2 rubbers 4 sets 41 games. Tho three games' majority gained by Melbourne was to be carried forward and added to tho totals of tho final singles match, which was set down for decision last Saturday. 1 The final results have not yet readied New Zealand.

Important Alteration. An important alt-oration was noticed recently when the Lawn Tennis Association of Victoria issued tho programme of ovonts in connection with the annual inter-State and championship meeting. The alteration referred to is in the sohools' ohampionship. Hitherto the ohampionship has been restricted to the great publio schools. This year, however, tco event is open to any boys attending any school in tho Commonwealth. A Visit to Rusßla. The reoent visit of English players to Russia arousod considerable enthusiasm in the land of tho Tsar, where the game has influential support, and the form is highly promising, I notice (sayß "Baseline" in the London "Sportsman") that 0. P. Dixon attributes his defeat by Count Soumarakoff-Elston mainly to the young Russian forcing him out of court by driving* to which exceptional top spin was applied. By this means Dixon was kept mainly on tho, defensive, whilst he admits to being tired in the fifth set, which went against him to lovo. Patbury, the Moscow player, also beat Dixon, tho court in this instance muoh too slow for the Englishman, and his timing off the ground badly at fault. A. Macphorson, who appeax at Dulwich early in the soason, showed somo pretty form against tho tourists, and there is little doubt that, with more attention to tactios in' doubles play, Russia will oventually occupy a prominent plaoe in the game. Dixon has a very high opinion of Count Soumarakoff-Elston, whom ho describes as' a natural talented player. Tlio Camo In India. A ■ correspondent in "Lawn Tennis" has an interesting article on lawn tennis in India, whero "exiled Englishmen" play the game with zest and enthusiasm. The writer, in commenting on tho entry of Canada and South Africa for tho Davis Cup, suggosts that the date is not far distant whon India will compete, but does not say whether his team would be made up of Englishmen with a residential qualification or native talent. Generally speaking, tho natives do not show sufficient energy to play well so stronuouß a game, although among the Parsoes th«r« are many capable players. In soma parts of India tho grass courts are beautifully mado, and in others vorygood mud courts are laid down. It is interesting to note that in. tho final of tho rccont Simla teurnamont tho Mnharnj Singh was beaten by G. M. G'oatcs, an Englishman who was within a stroko of defeat in tho third set. Evidently tho heat affected both mon, and reduced play in tho fifth sot almost to a travesty of the gamo. On this score tho correspondent of "Lawn Tennis" urges that 'only three-sot matches should bo, played in India, whero tho climato is so trying.