LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1889, 18 October 1913, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

[By Baokhand.]

OVERSEA & LOCAL NOTES.

December 26, 27, 29, and l 80 —'New Zealand Championships, at Auckland.

Umvelooms Pour. Ba.in might have been welcome enough to the farmers this week, but tho Thorndon Tennis Club would hardly view it that way. The grass courts in Halswoll Street wero to havo been opened to-day, but as a result of Thursday's showers tho turf will probably be too damp for play. Members, however, are not to bo kept off until tho following Saturday. If the weather improves, play will be started during the coining week. By all accounts tho club wall have most of its craok players to represent it again this season, and R. N. K. SwanEton will be on hand to defend his title as New Zealand champion in December. The annual meoting of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association is to bo held next Thursday week, whon the new Management Committee will bo elected. Sotting up a Tennis Library. A circular recently issued states that the Management Committee of tho New Zealand Association has obtained several books as tho nucleus of a reference library. Secretaries of associations may receive a loan of any of the books, and must accept all responsibility for their oaro and return. Arrangements for loan may b© made with Mr. A. Petiherick, secretary of the Now Zealand Association. Tho books are:— Wilding's "On tho Court and Off"; Paret's "Lawn Tennis 1 '; Wallis My or' 3 "Complete Lawn Tennis Player": Beldam and Vailo's "Great Lawn Tennis Players" j Mrs. Lambert Chambers's "Lawn Tenuis for Ladies"; tho "Tennis Badminton Number"; Vaile's "Modern Lawn Tennis"; Austral's "Lawn Tenuis in Australasia"; Tompkins's "Court Tennis Rackets andiSquash"; Ritchie's "Lawn Tennis"; Eustace Miles s "Lawn Tennis": Vailo's "Tennis Guide." Notes from the South. Word- from Dunedi'n states that tho association there is making vigorous efforts to stimulate interest ini oountry tennis, and in tho furtherance of this object is arranging a number of town versus country contests for Labour Day (October 27). A team from Milton— where lawn tennis is in a very flourishing condition—mil visit tho city, and try conclusions with the Roslyn Club. North-East Valley travel to Balclutha, whilo a team from tho association, dtio from Moann, and possibly another will journey to Oamaru to meet the various clubß there. Tho Ashburton Club decided at its annual meeting not to hold ft tournament during the coming Christmas holidays, as it was considered that tho Auckland Exhibition would militate against its success. Courtcraft Beats Drllllanoy. Tho final «iiiglc3 matoh to determine tho premiership of Victoria for 1913 and the holders of tho Bayles Shield was played on Saturday, Octobor 4, between M.C.C. and University.

Tho first pair to play wore A. W. Dunlop_ (M.) and P. O'Hara Wood (TJ.), and this matoh (sayß the "Argus") furnished a splendid example of tho manner in which, experience and court-craft can overcome sheer lirillianoy of execution. The younger player at the outset adopted his usual forcing tactics, and came into the net on everything, and for /three games tho veteran placed down the side lines or lobbed cleverly. By that .time he had sha ken the University player's confidence in himself, and driven him to tako up his position on tho base-lino, and there he was kept. Varying. his paoo and length very cleverly, Dunlop kept his opponent guessing, and eventually completely demoralised lus gamo, tho rubber going to M.C.C. at G—3, 6—l. It is a long t!mo since Dunlop has shown such fine form in singles. This unexpected reverso naturally had a depressing effeot on the University team, and the rest of tho matoh was comparatively uninteresting . . Melbourne, being three games ahead on tho doubles match of the previous week, wore now in an impregnable position, so .that the rubber between R. W. Heath and A. O'Hara Wood could not influence tho final result, but both men had many supporters, Who were keenly interested in the result of_ their encounter. Wood commonced in brilliant form, and played nil over his opponent, who is invariably a slow starter, for tho first tlireo games. Then, however, Heath got into his stride, and, playing exceedingly well, ran out a yvinnor of the set oy taking the next six games. Tho second was well contested, hut both players made many mistakes. University winning, 7—5. In the final set Wood again rushed away with a load of 3 —o, but then again, as in the first set, Heath played tho better game, and again won six games on end, and the rubber. This is the eleventh' timo that Melbourne has won the premiership, and A. W. Dunlop has captained them In six cf their oleven wins. M'Loughlin ami Williams. When questioned at Wimbledon as to the relative merits of M. E. M'Loughlin and R. N. Williams, I ventured tho opinion that thore was a difference of 15 botweon them on general merit, despite Williams'b greater strength (Jn .tho backhand off tho ground (says ".Baseline" in tho London. "Sportsman"), There were many who averred that; Williams was as good a player as hts illustrious colleague, but did not have tho same opportunities of asserting himself, especially as ho made way for M'Loughlin in the championship. Thoro can bo iio question, however, as to M'Loughlin's being tho more matured gamo, and, on the whole, much the better controlled. Evidence of this fact was forthcoming in M'Louglilin's recent decisive win over the Harvard man in the American Championship final, and the hollow nature of his victory over Wallace Johnson further testified t<i the exceptional prowess of M'Loughlin. It was thought by many in America that witfh tho senso of Davis Cup responsibilities upon him, was given rather too much to do when in England, and that he was not quite 'himself when ho opposed A. F. Wilding in tho Championship challenge round and J. C. Parke in tho Davis Cup-tio. Most cer» tainlv ho did not reproduce,his wonderful Championship form against Parke until lie had made sure of beating C. P. Dixon in tho international match, ,and then he revealed most impvessivo 'all-round ability. But M'Loughlin emphatically refuted my contention that he struck a brief period of staloness over hero; a. contention, by tho'wov, that had the, support of Mr. R. D. Wrenn, who told.nii interviewer that ho thought M'Lowzhlin had been a little I stale without knowing it. I asserted ! at the time that M'Loughlin, perhaps unconsciouslv, wns reouiring , greater ! efforts by which to produce his effects, and I still think it was so, as it is so easy for a player of any strenuous raiee . to feel nil ripht and yet havo a little something lacking of which ho is not aware. Sometimes it is nervo strain and at others physical. By playing through the lareo field for the American Championship for the second time, and after his heavy work m 'England, M'Loughlin accomplished a trulv great performance. It has been freely said ! that Williams is destined to bceomo n greater player than M'T/Oiighlin now is. Of (his I have my doubts, as M'Lougni lin has the better temperament for a , sustained effort, and at his best plavs a, moro fluent eame than appears to bo within ttio r&wjh of William*-