LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1948, 3 January 1914, Page 12

LAWN TENNIS.

[By Backhand.]

N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP ITEMS. January 22, 23, and 24—Wellington Provincial Championships and Wair.irapa Handicap meeting, at Alastertou. Coming Provincial Tournament. Now that the Dominion championships are out of tho way, local tennis enthusiasts will look forward to the Wellington Provincial Championship Tournament, which takes place at iVlaaterton on January 22, 23, and 24. Entry forms may be hail on application to the AJasterton Club's sccrecary (Mr. H. M. Bodington), with whom entries close on Saturday,' January 17. His address is Box 23,iYlasterton. Tho Wairarapa Handicap mecoting is to bo run in conjunction with the Provincial Championships.' The World's Covered Court Championships aro.this, yeav to be played in Denmark. ! Attendance Not Up to Expectations. Referring to the success of the Dominion Championship Tournament, the secretary of the New Zealand Association (Air. A. J. Petherick), remarked to tho representative of an Auckland paper that tiie play had been quite up to New Zealand "championship standard. At the snmo time the attendances had not been quite up to expectations, a fact wTiich was a little surprising. Air. Potherick remarked that the annual tournament was best patronised when it was held iiVHastirigs, whero enthusiasts turned out in force on each day of the tournament. A regrettable del.iy occurred in connection with Tuesday afternoon's play in'the'New Zealand championships at Auckland, because two of tho contestants in tho men's doubles championship wore called upon to attend a l'unera). Whereas a game had been advertised to. start.at. l .p.m., there was a lengthy interval without even exhibition games. .This latter fact proved disappointing to patrons,—Auckland '"Star." ' j Trophies Won. The tropiiies won by the New Zealand champions included two silver cups (held from year to year) for ladies and gentlemen's singles championships respectively, a handsomo 40-guinea rose bowl ();o bo won two years in succession) and a collection of gold medals for each player whoso namo was to 'be added to tho championship list. A'perpetual trophy for the ladies' singles .championship has been competed for since. 1889 (when Aliss E. Gordon won) in New Zealand, and it is a remarkable fact that it was held by Aliss K. 11. Nunneley, of Wellington, for 13 years in succession, up till 1908. The men's. singles championship cup, like , the' ladies'; was presented by Slazcnger and Sons. It camo into competition in 188G, being held by P. C. Fenwicke for threo years in succession. H. A. Parker held it four times,' AI. Fenwicke thricc, and A. F. Wilding thrice. The handsomo rose bowl presented in 1910 by F. H. Ayrcs and Co., Ltd., has now gone out of competition into tho possession.of Aliss Annie Gray. Its first holder'was Aliss Eva Travers, of Wellington, while it was .taken .the following year by Aliss P. A. Stewart, of Australia, who came over to witness tho Davis Cup matches. Aliss Gray captured.tlio trophy last year, and absolutely this year. It had to be won three times at intervals or twice in succession. Sound Argumonts. , According to _ the "Australasian," tho Lawn Tennis Association of Victoria has for some time past been faced with the fact that, if it is to continue its usefulness, it must have room to expand. 'In, reference to this tho AfeJbourne writer, "Half-Volley," has somo sound arguments in fa\our of tho associations being allotted a portion of the public reserves. His remarks are interesting in view of tho tenuis grounds question in Wellington. ' Tennis (ho says), unlikb golf, which latter is supported and played by men of more leisure and more wealth, requires a ground within easy distance of the city, which will • allow young men to have an hour's exercise at lunch time'or after office hours, and without having to spend several shillings each timo on train and cab fares; Tho price of such a block of land five or six acres in extent, even if land were obtainable, would ue prohibitive. ■ Is it, then, too much .to ask that a small portion of 0110 of the public reserves should bo set aside for the use of the Tennis Association 'i In years gone by cricket, football, and bowling clubs wero all granted the use of portions of the public reserves, not only hero and there, but often to two or more clubs in 0110 suburb. Lawn tennis at that timo was not thought of, or,, if played, was not rogarded seriously. Now, however, wo are faced with the fact that la.wn tennis is ail international sport, and more international in character than any other sport. Whereas cricket is played by threo or perhaps' four nations, lawn, tennis is. playcu by almost every nation under the sun, and yet in Melbourne, although cricket, fotball, md bowling clubs have numerous grounds fenced off in the public reserves for tho playing of club matches and occasional iuter-stato contests, tho'Lawn Tennis Association is unable to provide ono court roallv fit to contest an international match upon. Anyono who has at any timo visited the association's lawns during ttic: progress of a tournament, or even on an ordinary Saturday afternoon, cannot help being struck with the picture presented. Hero wo have a green and level sward, filled with keen_ young men and women, participating in a clean and healthy sport, untainted by professionalism. These few lawns _ provide practically tho only means in Alolbottrno of playing and watching tho gamo played 011 grass under its most attractive conditions. Tho association has demonstrated during tho past, five years that there is 110 limit, but tlio necessity for a _ 111010 spacious area, to the boon which it can confer upon those who seek tho best of exercise, and on thoso who enjoy watching ono of tho most attractive of outdoor games, and yet this body, merely by reason of inadequacy of space, finds itself crampcd in'its efforts, compelled to limit the number of its' members, and unable to make any extension of benefits, either for the young men and womon who -would wish to play, or for th public who would wish to enjoy tlio sceno and tho sport. ' Surely,'then, it is not too much to ask that ono little area of some five or six acres should be set apart in Melbourne, in_order that an international sport should be placed in tlio position it deserves.