LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 23371, 14 September 1939, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS

[By Recorder.]

Annual Meeting. The annual meeting 0 f delegates of the Otago Association ivas held last Tuesday night, when Dr John Fulton was re-elected president for the third consecutive year. During the past two seasons Dr Fulton has carried out his duties so successfully that his election for a further term is a most popular one. With him at the head players can rest assured that their interests will receive full consideration. Over 30 delegates, representing about 20 clubs, were present, and keen interest was taken in the election of four vice-presidents and nine members of the executive. The delegates showed their confidence in last year’s executive by re-electing practically the whole of the committee. Mr G. I. Black and Mr S. Jack are the new | members elected, both having been members of the executive in past years. Mr S. Falconer, who retires, has been a hard-working member and has always been willing to give his support and time to association matters. Mr C. Robertson did not seek re-election, and he is another member who has done a lot to further the interests of tennis in Dunedin. His work on the ranking matches scheme inaugurated last year deserves special mention. Considerable discussion took place regarding the playing of . separate men’s and ladies’ matches in the A grade competiton, and it was decided that the' A grade competitions for men and ladies be limited to four teams each, and that, in addition, a mixed A grade competition be played, consisting of the remaining A grade teams and the four top teams of the interi mediate grade. When it is remembered that there were 10 teams in the ■ men’s A grade and eight teams in the ladies’ A grade competitions last year, it is easy to realise the difficult task the executive will have in deciding which teams will be admitted to tho ■ separate A grade competitions. 1 Taking last year’s competition os a guide, the four leading teams in tho ’ A grade competition were: Ladies—• Roslyn. Kaituna, St. Clair, and University; men—Otago, St. Clair, Roslyn. and University. Otago Club has withdrawn from the association, and the fifth team in the men’s competition was Kaituna. However, since last season some of the leading A grade teams have been weakened, while some of the teams which finished in low positions have gained in strength by the transfer of players. It is, therefore, impossible to speculate as to what teams will be considered to be the four strongest in cither the ladies’ or the men’s competitions. The annual report of the association states that there are 1,276 members of affiliated clubs in Dunedin, this number being an increase of 105 on last year’s membership, while the total number of players in the association and affiliated sub-associations for Otago is 2,071. There are 27 clubs affiliated in Dunedin, and the largest clubs are: St. Clair 107, Cosy Dell 75, Roslyn 71, Balmacewen 69, Kaituna 68, Mornington 67, Tainui 63, Otago 62, Caversham 60, St. Patrick’s 60, North-east Valley 57, Moana 52, University 50, and Opoho 50. Outram with 13 and Knox Church with 17 are the smallest clubs. Coaching_ of promising juniors was again carried out by Mr T. Brooks, and it is pleasing to note that as a result a'big improvement was seen in tlie _ play of those selected. Tennis during the _ past season gained in popularity in primary and secondary schools. Regular matches between teams from primary schools are now definitely established, but a further effort to commence a secondary boys’ competition should be made this season. That there is need for the latter competition was evident at the last Easter tournament, when a surprisingly large entry was received for the boys’ events from the secondary schools. K. Bryan. K. Bryan, of tho Roslyn Club, has been transferred to Oamaru and will be missed from Dunedin tennis. He came from Oamaru to Dunedin a few years ago and it was not long before he took his place among the first one or two players in Dunedin. He is at present the holder of the Otago singles title and the Gloghorn Cup. In the latter event which is played for annually by the champions from each cliib he has had marked success. Bryan first won the Gleghorn Cup in 1935 and was successful in retaining the cup till 1938 when he lost to W. Smith. He, however, regained the trophy last year. Although Bryan has been a finalist in many Otago singles championships, last season’s victory was his only success in this event. He always plays spectacular tennis and it has been his aggressive tactics which have brought him success. He is possessed of one of tho hardest smashes ever seen in Dunedin, which, combined with excellent volleying, has made him popular with the spectators. His court demeanour has always been above reproach. Club Openings. Clubs which will hold their opening days to-morrow are Kaituna, VVaimana, Roslyn, Opoho, North-east Valley, and First Church, while those opening on Saturday, September 23, are St. Kilda, Mornington, Caversham; St. Clair, Moana, Balmacewen, Taieri. Port Chalmers, St. Patrick’s, and Cosy Dell. St. Clair and North-east Valley are holding a combined dance on Saturday, September 23, in the Gardens Tea Kiosk to which all tennis players are cordially invited.

J. C. Peacock. Lawn tennis players in New Zealand will regret to learn of the untimely death of J. Campbell Peacock, who was killed in a motor accident in Wellington a few days ago. He was New Zealand singles champion in 1901, having made his first bid for the chain-

pionship in 1897. He learnt the game in Auckland and was several times in the Auckland singles final, carrying off the honour in 1902. He was also a member of the New Zealand Davis Cup team when the Dominion first entered a team os a separate nhtion. Throughout his long tennis career he had numerous successes as_ a doubles player. In addition to being one of New finest players he did more than his share of work as an administrator and had filled the highest possible position in New Zealand, that of president of the New Zealand Association. Mr Peacock’s genial nature and willingness to help the novice made him known to hundreds of players in New Zealand and he will be sorely missed. Notes. The men’s singles championship of the United States is to be completed this week-end, and as members of the Australian Davis Cup 'team are taking part in these championships it will be interesting to see if they repeat their singles performances of last week’s Davis Cup match. The ultimate winner will be hard to pick, especially when one considers that in the recent Davis Cup match Riggs beat Bromwich and lost to Quist, while Parker beat Quist and lost to Bromwich. The Australian Association has requested its Davis Cup team to bring the cup to Australia. When Australia won the Davis Cup from America in 1914, the cup was retained in America for safe custody and was not forwarded to Australia until the end of the Great War.