LAWN TENNIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2080, 4 January 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

LAWN TENNIS.

Mrs. Paytcn, tin l champion lady player of Australia, lias broken down in liealtli, and lias been forbidden to even look at a tennis racket for a year at least. it is most unlikely that she will ever play again. The New South Wales lady has been a very fine player, and is just in her prime. Her rallying powers struck terror info most of her opponents, and it was with great intrest that tennis players were* hiking forward to the expected match between her and the New Zealand champion at Sydney next .March. All tennis players will feel deeply for Miss I’ayfeii, who. besides being a real champion at the game, was always one of the best of spoils. THE NEW ZEALAND CHAMI’IONS.l Ill’S. I’LAY IN THE PINAL'S. BRILLIANCY OF PARKER. MTSS NI'NNELEY SCORES HER lit it WIN". The following comments are by the the special correspondent ol the Lyttelton Times, who attended the recent New Zea'and championship Christinas meeting at New Plymouth: Yesterday saw the conclusion of the play in the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association's Championship Tournament. Child interest naturally centred In the final of the men's championship singles. When Parker and On ill stepped into the court to do battle for the blue ribbon of New Zealand tennis, there was as large a crowd of spectators as attended on any day at the tournament in Christchurch. The Christchurch player opened with the serve, making two double faults., but even succeeded in taking the first game ol t.lie match In the second game lie had the advantage in his favor on two occasions, but Parker, with two beaut ilu! passing shots, evened the score. In the next game he put three of Quill's serves into the net. leaving the latter with 2-1 in his favor, but Parker made the, score two all olf bis own service. His splendid accuracy was evident in the next game, and Instood with a game to the good at 3-2. But the Christchurch player was at Hu- top of his game, and lie made the scores even by well placed and determined driving. The seventh game went to Parker, and in the next lie was seen rushing from corner to corner picking up the heavy drives of his opponent, who eventually took the game, making the game four all. The Chritchurch player then became aggressive, and succeeded ill taking the next two games and the set, a feat that perhaps no one else in New Zealand is capable of, and certainly one that no player in the recent Victorian championships succeeded in doing, though “stars” like A. A\ . "Dunlop. It. Heath and H. Rico were among the competitors. The second sot was Parker’s from beginning to end. It showed him at his best, and to those who have seen him play that is full a explanation of how easily he can take a love set. 'I lie third set was most exhausting lor both players. 'The rallies were long and seven-, and in one the hir’l must have crossed the neb at least twenty times, each shot being hard ami well played. A game was called to each, and Quill took the next, winning with a sharp cross-court volley, with his opponent out, id' position. lie "1 > won Hie fourth game, and the score was called 3-1 in his favor' but Parkin'. fully realising the seriousness ol Un- position, made the scores even by determined and accurate p'av. Winning the next, lie led at 1-3. Quill, who had recovered from his temporary lapse, which showed in the second set. was making a great light, and surprise was written <m every lace when the score was called lour all. The

lintli game was tin; longest <>l I la; natch, Icing brought back t<> 'lucre it least seven or eight ('inC' hoi ore bukor succeeded in winning it. lies mperior tact ic.s nnd his magnificen t lecurncy won him the next nlso nnd ho sot nl (j-1. Tin* deriding sot wn ihorl. Two nil was onllod. nnd I’ li'l:•i- won the next two, giving him the oii'l :d 1-2. Hut his opponent hv ino driving on hoth hands lironjjcli L ho scon* to 1-3. This proved his ast s> ore. for the champion ‘took the lost two nnd tho inn toll, nnd.with.it lis sixth Now Zealand championship. )n his piny here he stands in n oln ,s t.v himself, nnd to players throughliil Australasia his splendid areuri-y r.eeins tho ahsolnto limit in his pnr.ienlnr stylo of game. Quill undonht•dlv made a New Zeahtml reput at ion, if ter his splendid fight against a Mayer of Parker's ralihre. and it moves conclusively that he did not get I’encock on an oil day, hut that he

has stepped into the front rank; of Now Zealand tennis, and is now a factor to ho reckoned with in all championship tournaments, lie thoroughly deserves his position, lor it has been won by systematic and conscientious practice. In the ladies’ singles Miss Nuimeloy and Miss Powdrell faced each other in the fina 1 round, and as the latter on three previous occasions had taken a set from her great opponent, many expected that the lady champion would at last meet her Waterloo, especially as the superstitious found that it was her thirteenth clianiWo may not quote the Verv

I —nut shot playing a most important M iss Powdrell bit almost ns bard as her opponent, but. her placing was not so good. The second set was most exciting, for though .Miss Nunneley led at 4-2, her plucky opponent evened the score, largely by hard backhand driving. The ninth game was most determined, and though Miss Nuiineley looked as if she would drop Ironi sheer fatigue, she waited for her opportunity and then pot the whole of her resources into the shot. This made her 5-4, and one or two inaccuracies on Miss PowdrcTs part gave the lady champion a substantial lead in the tenth ganuo which she won, and with it the championship for the thirteenth year in succession. The final of the men’s doubles was played between the- two Taranaki players Dickie and Wallace, and Fisher and Peacock, of Wellington, and something of a surprise was caused by the former pair winning. Tin- first set went to .Dickie and Wallace, after five all had been called, but in tinsecond set the Wellington pair did some very fine work, coming in close to the net and volleying with firstclass precision, and Fisher scoring off his service every time. Though the third set also went to the same pair, Dickie and Wallace did some some splendid volleying, the latter especially being ovry effective. The fourth set saw Fisher and Peacock making more mistakes, and their opponents took advatage of them to establish a long lead. it was never picked itp. and they won the set at (i-3. The final set opened with poor tennis, all ion t' making numbers of mistakes. Peacock's serve was Vespon.sil>le for placing his side ahead with the score at 3-1, but Dickie and Wallace maflo it three all. Fisher’s service gavo him a lead of one, but the three remaining games went to the Taranaki players, largely through Wallace's very clever volleying and some unaccountable mistakes on the part of their opponents. The filial of the combined championship produced some of the most brilliant play of the tournament. Parker and Miss Powdrell met anil defeated Fislu-r and Miss Nuiineley, but there was only one player in the match. J have seen Parker play some striking games, but never before one of the"' extreme brilliancy of this match. He completely dominated the game, and everything he did was ri-dit. Hi- drove, passed, smashed ami volleyed with deadly precision. True. lie. Inst the second set, and fault, could have been found with his play there, but the rest spai'klod with gems of tennis that can lie seen only oil the rarest occasions.