LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 66

LAWN TENNIS.

BY RACQUET.

A GRADE TABLE. Banner Club. P. W. L. D. Points. Otago .. v . 4 4 — — & ♦ ' Kaituna I /,- * 3 1 — • 6 ' Port .. .< i. I 3 1 — 6 Valley ..* J, i . a 2 — 4 Roslyn .» #fe 4 1 a 1 8 Balmacewen >, 4 1 2 1 8 Kaituna II .. *. 1- 8 — 2 Hauiftro .. n 4 •» 4 — ~ The Tennis Association has been most fortunate in regard to weather for its grade matches, and Saturday was no exception, the conditions being exceptionally favourable. - « Once more the Match Committee is to be congratulated upon the 'closeness of some of the results; in one case the match ending in "a draw, , and ill another a win by three games being registered. The match Kaituna No. 1 versus Kaituna No. 2 seems to have 'been a «ort of mix up. Only one of the ladies' "of the latter team putting in an appearance. • This is" a veix. unsatisfactory state of -affairs, " and unless -in* the case of illness- 'dve v -notice should" have been-jfiven to-the 'secretary^" fully two 'days before the match, -'to allow; of- their ' places' being, filled-. If players"; do not take sufficienlTj.interest in "their club* to turn up ' on match days, it is ,timeta~ change in the personnel of team was inadeX- Had the" match been played with complete teams, the No. 2 would, have just -about won — the result as it was being 17 games in favour of the No. 1. ■ The No. 1 team owed 35 games, and the No. 2 lost 36 games according to the match rules, on account of the ladies who were absent. C. Braithwaite was' in good fettle in his' single against Jardine, being- more consistent than his opponent ,who is at times quite .brilliant. Braithwaite has a free, all--round style, and nothing comes amiss to him. Jardine, on the other hand, has a very -good service, likewise a good drive and smashj but is extremely erratic, and "will not steady down! In the double Tr&me, Braithwaite - and Tomlinsbn a-gainst Nicolson and Jardine, the latter pair «ained a well-deserved- victo*"" over their opponents by stood head. work. Early in the set .thei^found Tomlinson the weakness, consequenfly yave him all the work to do, Braithwaite seldom getting a bairto hit. " v ' '" . ' Smith -somewhat surnrised everyone by beating Morice rather decisively "in. the 'singles. Smith has a r liard' "drive to -the back of the court, and he gets it in very •frequently:' He v has' no- Back-hand, but, changes "hands, and plays equally well- with either hand.'' . v " The- Otago-Port .match prodiieed come excellent* tennis. TWPort held'iheir own • ?for % halfway. through 'the match, But "fell to .pieces" in two v of, lhe men's «in"^ee^and the; ladies' events, which % loat ."tbefii the -match" by only "three games., t'"o"ta"'o"oo6ceded>3s' games, and i -very "Cnearly xesrisWred -their' 'first^ defeat. Syiclair (Ota'Rol -was unfortu-. nafely called out of to'wri on Saturday morn--ing, and his place wa«" filled s at the' last moment by Ruddock.^ Thi6 ohange^maide it much .harder for_ Otajjo as,. "Sinclair, is a stronger; pliver than "his substitute." The game between Bundle and Bauchop was veryvliyely, and* although 7th& Otago player won by. "a good margin, the "score was_no indication of- the «ame. Bauchop" was driving to the Iwck-hand -corner N with unerring regularity, ,jt>ut st'enerally' made mistake . in rushinß, to the net at the "w&ng time, and allowing Bundle to pass him" or* lob. over his head. Bundle end Harrawav only managed to squeeze home against Bauohop and Borne in the doubles— in^fact, with a little luck, the Port TOmbiriatSbn might easily have won. s They' play very well together, ana their opponents had to use all -their knowledge to save- a. defeat. Borne haseeldomplayed to better ' advantage than in his single with Friedlander. His smashing, serving; and volleying was deadly at times, but he fails when .he gets a low ball at the net. He usually plays it too sott}y, and finds* the net.' Friedlander .was not quite .up -to .his usual i form,, still n« played 6urprisingly' I 'well. I .Harraway had an .easy victory over ! Leonard, winning the set with the loss of. [ one game 1 . Ruddock had to accept victory aJb the hands of Parker (who, by the way, is brother to"H. A. Parker, =the champion). Parker has a^ weak serve, aibeautiful foreI hand drive, and -volleys .well. He-. never I seems to exert himself-, and always appeare ac -cool as 'the proverbial cucumber: We.might expect' to hear more bf thisplayei'- ' in. the jiear'futurf.'v* , ', ",.-/,. Some good tennis was .witnessed, m the ladies'" events.- Mi6S Bauchop's free -fore-. j hand driving "was" greatly, admired. It has.good length and pace,y*out sh&cunfoftunately uses it rather 1 , indiscriminately" at. 4imes. I Misses Hislop and Royse upheld the' hbno'ur-of their club in ajbefitting manner. ; The Misses Stevenaon are keen players with plenty of dash, and although they have onl*r been playing for three seasons they have come on wonderfully well. Both of the Browns had an, easy victory ia their singles ftt Roslyn. They split Up in the Doubles, "Bob" playing with M'Kerrow, while "Steve" played with Moody. The change was a judicious one, as both -event*, were won decisively. The ladies.are the- weakness in the Balmacewen Club, and it was the losses in their -events that equalised the wins on the men's side, and so ..brought the result out a draw. The Roslyn Club- received. -20 games handicap, which turned out to be ac close as, possible. The HaiJearo^have had very"t»a luck so far in their matches. Although; they have lost on each occasion, all the "matches have been extremely close., Thefollowiftg shows the margins they have gone down by in the four contests— 7, 8, 11, and 12 games. They .have not been qver-n«<ndicapped, .but just want a little more luck. . On Saturday Bray, Boys, and Gleri all won their -singles decisively. The Men's Doubles both fell to the George Street Club. • It was - in ' the combined .and ladies' events^ that the Valley pulled up. Misses Murray and. Wilson were in good driving form, and annexed their respective singles against Misses Smith and Lees -in "good style. .' The same ladies, however, lost to the Hauraro combination in the 'Doubles' after ~ a very close, hardgame. Miss Wilsons play was very atraotive." Boyd and Miss Lees should not have lost their combined game. "Boyd usually is. a very? dangerous ■ combined player, and when supported by a player- of Miss- Leer standard should easily have; accounted for a. win. ' '-• „..-„ Remarks on" the B Grade matches will M i-fede in next freek't £ot«t.