AUSTRALIA'S TRIUMPH.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3507, 19 June 1920, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S TRIUMPH.

BEITISH VIEWS ON TENNIS. In the course of a review of sport during 1919 the Dally Chronicle comments as follows upon tennis under the heading of "Australia's Triumph":—"Circumstances combined to favour the revival of' lawn tennis in 1919 in a manner which even its keenest devotees did nor expect. There is no bull game common to so many countries, played on so many surfaces, or by so many personalities, and the war's 'general post' had the effect of distributing foreign talent over all parts of the world. Further, the game

had drawn to its fold during the war many of both sexes who, by virtue of the great repression of organised sport, found change and exercise in the pursuit; these recruits (Admiral Beatty, the Lord Chancellor, and Prince Albert may be named as illustrations)

did not abandon their now love when peace came. GAMK THAT GROWS IN FAVOUR, "The army of players was still further augmented by the demobilised uni's of both sexes, not only anxious to celebrate their freedom from irk- ; some bonds, but having cultivated in their long and arduous vigil out of doors a new zest for games. Never has theie been such a demand for lawn tennis requisites (despite inflated prices), never so wide a call for courts; never such an excess of strength at schools, never such crowds at opening meetings. In first-class lawn tenuis the feature of the year was unquestionably the success which attended the oversea and foreign invader at Wimbledon. Every championship title changed hands, and every new champion was born outside England. That result is not quite so humiliating to British prestige when -"; is considered, first that the Australian ' Winners were products of our own missionary zeal —champions without our own Empire, whose immediate forerunners learnt their game from Englishmcn aiu l second, that facilities for practice and training were, owing to the war not the same in all countries. Nevertheless, Australia record in 1919 is unique, rebounding to the skill and temperament of her players. G. L. Patterson, who gained the M.C. on the battlefield, won the singles championship, not only at the age of 2:1. but on his firs: visit to \Tnubledon. In all his eight matches ho only lost one set. and he defeated the holder, Norman Brookes, in the challenge round in three sets. "The success of P. O'Hara Wood and R. V. Thomas in the doubles was more dearly bought, but the Victorian pair achieved 'the distinction, alone among all pairs in England and America, of beating Brookes and Patterson. Another Australian, Randolph Lycett. won the mixed doubles in partnership with Miss Ryan, of California. Even 1 more remarkable —opening "an entirely I new epoch in Wimbledon annals —was the victory of- Mile. Lcnglen in the

ladies'* championship. The King, the Queen, and Princess Mary witnessed '] the challenge round —a match unsur- j passed in excitement and quality, one • in which as much credit is due to the j Britsh defender as to the French challenger, and a match which revealed, as nothing else could, the extraordinary j progress of women's play. The virtue! of volleying was further illustrated when Mile. Lcnglen and Miss Ryan, by defeating Mrs, Chambers and Mrstj Larcombe, won the doubles champion-'.] ship." - i