TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 324, 15 January 1909, Page 4

TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

: THE OPENING DAY. 1 ; Ollicials.-Jpresident, Br. Lcatham; ! ground conimitce, Dr. Lcatham, Messrs. i .!. C. Xicholson, H. Stocker, J. I'aton, IF. S. Joluis and S. J. .Smith; refore;, .Mr J, Paton; lion, secretaries, Messrs. J. Patou and 11. Stocker. • The Taranaki Lawn Tennis Association's championship meeting and handicap tournament opened yesterday afternoon on the Xew Plymouth Club's courts. The weather conditions during 'tins few preceding days had been anything but promising, but the morning broke beautifully tine, and by the time l.ixeil for the coininencemeiit of play the courts were in capital playing on) jr. There was a very fair attendance, and •the tournament started under favoralile auspices. I'nfortunately for the spectators, the sky soon became overcast, ■and -t-lii' afternoon became rather cool. Hint this state of things delighted the iplayers, who had a fairly comfortable .temperature and an even light, conditions that do not prevail upon the spectators' ideal day. The joint secretaries ami the I'omiiiitteii were, quite ready with their arrangements, anil the courts were contimiallv occupied during the afternoon, despite th;. fact that many of (he visiting players could not lie ,pro•sent until the second day of the meeting. One improvement upon last year's ariangcmcnt.s is Unit the ■players' ■jinnies are numbered in the catalogue, and cor'responding numbers upon the board posted outside the secretary's ollice convey to the. public the infornjatiou as |..i the games in progress and the names of the, .players. This board, if kept up-to-date, should be much appreciated today by those who are unfamiliar with the persojial appearance of the people they have come to watch. The aftermoon tea. room, was rushed, and the committee will have extra accommodation provided to-day. A refreshment 'booth, also conducted by the Association, did fairly good business. ' It was unfortunate for the Association that Parker was unable to catch 'Wednesday's boat from Onelmngu, as 'promised, for this necessitated re-ar-Tanging the lirst day's fixtures. However, it will mean that now most of the kdiainpions' games are for the two full days. Nevertheless, the public yesterday saw some gimd tennis by players of' colonial repute, notably Pcarsc '(South Canterbury champion). Jcn- , nings (champion at Xclsnji in UJOIiI, I. C. Nicholson, Ca.plen, Mrs. Payne, Miss"s Cave, Brewster and others. A feature of this tournament was the. large entry of players new to tournament gaiuoH, mid some of these showed that they wiil have to be reckoned with in the near 'future.

Tlie first few games passed oil' without much excitement, the winners notching a good lead. In the ladies' singles 'Miss Brewster, who seemed hardly on lier game, went down easily to Miss Cave,of Wanganui. TJie victory was not •nearly so hollow, however, as would 'seem from the score, o—2, o—l, the

games being closely contested, with "Vaiiitago five and six times, in a game 'before finality was reached. Miss Cave ■was superior in. back-hand play. Ait exciting finish was provided in the I'earse-lennings match in the first-grade ' men's handicap singles. Pearse had 27 to catch up, and ho steadily secured these points until when the fifties were reached he was only seven behind. The last ten, points see-sawed in tantalising fashion, and some fine rallies were provided. Pearse's .service lacked its usual sting, hut be was gaining whenever he could get up to the .net. Jennings led at 511—58, but off his service T'carce drew to 5'.) all. Jennings made it CO. and Pearse caught him. but Jen '.'lings took tin; next two and won (>2— till. X. .It. Caplcn was more than a •match for Brailsford in the liaiidieim tingles, lirst grade. Of the second grade 'Don Cameron .of Stratford, won his two games .by clean, active tennis. •Jennings anil Caplcn. in the .handicap doubles, were a strong combination, and easily accounted for Morton and Fookes. On the whole, the standard of plav seen yesterday was promising, and the' tournament should bean attractive one. .MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP SI.NOLES. Taranaki lawn Tennis Association's ' 'Challenge Cup and trophy value ,C2 ' 2s; runner-up. tropin- value. .LI Is, liest, of three sets. 'Advantage sets. Final, best of five sets. Present

holder, 11. A. Parker. .First round: J. A. Brailsford u bye from .1. Baton, Second round: S. J. Smith beat \Y. Lints. (I—l. li-2; J. C. Nicholson beat C. 11. Weston. .11—1, li—ll. .MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES. For trophies value C2 2s each. Best of ■ three sets. Present champions, Fisher ami Peacock. l'irst round: Jennings and Caplcn ■beat Dr. Fookes and Brailsford, IS—O. li—l. LADIES' CIIAMIPIONSHIP SINTiLES. Taranaki Lawn Tennis Association's gold medal and trophy valued at CI Is; runner-up, trophy value CI Iprcscnlcd by Mr. .1. C.Dickie. Present champion, Miss Powdrcll. iFirsl round: Miss Cave beat .Miss lirowstor, (i—2, 0-1. Second round: Miss L. Thomson beat Miss D. Simpson. (i—3, li-2. MEN'S HANDICAP SINCLES. First tirade.—Trophy value .C2 2s; run-ner-up, trophy value CI Is, presented by Mr. A. (('. Wallace. Sixty points up. Advantage game. ■ First round: J. Jennings (12) heat W. I'earsc (owe 15), 02— (ill; N. 11. Caplcn (12) beat J. Brailsford (2(1), 00—54; F. M. It. Fisher a bvc. [nun .1. Paton. Second (irade.-Trophv value. CI: run-ner-up, trophy value. Ills. Sixty points up; advantage game. ■ First round: Caukrodgcr (IS) beat Davics (5), 00—14; Prater (20) beat I'. C. Ainbury (12), 00-13; Mackav (20) beat Broome (18), 00-52; A. li. Ainburv (scr) beat W. P. Crawford (20), (10—55; C. Tl. Weston (12) beat Matthews (18), 00-40; D. Cameron, (scr) beat W. Lints (5), 00-40. Second round: Dines (20) a bye from Johns; .Mackav (20) beat (laukrodger (IS), 00-51; 'lirillin (20) beat Macey (ID), (ill—s(i; 11. Thompson (20) beat Easllicr (12), 00-41; Cameron (scr) beat A. 11. Ainbury (scr), 00—45. MEN'S HANDICAP DOUBLES. Trophies value ,Cl Is each. Sixty points up. Advantage game. l'irst round: Morton and Dr. Fookes (12) beat Macey and Lints (18), 00-41. Second round: Nicholson and Smith (scr) beat Dr. Leatham and Stocks •(20), 00-20; Jennings ami Caplcn (12) beat. Morton ami Fookes (12), 00-45; Ainburv and Amburv (18) beat •Brailsford aml'Crawford (2(i). 00-53.

LADIES' HANDICAP SIX'dLES. Trophy value CI Is; runner up, trophy value Ills, .t'ortv points up. Advantage game. Second round: Miss Thomson 12) beat Mi-s E. Ilurle (id|. 411-37: Miss M. Thom-on (8) boat Mrs. I'ayae (owe 8), 40-:i7. LADIES' HANDICAP DOI'JSLES. Trophies value :C1 Is each. Forty points up. Advantage game. First round': Misses V. Simpson and King |SI beat Misses McAllum and liuudlc 12111, 4()-3li. Second round: .Misses I). Simpson and Cave (.5) beat Misses Thomson (8). 411--30. OOMIIINED HANDICAP 1)01 ISLFS. Trophies value .CI Is each; runncis-up. trophies value Ills each. Sixty points up. Advantage game. First round: '.Miss Potior ami Lints (211) beat .Miss Evans and Crawford 1-2.5), 00 48. OIIAMJI'IOXS PLAY TO-DAY. .Misses .Xunncloy and I'owdvell. Messrs Wilding, Fisher, llrown (Wellington), 'and the remainder of the Taranaki players arrived in town last night. A. A. Parker and A. .1. Jilack are passengers by the liarawa, to arrive this anoruing. ' THIS MOIi.NINC'S PIUNHiAMME. I The following games will commence I at !>.:)(> sharp this morning: ■ Ladies' Chainpiouship Singles, - Miss Xmuneley v. Miss Cave; Miss Powdrcll y". .Mrs. E. Jones. Men's Championsliip Singles.-A. Powdrell v. Ij. S. .Icuiiings. .Men's Handicap Singles. ■— 11. W. Hi-own v. S. .1. Smith: .1. C. .Nicholson v. A. .1. lllack. To be followed byLadies' Handicap" Singles.—Mrs. Parsons v. Mis* J). McAllum. Men's Championship Singles.—F. M. li. Fisher v. X. Caplen. Men's Handicap Singles.-??. .1. Taylor V. S. Powdrell. Men's Handicap Doubles.-lirilliu and Thompson v. .'lones and Whitehead. Men's Handicap Singles. King y, Tingey.