LAWN TENNIS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 231, 4 February 1911, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

THE TARANAKI TOURNAMENT. (By Racquet.) The final of the Ladies' Handicap Singles, played on Thursday last at the New Plymouth Clubs courts, finally the annual tournament of the Taraoaki Lawn Tennis Association, and the Management Committee, under the leadership of Messrs. Pnton and Stocker, are to be congratulated on the successful issue of the meeting. With the exception of the unfortunate interruption on Friday morning, owing to wet weather, competitors were favored with ideal conditions as regards weather and courts, and were thus able to display their best available form. Speaking generally, the standard of play among the men was decidedly good, but with one or two exceptions the lady entrants were probably not quite up to the usual standard of provincial tournaments. In the Champion Singles, Jennings, Wallace, Bonnington and Dickie, whom the handicappers had placed on the same mark in the handicaps, were all likely winners until the last day's play, and displayed genuine championship form. Dickie, whose steady determined style is well known to Taranaki players, was defeated in a close three-set match by the Christchurcu rep. Bonnington, whose consistent and accurate fore-hand and back-hand driving was much admired. This player is one of the few who has successfully cultivated the "Parker" fore-hand drive, with which he effectually dealt with all hiehbounding returns. Wallace, who played himself into form during the tournament had developed his usual pretty and effective game by the time he was called on to meet Jennings, rfhd his victory in the final was well deserved, and a meritorious performance. It is, however a matter of disappointment that, owine to the number of previous matches, Jennings found himself played to a standstill before the third set of the final was properly under way. The Waverley man, maintaining excellent form throughout driving forcibly and accurately, and volleying brilliantly everything o'verhead or shoulder high, was undoubtedly a hard man to beat in a five-set match, and had Jennings been ordinarily fresh, a keen and bri liant match would certainly have resulted. The Canterbury man| however was obliged to retire early in the fourth seat, but had his condition lasted it is quite likely that the championship honors would have rested with him A capable exponent of the modern "get-to-the net game, Jennings is a player who. given good practice, will before lona enhance the reputation he already hat of being a first-class player. With a useful break service and sound ground strokes (including a fine back-hand drive) he is able to take up a position at the net, where his assortment of short screw-volleys quickly places his opponent out of position. • In the Men's Championship Doubles iJickie and Wallace winning in the final from Jennings and .Nicholson, who anpeared to suffer from want of combination more than in the previous rounds. The Ladies Championship, in which the entries were not as large as one would wish, was soon limited to Miss Brewster (who decisively defeated last year's champion. Mrs. Payne) and Mrs. Jones, of Patea, the New Plymouth lady wmnmg the finish after a three-set "aet;» v" Ie p hel ' o,, P° nent P' safety, Miss Brewster went out to wm, and driving 'forcmlv to the. side iS g Et. the matl ' h « nta >£