ON THE COURTS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 55, 5 April 1930, Page 12

ON THE COURTS

s SEASON DRAWING TO A CLOSE TENNIS NEWS AND VIEWS ^ ;

(Notes by "Racquet."')

With the eyening period of daylight shortening daily, the tennis season is now drawing to a close. Most clubs have now completed their championships, while at those where they are not eomplete, they have reached the final stages. At Hawke's Bay several events have -yeb to b© completed, holidays taken late in the season holding up the finals. AT NELSON' P ARK The season has 'been a good one as far as Nelson Park is .-concerned. At tbe end of the tennis term Marchant still retains his lead on the club ladder, despite consistent challenging- by Amner, the ex-Hawke's Bay Club colt, whose form this season has shown further improvement. The club championships have reached conclusion, the most outstanding per-' formanee being that of Miss Donnelly and Mrs Henderson, who carried off both championship and handicaps on the ladies' doubles event. The ladies' single championship was secured by Miss McRae, a visitor to Napier from the Christchurch Training College. Amnei: and Henderson won the men's .douhles championship, while Nash and Reicl carried off the handicaps. The combined championships were oarried off by Marchant and Mrs Henderson, and the handicaps by Smith and Miss R. Wolfe. Nash and Miss Hodge were the winners of a most successful Yankee tournament held on th§ club's courts last Saturday. DAVIS* CUP *CONTESTS The Davis Cup contest for 1930 has drawn good* entries, but helow the record of 1928, when 34 nations competed. Last year 29 challenges were received, and this year the total is qtie less. Altogether 24 nations have eleeted to play in the European zone and four in the American. Chile, Portugal and _ South Africa have not challenged this year, but Australia and Tndia have re-entered the lists. Mexico plays Cuba, and Canada meets the United States in the American zone, and the resnlt is a foregone conclusion —the United States, with two easy wins, will qualify for the inter-zone final. With twenty-four nations in the European contest the finding of the wjnner is not too easy, as new champions are sprung on the public sudden]y_ at times on the Continent. Of the sixteen nations which meet in the first round the drnw is as follows : — Greece v._ India, Japan v. Hungary, •Jugo-SIavia v. Sweden, Belgium V. Sp'ain, Australia v Switzerland, Monaco v. Ireland, Poland .v. Roumania, and

Germany v. Great Britain. Byes in the top half are CzechoSlovakia v. Denmark, Holland v. Fini land, while byes in the lower half arai Norway v. Austria and Italy v. Egypt.; Australia heads the lists in the lowelj half of the draw, and from that information the draw can be worked out.To all appearances the lower half will be the strongest, and Australia is not' only in the strongest half, but also in. the strongest quartfer. Greater Britain,by the luck of the' draw, is meetihg Germany for the third consecutive year, but this year the match must be played in England. Although Germany's name was drawn before Great Britain' s, and under ordinary circumstances would have the choice of ground, there is a rule relating to two nations who have met before in the three preceding 'vears, which causes the nation which had the choice of ground last year to •forfeit the riaht on the next occasion of meeting. So Germany's players will have to go to England this year. Aus* tralia to reach the third round has toi beat Switzerland and possibly Treland# and should there meet Great Britain^ Owing to the death of H. Moldenhauer,- • Geimanv's chances have been greatly weakened. * * * CHANCES OF TEAMS In the last quarter Italy should beaii Egypt, and also Austria or Norway and then the winner has to meet eithec Australia or Great Britain in the semifinal. The top half is composed of a' vei-y even lot, but Czecho-Slovakia oa paper looks best in the top quarter^ and Japan in the second quarter., These two may fight the top half out,with the chances in favour of the firstnamed nation, as the match will havei to be played at Prague, Czecho-Slovakia: having been drawn first in tbe ballot for places. Australia appears to have a very even chance of meeting the United States in the inter-zone final, "but the Australia ns will have to get accustoraed to the hard courts of Czecho-Slovakia,. ptherwise they may experience defeat! if they get that far. The first round must he completed by May 6, the second round by May 18, the third round hy June 9, and the zone finals on July 11. 12 and 13. The inter-zone final is to he played cyi July 18, 19 and 20, and the chalIpnge round on July 25, ' 26 and 27.Australia, being at the top of the' lower half, can remain in England to play all matches there on grass, and thus get in practice for the championships at Wimbledon, but after the championships the Australians may have to meet Italy in England, ana then, if still in, they will play possibly Japan or Czecho-Slovakia.