Lawn Tennis at the Association Ground-Fi…

Rare, c.19th hand coloured engraving of the First Intercolonial Ladies and Gentleman’s tennis Champion Matches held at the Sydney Cricket Ground which commenced on 30th April, 1885.

In 1885, the Lawn Tennis Club of Sydney had invited the MCC to an Intercolonial match to be played on the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Contemporary account:
LAWN TENNIS INTERCOLONIAL TOURNAMENT.

The first intercolonial lawn tennis match between Victoria and New South Wales commenced on the 30th April at the Association Ground, Moore Park. The play took place in some very good courts marked out on the cricket ground in front of the grandstand. There was a numerous attendance, and the scene was graced by the presence of a large number of ladies. Six players represented Victoria, their names being Messrs. Riddell, Coldham, Whyte, Highett, Martin, and Webb; this colony was represented by Messrs. Cropper, Fitzgerald, Merewether, King, Clive, Smith, and Salmon. Single handed matches were played on the first day.

The result was a tie, Victoria winning 18 sets to New South Wales’ 18.

On Saturday, 2nd May, the intercolonial match with Victoria was brought to a conclusion, the result being a decided win for the Victorians, by 37 sets to 26. The weather was again favourable, and a large and enthusiastic audience witnessed the play, which resulted as follows:

Martin and Webb (V.) beat C. Smith and King (N.S.W.) 6-3 6-3
Salmon and Merewether (N.S.W.) beat Whyte and Highett (V.) 5-6 6-5 6-5
Riddell and Coldham (V.) beat Cropper and Fitzgerald (N.S.W.) 6-4 6-1 6-2
Whyte and Highett (V.) beat Cropper and Fitzgerald (N.S.W.) 6-4 6-1 3-6
Highett and Whyte (V.) beat C. Smith and King (N.S.W.) 6-1 6-2 6-0
Riddell and Coldham (V.) beat Salmon and Merewether (N.S.W.) 6-1 4-6 6-1
Martin and Webb (V.) beat Cropper and Fitzgerald (N.S.W.) 6-5 1-6 6-3
Riddell and Coldham (V.) beat C. Smith and King (N.S.W.) 5-6 6-2 6-3
Salmon and Merewether (N.S.W.) beat Martin and Webb (V.) 2-6 6-5 6-4

In the match between C. Smith and King and Martin and Webb, the latter pair proved much the stronger, although Smith played well. A splendid match resulted between Salmon and Merewether and Whyte and Highett; in each set the games were called five all, and in the last game of the deciding set deuce vantage was called five times before the game could be decided. The lobbing of the Victorians was most satisfactory; in fact, all four played an exceptionally good game, but the smashing of Salmon and Merewether gave them the victory. The play of Cropper and Fitzgerald was disappointing throughout, and it was very evident they were not playing up to their form.

The matches in the championship tournament were commenced on Monday, 4th May, and were continued until Thursday 7th. The attendance was much larger than on either of the previous days, possibly owing to the ladies’ matches proving a great attraction to most of the spectators. The day was very favourable for lawn tennis, there being little or no wind, but the presence of a band of music would have much enhanced the day’s sport. The results are as follow:

GENTLEMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
First round.
Mr. Rolin beat Mr. Carnegie
Mr. Highett beat Mr. Fraser
Mr. R. Allen beat Mr. Walker
Mr. King beat Mr. Campbell
Mr. Moore beat Mr. Clive Smith
Mr. Webb beat Mr. Martin

Second round.
Mr. Ismay beat Mr. Whyte
Mr. Riddell beat Mr. A. Allen
Mr. Fitzgerald beat Mr. Cropper
Mr. Salmon a walk over
Mr. C. Bloxsome absent
Mr. Rolin beat Mr. Highett
Mr. Allen beat Mr. King
Mr. Salmon beat Mr. Fitzgerald
Mr. Webb beat Mr. Moore
Mr. Riddell beat Mr. Ismay

LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
Miss Rodd beat Miss Lee
Miss Lamb beat Miss Bloxsome
Miss Gordon beat Mrs. Murray
Miss Fitzgerald beat Miss Scarvell
Miss Gibson a bye

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN’S CHALLENGE PAIRS.
Mr. Clive Smith and Miss Lee beat Mr. Gibson and Miss Gibson
Mr. Cropper and Miss Lamb beat Mr. Ismay and Miss Scarvell
Mr. Whyte and Miss Manning beat Mr. Gordon and Miss Gordon
Mr. Fitzgerald and Miss Fitzgerald a walk over, Mr. Webb and Miss Macdonald absent
Mr. Coldham and Miss Cox beat Mr. Riddell and Miss Bloxsome
Mr. Salmon and Mrs. Want beat Mr. Martin and Mrs. Murray
Mr. Metcalfe and Miss Rodd a bye

GENTLEMEN’S DOUBLE CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
Messrs. King and Rolin beat Messrs. Walker and Colville
Messrs. Allen and Allen beat Messrs. Cropper and Fitzgerald
Messrs. Martin and Webb beat Messrs. Whyte and Highett
Messrs. Salmon and Ismay a walk over, Messrs. Morris and Jenkins absent
Messrs. Fraser and Smith a walk over, Messrs. Sweetland and Paterson absent
Messrs. Merewether and Merewether beat Messrs. Campbell and Wardell
Messrs. Riddell and Coldham a bye

Gentlemen’s Championship, First Round: The matches between Messrs. Highett and Fraser and Messrs. Moore and Clive Smith were of a very close and exciting nature. Mr. Rolin satisfactorily accounted for the New Zealander. Mr. Ismay very easily defeated Mr. Whyte, and Mr. Fitzgerald rather unexpectedly easily beat Mr. Cropper.

Second Round: Mr. Rolin beat Mr. Highett after a tough match, and Mr. Salmon defeated Mr. Fitzgerald after playing every game it was possible to play, which shows the game was very stubbornly contested. Mr. Riddell defeated Mr. Ismay both sets at six games to three, Mr. Ismay’s play being distinctly inferior to that shown by him when playing Mr. Whyte.

Ladies’ Championship: Miss Rodd beat Miss Lee two sets to one, and only needs to play a little more steadily to develop into a very good player. Miss Lamb’s volleying and placing was quite too much for her opponent. Miss Gordon had a hard contest with Mrs. Murray, and Miss Fitzgerald found she had no mean opponent in Miss Scarvell.

Ladies and Gentlemen’s Challenge Pairs: Mr. Cropper and Miss Lamb found doughty opponents in Mr. Ismay and Miss Scarvell; Mr. Coldham and Miss Cox beat Mr. Riddell and Miss Bloxsome after some close and exciting play; Mr. Salmon and Mrs. Want beat Mr. Martin and Mrs. Murray by two sets to one after losing a love set to commence with.

Gentlemen’s Double Championship: Messrs. Allen and Allen created a surprise by defeating Messrs. Cropper and Fitzgerald by two sets to one.

The second day’s play at the Association Ground, Moore Park, resulted in some very interesting and exciting matches. There was again a large and fashionable attendance. The committee, with a view of making the affair more complete, had engaged a band, which played a good selection of music during the afternoon.

From the original edition of the Illustrated Sydney News.