LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 112, 17 November 1928, Page 22

LAWN TENNIS

• » "HUKA"

| THE BRITISH TEAM MATCHES REVIEWED MISS SPEIRS IMPRESSES ENGLISHMEN. The British team experienced good weather at Auckland, and also at Eotorua. Immediately-after the Test match at Auckland the team left for Eotorua, arriving there on Tuesday, and the players very kindly played an exhibition match on the courts at King Georgo V. Hospital, and the patients were delighted at the splendid display of tennis. In the match against the Maori team, H. W. Austin beat P. E. Jones, 0-0, 0-2; J. C. Gregory beat E. Howell, 0-2, 0-2; C. Collins beat P. Howell, 6-1, 0-1; and E. Higgs beat T. W. Turei, 0-1, 6-1. In the doubles, Austin and Greg&ry beat Jones and E. Howell, 6-2, 6-2; and Collins and Higgs beat P. Howell and Turei, 6-0, 6-1. An exhibition match, Higgs and Collins v. Gregory and Austin, also pleased the gathering of spectators. Gregory and Austin played two sets against Laurcnson and Gray, but the latter pair had no chance, the British pair winning 6-0,. 6-2. Collins and Higgs also beat N. Smith and Thompson, pakcha players of the Eotorua Club, 6-1, 6-0. Mr. H. A. Sabclli, manager of the British team, said that all the members of the team had a most enjoyable timo at Eotorua, and considered that it was the most wonderful place that they had ever seen. The manager was also struck with the great enthusiasm the Maoris had for the game. Considering that somo of them had only been playing for.a few years, the form shown was 'very good indeed. They - were eager to learn, which was half the battle. The visitors had some time for sight-seeing, and were given a real Maori welcome. What with visits to the baths, trout fishing, iMaori concerts, and visiting places of interest, tho time available was all too short for such a wonderland. Members of .the team later returned to Auckland, where they were billed to play an exhibition match at King's College, Mangero. Before departing for Sydney tho team agreed that the tour of New. Zealand was too short and too hurried. They would have liked to stay longer, and each member of the team was most emphatic about tho grout kindness and hospitality the party had met with from pakeha and Maori. "In fact," as tho manager said, "wo shall remember New Zealand for ever." The team will have about three months in Australia, and then go on to South Africa, where about one month's stay is proposed. The tour when completed will have occupied fully eight months. Ladder Matches.. The ladder matches of the Wellington Association are not being played off with the quickness that is essential I for all concerned to receive the full I benefits that these matches are intended to provide. It is not so much the gaining of a higher place on the ladder, but the gaining of experience by playing better players than oneself. Some players are standing aloof, and the committee should find out tho reason why. If players aro not well they should be ■removed from the ladder, but all the other players should know for what period these players aro to bo exempted, and players immediately below them should not bo debarred from challenging the player immediately' above the exempted player. The committee hopes for the success of the ladder, but such cannot be obtained unless the players who are anxious for matches are given every chance to meet those above. It really does not matter what the reason may be for a player not accepting or wanting to accept challenges, that should not permit a block to take place on the ladder. Immediately a playor declines to play, then the player immediately below him or her should bo given a match against the next highest player, and that should be played before tho declining player is reinstated. Past experience throughout New Zealand has clearly shown that prompt and strict action by the Ladder Committee is essential for the success of the scheme. During the week-end the following matches were played:—Miss D. Nicholls beat Miss Brady for what was originally seventh place on the ladder, the score being 6-2, 6-0. The winner dominated the play from start to finish, playing a very fine game, while Miss Brady was never allowed to become aggressive. The positions on the ladies' ladder are now as follows:—Mrs. E. P. Adams, by Def eateihg Mrs. Tracy, occupies No. 1 place; Miss Tracy, No. 2; and Mrs. Melody, No. 3. Miss Howe has moved up from No. 6 to No. 4, owing to Misses East and North not being able to play singlos, and Miss D. Nicholls by defeating Miss Brady, should be now occupying. Noi 5 position and Miss Brady No. 6. Misses East and North, to regain their status, should have to play any player who has advanced to their positions during their spelb from ladder matches. That would be fair to all, and no one could have any real objection. The men's ladder has also.seen somo changes. Don France is No. 1, C. Malfroy, who was debarred from playing the best of 5-set matches, has decided to play. Ho was No. Bon the ladder. N. E. C. Wilson retained his position as No. 3 by defeating Len France, the latter being No. 4. J, M'Gill, who w,as No. 5,' has gone down a ring, being replaced by G. N. T. Goldie, who defeated him 8-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. Goldie had previously withstood a ehallengo from E. H. Donovan. T. Ehodes Williams has made rapid progress. He was ranked as twelfth, but he beat Ben O'Brien, beat W. Hollings, had defaults from E. ML. Perkins and A. E. Sandrall.and by defeating E. H. Donovan in two straight sets now occupies seventh, place. It would appear that tlio Wellington Association can field a men's and ladies' team this season stronger than any other association in the Dominion, and tho chancos of lifting the Anthony Wilding Memorial Challenge Shield from Canterbury, and the holding of the Kathleen Nuunerloy Challenge Casket against all challengers, appears to be very rosy. Nevertheless, Canterbury will have a strong team of mento fight foi tho shiold; and Wellington will require its best four, and well trainod at that, to overcome them. New Zealand Association. At the quarterly meeting of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, held last month, tbo following motion was carried: "That- associations be circularised to the effect that the council considers all complaints should be submitted to the association delegate, and his reply received before such complaints are made public" When the question was before the meeting it was made quito clear that the delegates had. no desire to. muzzle the-

Press, oven were that possible. In fact, criticism is welcomed by delegates on tho council. - Tho motion was carried with the hopes that in tho future associations would get a-direct statement from delegates when they havo any grievance before making such complaints public. Possibly in .nine cases out of ten the delegate can clear the whole matter up to ■ the complete satisfaction of his association, and associations can rest assured that the delegates to tho New Zealand council arc very alert, and very little gets past them without their knowing all about it. , When associations do havo any legitimate grievances, they will always find their follow delegates supporting them, and also sco that the Press is given a true report of the incident. Associations at a distanco from headquarters would do well to send a delegate from their own centre now and'again to the.general meetings of the association, and.after receiving a report from such a dclcgato "Huka" fully believes that associations would know that delegates see to it.that-what-ever is done by the Management Committee or tho council,- is generally ia tbo best interests of the. sport.. / Fortunate Ladies. '■'..'.■.' Some Canterbury lady players were fortunate in haying some' play with the British visitors during-the-team's stay "in Christchurch.. The following is by "Smash" in the Otago "Daily Times": "Oh the Sunday afternoon which they spent in Christchurch, the visiting English players indulged in a series of mixed doubles games at Cash-mere,-in which they were partnered, by Miss Speirs and Miss May Andrew. In reply' to a question asked after the match regarding Miss Speirs's play, Dr. Gregory said that it reminded him of the style of Madamo Borde, a French woman, who drove very hard and-play-ed a vigorous game. He was surprised at the consistency "of Miss Speirs overhead. .Usually one did not look for great brilliance in this department of a woman's game, but Miss Speirs missed nothing. In fact, she has no weakness." Asked how Miss Speirs would compare with English ladies, Dr. Gregory said that although he had not seen her in singles, her combined play was equal to that of the best in England—with perhaps one or two exceptions. Dr. Gregory also praised the play of Miss Andrew. H. W. Austin,! who had played with Miss Speirs earlier, was also very complimentary regarding her game. He remarked that she had "some wonderful shots." Richards beats Kozeluh. Karl Kozeluh, the Czecho-Slovak-ian player, who beat Vincent Richards at Prague, at the Queen's Club (London), and again in an exhibition match at New York, was beaten by Richards 8-6, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2, in tho professional championship of the United States at the Forest Hills grounds. For the first timo since 1919 Kozeluh has had to bow to defeat. The match lasted 90 minutes. Richards was in great form, and hardly made any errors, but Kozeluh was not at homo on the wet turf. He did not have spikes, as did Richards, and from the third game on he played in his stockings, discarding his rubber soled shoes. In the fourth set, the Czech, desperate because his impending fato did something never seen before in the Forest Hills stadium. Unable to maintain contact with the elusive strokes of Eichards, he pulled off his socks and played in his bare feet for an entire game until a whole box of so'eks was brought out. While tho gallery looked on with amusement ho pulled out pair after pair, throwing them into the air helter skelter until he found ones that were to his sizo. and liking. But in shoes or socks, or with his bare feet, Kozeluh, was equally unable to close up the gaps in his court and maintain connections with the ball. It seems doubtful whother he would have been able to do any better had he worn spiked shoes, with which ho is unfamiliar. Richards was perfectly at home on the sodden court. Since the match Kozeluh has beaten Eichards in an exhibition match at Hartford, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1, but Eichards won 6-3, 1-6, 6 : 4, in a covered court match at Heights Casino. It was Kozeluh's first indoor match of his career. At the Notlek Courts, Kozeluh again proved too good for Eichards, beating the American 6«4, 6-3,. 6-0. Tho hard fasit clay court suited the Czech, better than the sodden court at Forest Hills, and ho discarded his customary deep court position many times during tho match, drawing up to the net to exchange dazzling short distance volleys with Eichards. Kozeluh is now willing' to play Tildcn/and in a reply from "Big Bill" that the match should be an exhibition one for charity, tho Czccho replied, "Any time, any place, on hard courts." He was not taking any more sodden grounds. Eichards is reported to bo playing as well as ever he did as an amateur, and going by his matches with Kozeluh, the meeting of,tho latter with Tildcn should draw a great gate.