LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 301, 22 December 1923, Page 8 (Supplement)

LAWN TENNIS.

(By HALF-VOLLEY.) CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTLP.ES. Auckland—January '26. 2S. 29. lh-4. Ilawke's Bay—January -9, 30. 81. t924. Marlborough—December 25. '-'6, 27, 19'-H. ' Otago—Easter Holidays, 19-4. , Southland—December '-'•", -13, -7, 1D23. Taranaki—January _. n. lv, 11, 1924. ; Waikato—Easter Holidays, I»2_. , Wellington—January 10. 17. 18, 13, 10-4. West Coast—January lti. 17, 18, 19-4. , N.Z. Champiouships, at Christchurch— December _«. -7. __. 29. 31, 192... I North Otago, at uauiuru—December '-j, -C. 27, 1023. Rotorua Opeu, at Rotorua—December 25, ; 28. 27. 1923. South Canterbury, at Tiuiaru —December 31, January 1 and 2. i The inter-club matches under the aus- ' pices of the Auckland Lawn Tennis Asso- I ciatiou were continued at Stanley Street ] last .Saturday in perfect weather. Some interesting matches took place in the j A grade between Eden apd Epsom and Parneil, which the former club won by i six matches to one. ; In the first singles Tallis could only , get three games against Bartleet, who is continuing to show line form. Tallis did a good deal of blind hitting, particularly ' on his service. He would be well advised ' to even up this part of his game. At \ present his lirst service is usually wasted through being hit too hard, and his \ second simply asks to be knocked off the court by anyone who is the possessor of ' a good forehand drive. ' Williams and Webster had a very ' close match. The former player mixes his game well, and added to his reputa- i tion by playing out a drawn game with such a steady opponent. Webster's ' strokes, as usual, could have done with a * little more pace. Coates played well against V. Johns in the third single. His forehand chop was working very consistently, and the i Eden and Epsom player only just saved the first set. Coates led 40—15 on his own service, with the games at 5 all, so : that he had two set points. He failed, ' however, to put across the necessary winner, and Johns saved the set. The Parneil player won the second set at o—40 —4 and, no time being left for the third, the match ended iv a draw. McGregor proved too steady for A. S. C. Brown, and ran out in straight sets. Riddell and Campbell had a very even game, each getting a set. Williams and Home could only get five games from Bartleet and Webster. Bartleet largely dominated the play, and • the Eden and Epsom pair were never really in danger. Tallis and Coates went down badly to the Johns brothers, the last set being a love one. The Parneil pair played without any sting, their second services being particularly weak, and allowing their opponents to stand right in on the service line and hit them for clean wins. Tallis again was the greatest offender in this respect. McGregor. and Riddell had a very even match with Brown and Campbell, the latter pair just winning the last set at 6 —5. Tallis and Coates played a better game against Bartleet and Webster, though the Eden and Epsom pair Were never seriously pressed. Tallis was getting more of his first services in. Johns brothers added another win to their credit, accounting for Williams and Home. This was a fairly even match. Williams volleyed very nicely at times. Home took shots that "were going out on occasions, but beyond this played very well. Congratulations to D. J. France on another victory in, the Wellington ladder matches, this time at the expense of J. |C. Peacock, who has already been mentioned as a possible New Zealand Davis Cup representative. France defeated him after a hard, fast game, 3—o, 6 —2, 0 I. The "Dominion" states that Peacock complained of a sprained ankle, but that France's style of play, short shots, sharply angled, were too strong for him. France, moreover, plnyed so well that even if Peacock had been thoroughly sound the result might have been little different. A match of more than usual interest was played at Remuera on Saturday between two old rivals, Miss Marjorie Macfarlane and Miss Knight for the first position in the ladies' ladder. The Remuera player triumphed again, but only after a stiff fight in which some very good tennis was witnessed. In the first set Miss Knight, who is a notoriously slow starter, trailed to o—s, chiefly tht-ough her seeming inability to kill her volleys when in position at the net. Given sufficient opportunities, a driver will always pass a volleyer, and Miss Macfarlane was not slow to take the chances that were given to her for passing shots. Miss Knight, who was going to the net on every opportunity, then improved and took the next three games. Miss Macfarlane eventually took the set at U— i on some good length driving. In the second set Miss Knight took the lead at 2—o, and again at 4 —2, by good volleying- She then lost her length, and Miss Macfarlane took three games in a row, leading at 5—4. The tenth game was closely fought. Miss Macfarlane led at 40-—ls, and had two match points. She smashed out for the first and then Miss Knight scored with a short drop shot and saved the situation, making the score 5 all. Miss Macfarlane then took the next two games for the set and match at 6—4, 7 —5. Throughout the match Miss Macfarlane was very steady and threw away very few chances. Miss Knight's volleying was very fine at times. She is without doubt the finest lady volleyer in Auckland at the present time. There was very little difference between tlie two on the day, and both j should do well at the New Zealand charaI pionships. I Some psychological truths which are of vital importance, apart from the act of producing the stroke, are well stated by a recent lawn tennis writer. He says: "Rapid improvement will not come unless the play gives the keenest enjoyment, j The player must enter into the spirit of j every stroke with the greatest zest— j with the feeling of "By Jove! isn't it] good to be alive and on a tennis court!" I Unfortunately it is neglect of the most j obvious truths that accounts for 80 per | cent of the failures. Unless play gives! that mental and physical feeling, time, in so far as advancement is concerned, j is being wasted. G. L. Patterson empha- i sises this truth as being one of the ' secrets of his success. Enjoyment. stimulates and ensures keen interest. I Keen interest must bo present for close attention upon any subject, and interest in and attention to any matter in hand is what we mean by concentration. Become bored with the play and you are no longer concentrating; give it up if you cannot provoke the requisite enjoy-1 j mat." i