LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 18

LAWN TENNIS.

LOOK ROUND THE CLUBS.

PROSPECTS FOR NEW SEASON

(By HALF-VOLLEY.)

All the hard-court clubs, and a few of those using grass courts, have now opened for the summer season; the large grass-court clubs are all opening, weather permitting, next Saturday, November 2. In most cases a progressive combined doubles tournament will be held after the formal opening ceremony is concluded. This form of tournament seems to be very popular on opening day, and indeed it is a considerable help to the new member, who has yet to find his feet in a club, to know that on opening day a place will be found for him in some tournament such as this. . . All the courts are now receiving their final touches-at-the hands of anxious ground committees, , and from present indications the grass-court clubs should all find their courts in excellent playing order this season. The New Inter-Club Scheme. The new inter-club schemes have already provided some interesting argument, and no doubt fresh differences of opinion will arise as the season progresses. There has been much dissatisfaction over the inter-club matches during the last few-seasons, and the inter club committee of last year may be congratulated on its endeavour to do something constructive by presenting an entirely new scheme for running the inter-club matches. The five senior clubs —Eden and Epsom, Onehunga, Parnell, Eemuera and University—are graded by themselves in the A grade division, and will each play in that division, one team of twelve men and twelve women. They cannot enter in the B grade, and will probably not enter any teams in the C grade. Eden and Epsom, last year's winner, "stands out" —the other four play, at Stanley Street, a knock-out competition, consisting of three contests in all. The survivor plays Eden and Epsom on the latter club's courts. This scheme will have •several' obvious advantages. First, it will greatly reduce the pressure on the courts of the clubs concerned, since they* will be playing a far fewer number of inter-club matches. Second, all the twenty-four inter-club players play inter-club matches on the same Saturday, and hence the trouble of inter-club matches conflicting with club matches will be almost eliminated. Third, the greater numbers in the teams will make the inter-club matches a' truer test of the real playing strength of the club, and will also make, the conteat more of a social function than has been.the case in the past. ' 'V

The junior inter-club competitidns are also the subject of considerable change. The competition has been remodelled so as to group grass-court and hard-court dubs separately in the different sections of "play-all" groups when possible; this, should be welcomed by players in both kinds of clubs. The'matches have also been shortened to two sets.■■'-■ The reason for this is that it was thought best that the scheme should allow th# contest being played on two courts, and. in order to do this the length. 6f each match had to be shortened. The innovation, of course, allows more inter-club matches to be played at Stanley Street, and it is thought that any inter-club scheme will be welcome which makes for decreasing the pressure of inter-club matches on 'the clubs' own courts on Saturday afternoons. ! : ' . Prospects of the Clubs. . The differences in playing strength of the senior clubs under the new scheme make interesting reading. Renmera and Eden and Epsom would bo very strong" if all their University players were available; Eden and Epsom particularly will lose by contributing by far the greater .part of the University team. Remuera's men .should include Bartleet, Sturt, Griffiths, Brinsden, Robson, Watkins, Martin and Alex. Lamb, and their women should be headed by Misses Marjorie' and Marion Macfarlane, Mrs. .Shroff, Mrs. Scott-Watr son, Misses Richardson and Wilson and Mrs. Robson. Eden and Epsom, though perhaps lacking quite the brilliance of the Remuera '"stars" have a vary solid men's team. Rowlands, Morrison,, V. R. Johns, Potter, McKeown, Campbell and Brown, should head the men, while the women are very much stronger than in the past two or three years. Mrs. Dykes (formerly Miss M. Speirs) is a notable acquisition to the club's strength, and ■ with Miss Knight back in the .field and Misses Ramifsay, P. ; and D. Miller, and Miss Newton, the team will take some beating. University's men will be solid: A. C. Stedman, Entwistle, Hubble, Nicholson, and Hardy will all be back playing for 'Varsity, and there is no lack of younger talent to support them. The 'Varsity women will be weaker than in past years, for the Miller sisters are returning to Eden and Epsom, and Miss Mueller has left Auckland. Miss Whitelaw will be the sole survivor of last year's team, and the club is now understood to be busy coaching its younger players up to the required standard.

Parnell will be represented by Lamb, Aldred, Home, Coates and Chalmers, and their younger generation will possibly be working a little more enthusiastically in view of the prospect of playing in the senior grade. Misses Fearnley and Potter should lead the women's half of the team.

In the Harrison brothers, Taylor, Robb and Cole, Onehunga, will find the nucleus of their men's team, and they have a considerable number of. younger players to draw from in building up the balance of their team. A club like Onehunga, largely comprised of younger players, should avail itself of the opportunity which the new system offers, and endeavour to use it to raise the standard of play quite definitely to an A grade standard.

Last season the Auckland Association made an effort to stage an inter-pro-vincial match, against Wellington at Stanley Street. Owing partly to the idea being put forward too late in the season, it was found impossible to arrange the match, but it is to be hoped the same reason 'will not be responsible for the match not being held this year. Especially this season, when there does not appear to be any prospect of a visit from any notable overseas players, a match against Wellington would be sure' of financial success. If anything is to be done a start should be made now, and it is to be hoped that this match will receive the early and energetic consideration of the local association. TE AROHA DOMAIN CLUB. (From Our Own Correspondent.) TE AROHA, this day. The newly-formed Domain Tennis Club opened its season yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large number of enthusiasts. The Mayor, Mr. R. Coulter, made the opening address, and Messrs. D. McMahon (the president) and Christensen (tourist agent) gave brief addresses. TE PUNINGA V. WAITOA. TE AROHA, this day. The second match of the season between the Te Puninga and Waitoa Tennis Clubs, V.ayed at Te Puninga, was won by the visitors by 9 games to 4. Following are '.he results, the home players being mentioned first: — Men's Singles—Skifflngton lost to Johnston, 4 —9 ; Dakers beat Hyde, 9—B; Patterson lost to Cook, 5—9; Lewer lost to Hollier, T—9. Men's Doubles. —Skifflngton and Dakers lost to Johnston and Hyde, 2—9; Patterson and Lewfers lost to Cook and Hollier, 4—9; Wells and Lewer beat Luxton and Luxton, 9 —6. Ladies' Singles.—Miss Hallen lost to Miss Avery, 3—7; Mrs. Douglas lost to Mrs. McLaren,' 3—7. Ladles' Doubles.—Miss Hallen and Mrs. Douglas beat Miss Avery and Mrs. McLaren, 7—6; Mrs. Laxton and Mrs. Newbigen lost to Miss Luxton and Mrs. Luxton, 6—7. Combined Doubles. —Miss Laxton and Welld beat Miss Luxton and A. J. Luxton, 7—5; Miss Newbigen and Hallen lost to R. Luxton and Mrs. Luxton, 4—7.