YOUNG PLAYERS ACQUIT THEMSELVES WELL AT TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 3, 4 January 1941, Page 6 (Supplement)

YOUNG PLAYERS ACQUIT THEMSELVES WELL AT TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

(By HALF-VOLLEY.)

HPHE annual handicap tourna--1 ment staged by the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association was brought to a' successful conclusion last week-end. The conditions were ideal except for a nasty cross-court wind on certain occasions. The standard of play throughout was decidedly good when it is considered that all classes of players are catered for in a tournament of this nature.

In fact, with the veriest beginners taking part as well as some of our best players, the committee is often hard put to it to «o regulate the handicaps as to give these beginners any chance at all of progressing for a ft-.w rounds. On the whole, the handicapping committee can take pride in their work, for in nearly every case matches were .closely contested whilst the honoure in the various events were not confined to the back markers, as too often is the case.

The tournament brought forth a number of young players who acquitted themselves with distinction. If I were called upon to award any honours for the most promising player, my choice would fall on A. Trembath, a Grammar School lad t.nd a member of the Parnell Tennis Club. This boy has decided promise and discloses an all-round knowledge of the game backed up by shots which are exceedingly well produced. Next on the list, perhaps, would be J. C. Ttogan, a tall player who hails from Takapuna and who reached the final of tlie A Grade Singles. Others who caught the eye were D. A. Beams, Papakura; J. Aitkenhead, W. Huckstep and M. Healey. Of the senior players, W. T. Pountney was in excellent form throughout sjs also was A. S. Burns and M. Solomon. In the ladies' section, Mrs. G. Emmerson, of Huntly, gave a sterling display and fully merited the A Grade title which ehe won, but not before a strenuous struggle and much effort. Miss. Z. Swanson, the Eden and Epsom player, reached two finals and was successful with her clubm&te, Miss L. Mumford, after a gruelling match in the ladies' doubles. Here, too, a number of young players showed decided promise. They included Miss J. Howard, Miss B. Burns-, Miss E. Howard, Miss S. Darley and Miss P. Protheroe. It was good to see a young player on the receive mark in Miss J. McCraeken come through to the final. Although she was not successful she obviously derived much valuable experience from the tournament. Pountney's Improvement. In the A Grade singles, Pountney put up a sterling performance in winning the event from the owe 50 mark. It must be remembered that for Pountney to Jwin_ through* especially; in, a_ close

three set match from this mark, he might play the equivalent of five ordinary sets. Actually he played only two three-set matches, one in the first round against his clubmate Erie Le-ys, the other in the final againet Rogan. Throughout the. tournament Pountney played delightful tennis with one or two lapses where errors seemed to fall from his racquet for no apparent reason. He has always had thie tendency, which must be corrected if he is to seek high championship honoure. His serving, smashing and volleying was a treat to ■watch. He appeared to have a slight weakness on the forehand -which might easily have . been exploited more by Rogan in the final.

The ruaner-up was J. C. Rogan, and here is a natural tennis player whom I should imagine lias had little competitive tennis among players of the calibre of Pountney. He has an ideal phyeique and temperament, whilst his strokes, both backhand and forehand, are well produced and accurate. His service could do with a good overhaul. Ho should remember that the service is meant to be an attacking weapon and not merely for the purpose of putting the ball into play. This remark could well b? absorbed by most of the playens who took part in this tournament. If Rogan would takev the game seriously and obtain as much first grade competitive tennis against the top"-notchers as he can, he would not only surprise hie clubmatcs but also himself with his improvement in play. .As it was, his performance was an excellent one indeed, as lie accounted for. such experienced players as J. P. Moir, M. Solomon and B. Broun. The latter played impressively in defeating J. Aitkenhead,* J. D. Mitchell, J. Barnes (Huntly) and L. 11. Watson, but he performed rather poorly against Rogan. Aitkenhead ie a solid type of player who pulled up from 2—4 to 4 all in the last set with Broun and actually had the latter at owe 15— 40 on Broun's service in the ninth game —a wonderful effort which he threw away, allowing Broun to take the game and the . following one for the match.

This would suggest, too, that Aitkenliead could we.ll do with more hard tournament play. A Marathon Match. The ladies' singles was won by Mrs. K. Einmerson, of Hiintly, who possesses good drives on backhand and forehand and is steadiness itself. Her serve, too, is Jirm and well placed. She seems to be at a disadvantage with a ball that is directed at her body, and again did not impress at the end. She had a marathon match with Mrs. Wenlzel. of Dargaville (better known to Aucklanders as Miss Kna Stewart). Apa in in the final against Miss Swanson she had. a strenuous match and thoroughly deserved her win. The Eden and Epsom player actually had seven set points in the first set, but never looked like knowing how to clinch matters. Both ladies played really good tennis, and the driving on both backhand and forehand was a treat to watch. The match might have been shortened by imparting variety to the game or by the city player taking the net. However, both winner and loser acquitted themselves well, and either one might have won. as the score, 11—9, 7 —5, in favour of the Huntly player, would indicate.

Space will not permit me to review cach event in detail, and reference therefore will be made to one or two of the better performances in the other sections. Mitchell and Radonich wert not over-liandicapped in the doubles, but even then had little margin over Burns and Broun in the final, by which time Burns was very tired after some strenuous plav earlier in the day. One of the best matches to wateii v>-as that in which Burns and his sister opposed Pountney and Miss J. Howard. Both men played some spectacular shots, and the two girls did not appear to be overawed by the play of the menfolk and both of them gave a creditable performance. This event was won by Jtogan and Miss Corfe, who were not harshly treated with a handicap of owe 4—ti, 15, in view of their play during the tournament. The ladies' doubles saw two girls (Misses Flynn and Kilner) with a "receive" handicap in the final, opposed to Misses Mumford and Swanson, and they certainly worried their more ex- ! perienced opponents, only to lose at 10—8 in the* third set. The younger girls will benefit considerably by their experience in this tournament. Some reference has already been made to the winner of the men's B section, A. Trembath, who, after losing the first set to 16-year-old M. Healeyt ran 12 consecutive games to win the section. More will:be beard of this player in the future. Healey, too, shows decided promise and has good strokes, but failed to use them to the best advantage. D. Beams was the most unconcerned player in the tournament, and proved a tough nut to. crack.

Another junior with a "receive" handicap to reach the final was Miss MeCracken, who should develop into quite a good player. At present she knows nothing whatever of the tactics of the game, and Miss J. Howard, the winner, probably would not have allowed her to take a set had the latter player not been eo tired. A number of players enter for too many events, and in some cases were forced to default. . Other players would have enhance* their chances of winning some event had they defaulted earlier. Where players are still in four or five events after Bewral rounds of play, they will learn with experience to default*in some of them early, if they are to ultimately succeed in any one of these events.