TENNIS UNDER FLOODLIGHTS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27192, 9 November 1953, Page 5

TENNIS UNDER FLOODLIGHTS

MAYOR OPENS OPAWA CLUB’S SEASON The Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) lit 16 big floodlights round two of the Opawa Tennis Club’s asphalt courts just after dark on Saturday, and declared Christchurch’s first night tennis season open. It was a perfect night for the ceremony and first matches—the air was so still that smoke from cigarettes among the 200-odd spectators curled straight upwards into the darkness beyond the glare of the lights. . . The 1000-watt lights, four along, each side of each court, bathed the area in an intense white glare that seemed at first to be even brighter than sunlight. The players who took part in the exhibition matches said afterwards that they mad found it a little difficult at first to sight the ball properly. They agreed, however, that night tennis would help a player to “keep.,his eye in,” as it was very necessary under floodlights to watch the ball right on to the racket. One said the lighting compared favourably with courts he had seen overseas. The lights are strung on double suspension wires, to avoid the use of poles, which might get in the way of players. Speaking before the courts were open, the president of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association (Mr J. K. Burtt) said he hoped players would support the club in its venture. The association had tried about three years ago without success to arrange for the floodlighting of some courts. He thanked the Municipal Electricity Department for the work it had done in installing the lights. Mr Macfarlane said the lighted courts were a matter of congratulation rfor the people of Christchurch as a- whole, as well as for the club. "Auckland has these courts, and now we have them," he said.

Among the spectators were Mr G. Ollivier, five times New Zealand champion in the 1920’5, the rector of Canterbury University‘College (Dr. H. R. HulrheJ.who is a vice-president 'of the club, and Mr J. C. Forsyth, the engineerimanager of the Municipal Electricity Department. The exhibition matches resulted: R. G. Pattinson and B. R. Penfold beat A. N. Bailey and W. M. Logan, 9-6; Miss L. Luxton and Mrs D. Armstrong beat Misses D. Bennett and M. Pauli. 9-8.