Lawn Tennis Practice On En-tout-cas Courts Thought Essential

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 21

Lawn Tennis Practice On En-tout-cas Courts Thought Essential

If New Zealand women tennis players are to go overseas they will have to have some practice on en-tout-cas courts, so this surface, commonly used in Britain and on the Continent, must be introduced in the Dominion This thought was one of those uppermost in the mind of the New Zealand women's champion, Miss J. Davidson, on her first day back in Christchurch yesterday when she reflected on her four-months' tour.

“It is no use us practising on grass courts here and then going to Britain to play in hard-court tournaments.” she said She had learned painfully two points about en-tout-cas play—“(a' i it is the survival of the fittest, and (b) you don’t play for winners. you just rally and rally and rally "

Miss Davidson admitted that was not suited to her natural game. She was happier when the tournaments changed to the grass surface but found it took her some time to get accustomed to different timing of the ball.

Miss Davidson said the New Zealand women found extremely good British players they had not heard of previously. players like Misses D Catt. P. Wheeler. E. Starkie and Mrs P Roberts, who were not as good as Misses C. Truman. A. Mortimer and A. Haydon but good enough to beat the New Zealanders And the British players were later overshadowed by the new batch of young Americans.

However, Miss Davidson said, some of these English players virtually played tennis for a living. Misses Catt and Starkie were both coached by the Australian, G. Worthington, official coach to the All England Club, and they played tennis every day "They were amazed when they were told our main tournament season lasted only for about a month.” Miss Davidson said. “They were also surprised to find we had jobs." Miss Davidson said she did not think the British women were any better than the New Zealanders when it came to stroke equipment, but they had much greater experience of tournament play, especially on en-tout-cas.

Discussing the American women, Miss Davidson said they were full of confidence and thgt sometimes meant three-quarters of a match won. Also, they hit harder than the British women, except perhaps for Miss Truman.

As her own best performances. Miss Davidson recalled a three set loss to Miss E Buding, of Germany, in the French championships (Miss Buding was a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 1961); a three-set loss to the United States Wightman Cup player. Miss M Varner, at Surbiton (Miss Davidson won the second set. 6-0; and reaching the quarter-finals at the Hurlingham tournament in a strong field Of the other members of the New Zealand teams, she said that I S. Crookenden was

well ahead of the rest in standard. His ground strokes had improved and he had played some wonderful passing shots from the baseline? but there was still room for some improvement in his volleying He had played almost as well on hard courts as on grass.

Miss Davidson was also high in her praise of the young Waikato girl. Miss E Terry (junior Wimbledon winner), who made a private tour but was often with the team. She would probably rise to New Zealand champion and would probably have success on another overseas tour.

There were various aspects New Zealanders could learn from the organisation of tournaments overseas, she said. Wimbledon was the last word in organisation but the smaller tournaments, conducted by the sports firms were also extremely well organised. On arrival at a tournament. every player had to sign a book so that administrators knew immediately whether a player was there or not and there was no hunting for them. Also, all players knew the evening before exactly -where and what time their next match would be. A programme was made out in order for each court and players just had to watch a particular court and be ready. It saved any need for calling players. Because of the long twilight. play always began in

the afternoons and Miss Davidson said sometimes the players did not arrive home until 10 p.m. or even 11 pm Miss Davidson, preparing to play badminton last evening and again this evening, said she would have a short rest from tennis 'but then she would practise as much as she could. She would also concentrate on keeping fit for she found then her mental approach to the game was much better. When she left Darwin on the way to Britain she had improved her backhand considerably but when she got into matches some of the old weaknesses returned, so this department would also be attended to before the New Zealand tournaments,