LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 46, 18 November 1925, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS

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ASSOCIATION LADDER Matters are now beginning to move in collection with the association ladder, and the following list will show what matches have already been played and the challenges issued. The Men. C. L. Mayo (Thorndon) beat J. Parker (Thorndonj by default, and has now challenged N. R. C. Wilson (Brougham Hill) for second position. R. Mansfield (Khandallah, No. 11) has challenged N. A. Foden (Thorndon, No. 7). T. S. Williams (Brougham Hill) beat A. E. K. Murray (Brougham Hill) in a try-out, 6—2, 6—3. Williams remains inactive until Christmas, also C. G. S. Ellis (Brougham Hill). R. H. Donovan (Brougham Hill) has challenged R. Mansfield (Khandallah), R. H Donovan (Brougham Hill) beat F. H. Paul (’Varsity), 6—3, 6—4; E. W. Mallison (Wellington), 6—5, 6—2, beat E. Reeves (Thorndon) by default, and has challenged R. Mansfield (Kbandallah). C. Malfroy (Thorndon) beat T. Rhodes-Williams (Wellington), 6—4, 6—2, and has challenged F. H. Paul (’Varsity). T. Rhodes-Williams (Wellington), who lost to C. Malfroy .Thorndon)4—6, 2—6, beat A. E. K. Murray (Brougham Hill), 6—4, 6—4, in a try out. A. E. K. Murray (Brougham Hill) beat F. Cornet (Newtown), after, losing to T. S. Williams (Brougham Hill), 2—6, 3—6, in tries out. M. A. Castle (Brougham Hill) is to play L. W. McGirr (Brougham Hill) in a trv-out. S. Allan (Brougham Hill) has challenged W. A. Wilson (Newtown). C. T. Andrew (Muritai) has challenged C. E. Scott (Thorndon). E C. Wearne (Brougham Hill) has challenged B. B. Teviotdale (Wellington). The Ladies.

Among the ladies. Miss hl. Cameron is to play Miss Thwaites in a try-out match, and Miss M. Macassey to play Miss hl East, also a try-out match. The ladies’ ladder is:

Miss hl A. Tracv (Brougham Hill) Mrs. K. Evison '(Petone.) hlrs. Penlington (Brougham Hill). Miss R. Gardner (’Varsity). Miss M. Lee (Lower Hutt). Miss I. Thwaites (Brougham Hill). Miss M. Cameron ((’Varsity). Mrs E. Shortt (Muritai}. Miss M. East (Newtown). Miss M. Macassev (Newtown). Miss V. Shortt (Muritai). Miss E. Haves (Mitchelltown). Miss E. Madeley (’Varsity). , Miss M. Jennings, (Brougham Hill) LYALL BAY CLUB

They do things bravely at the Lyall 3av Club. Last season they were well on the rocks, due largely to the very liijrll rental they were compelled to paj (or the courts, and the fact that responsible officers were unable to devote sufficient time to the club’s affairs. This season they have made a new start, and with 70 members and proper organisation, matters are progressing briskly. The Saturday afternoons are devoted, to mixed doubles, and an all season Yankee tournament” lias been introduced, the man selecting his lady partner who remains with him to the end of the series Except when matches are being played, courts are on a time limit. The order in which plavers take the courts is also arranged. On one morning of the week, unless there are too many members waiting to play, club ladder matches are contested on one court reserved for the purpose. Should members be waiting, the ladder matches are not allowed to be played. In the matter of afternoon teas the club is also progressive. Two ladies are appointed each Saturday to take charge of the commissariat department, and the members present, who have a sitdown tea, contribute 6d. each to the afternoon tea fund.

ABOUT FAMOUS PLAYERS ’ JUDGMENTS OF MR. J. C. PEACOCK. Last’ Wednesday Mr. J. C. Peacock made some interesting comments on various players. In his opinion Bartleet, of Auckland, has the finest service of any player in New Zealand. Both balls were served with equal speed, and were well placed. The characteristic of the late Anthony Wilding’s play was the wonderful evenness of his swing both in plaving a ball on his forehand and on his backhand. His! was a swing mechanical in its evenness.

Len France would be an even better plaver if he used the chop stroke less and cultivated a forehand drive. Robson, of Auckland, possessed a good forehand drive, but lost many games because of the persistency with which he used the chop stroke. Beals Wright, had he a good forehand drive with which to mix up his excessive chojrping, would have been the world’s best plaver of his time. It was Wright’s ability to chop and lob, however. which beat Norman Brookes at Melbourne on one occasion. after a gruelling five-set match, in which Brookes completely outplayed Wright in the first two sets. Brookes was completely exhausted at the end. Both Beals Wright and Norman Brookes were left-handed players.

Norman Brockes at one period of his career spent hours together practising the intricacies of the American service, with the result that when he got to Wimbledon there were to be found that vear none capable of dealing with it. Some were unable even to touch it. By reason of the terrific spin on it the ball would break well away from the receiver. It was ultimately discovered that the way to deal with that service was to stand in on it and hit the ball hard as it was rising—the harder the better. It was a service very little used now because of its lost terrors and because it took so much out of a server through a five-set match. Harrv Parker, who, outside of Anthony Wilding, was the finest tennis plaver New Zealand ever produced, was a master-band at playing the delicate “drop shot.” His drive was also noted for the severity of its top or over spin. Many times a player at the net, as a ball from Parker came at terrific speed, clearing the net by nearly three feet, would let it go, under the impression that it was going out, would be surprised to see it land inches .inside the base line.

Among the ladies, Miss Rvan, late of America, now of England, 'used the drop shot, and several times Mr. Peacock saw her play this stroke so finely that Suzanna Lenglen, her opponent, made no effort to reach it. (In mv opinion, one of the finest users of this effective shot was Lang Guthrie, of Napier. He was also a brilliant halfvolleyer, probably the most difficult shot in tennis to plav.) “If you would volley,” said Mr. Peacock, “go right in close to the net. The vollev is essentially an offensive shot.” The world’s greatest volleyer wm Norman Brookes.

The outstanding example of concentration whilst placing wan Mrs. Lambert Chambers, who held the world’s championship for a number of years, until she was beaten for it by Suzanne Lenglen. “Mrs. Chambers,” said Mr. Peacock, 'is the essence of concentration. She forgets about all el=e but th» game whilst playing. Concentration

and determination are to be seen writ ten all over her face." . . „ A better word than “anticipation Mr. Peacock thought, was “observation.” ’ ~ „ Tilden and Johnston said Mr. Peacock, were base-line plaiers. Borotrp was purelv a volleyer Lacoste was a mixture of base-line play and net play J C Parke, a base-line player, with a wonderful running drive, once beat Norman Brookes, the finest volleyer in the fiorld. ' , • “To institute comparisons between past and present players,’’ said Mr. Peacock, “is futile. I believe if you take the Dohertys, the Larneds, the McLoughlins, the Beals, Wrights, the Brooke's, and the Dunlops, and the Tildens and Johnstons, and. the world s best of each age, they will all be in the same' class. The methods of style and play in New Zealand have not altered since 1893. The championship of that year was won bv the player running in on his service. Mr. Peacock did not see one. player; in England who impressed him as though he would make a Davis Cup player. The general standard of excellence of the ladies surprised him. They volleyed well and were more aggressive comparatively than were the men. He believed that Mrs. Sturtuan (nee Miss Nancy Curtis) would have been right up amongst the top ladv plavers provided she was given a chance to get used to English conditions. The play of the New Zealand men was on a par with the lesser nations of the world, that is. the nations below America, Australia, and France. In view of what he had heard and seen written, Mr. Peacock was keen to see Suzanne Lenglen play. “Of her,” he said, “the half has not been told. Against Miss Ryan or Miss McKane, or any of the other world’s ladies, she seems never extended. She is wonderfully agile and her strokes are plaved with the greatest perfection of timing. She is a most determined player. If you would see her at her best you should see her in a men’s four,” he added amidst laughter. “She is as good as most men.” -Mr. Peacock was not enamoured of her sportsmanship or of her mannerisms. Helen Wills had beautiful strokes, but she was slightly heavy. Her match in which she lost to Miss Kitty McKane in the final at Wimbledon was the most extraordinary match he had ever seen. Miss Wills won the first set with ease and led 4—o in the second set. Many people thought it was ail over and commenced to go away. Mlle. Del Vares, the Spanish champion, who was only 19 years of age and a most accomplished girl, hadmost perfect strokes. It seemed as if she had walked out of a tennis book. She could not produce her strokes more perfectly. She lacked determination. Her mother, would not let her go to Wimbledon. ,

Of all the plavers he had ever seen Tilden was the plaver of the greatest variety of shots, the ability to play them at the right time, and the temperament to rise to the heights as the necessity arose. Borotra was not inaptly caricatured as a plaver with wings on his fingers, toes, and body. He was the quickest volleyer Mr. Peacock had ever seen, and he thoroughly enjoyed all his games, paying unstinted and sincere admiration to the good shots of his opponents. He was a great favourite with the public. Lacoste" was an even tempered player and because of that fact lie would go further than Borotra. " Mr. Peacock considered that Miss Travers had the. finest forehand drive in New Zealand. THE CHOP SHOT Mr. J. C. Peacock throws his advice into the scale against the use of the chop stroke. It is a stroke on which there is a variety of opinion. Wallace Johnson, who is its greatest living exponent, is to-day in the world’s first 10. Beals Wright was world famous, although Mr. Peacock was informed by competent critics that that player wauld have been the greatest player of his day had he been more sparing in the use of the chop stroke in favour of a good forehand drive. According to a foremost English critic Tilden won the championship at Wimbledon in 1920, beating such players as J. C. Parke and G. Patterson by • the severity of his chop strokes. A year prior to that, in a book on lawn tennis, Parke strongly deprecated the use of this stroke. The late Anthonv Wilding was also against the use ’of the stroke. They both agreed it kept the ball up, it reduced the pace, and the ball was easier to volley. Botll Patterson and Tilden are heavy choppers on occasion, and to a lesser extent so are R, N. Williams and A. R. F. Kingscote , Patterson attributed his victory over A. H. Lowe in the Davis Cup tie in Australia in 1919 to his use of the chop stroke. With it Tilden beat the Japanese Shimizu when at the height of his form with the loss of only two games. While calling the chop stroke essentially defensive, and a labour-saving device when the opponent is on the back line, Tilden says “a chop or slice is very hard to drive, and will break up any driving game. It is not a shot to use against a volley, as it is too slow to pass and too high to cause any worry. It should be used to drop short, soft shots at the feet of the net man as he conies in. Do not strive to pass a net man with a chop or slice except through a big opening. Use all your wrist shots, chop, slice, and drop, merely as an auxiliary to vour orthodox game. They ate intended to upset your _ opponent’s game through the varied spin on the ball.”

MIRAMAR COURTS When I visited the Association courts ■at Miramar last Saturday afternoon I could see that at least some progress had been made by the City Council in the work of bitumen surfacing. They had put down a strip about 3 yards wide running the whole width of the ground. They had also started on a second strip of equal width. Grass seed has been sown ip an area equal to four courts in connection with the grass court section of the scheme, and that portion has When beautifully levelled.

D. G. FRANCE BEATEN In the final of the Avonside Club’s ch’ampionship singles, D. F. Glanville beat D. G. France, 5—7, 6—l, 6—4. The first set was clia'acterised by hard driving on boJi sides, with France doing most of the attacking. He had Glanville cliar.ing from one side of the court to the other, and would then go in and finish the rallv by a beautifullyplaced volley. Glanville made some wonderful recoveries from beautifullypaced drives by France, and this, evidentv upset France, as he took ’only the third game in the next set, which went to Glanville, 6—l. France was now making many double faults, and was misjudging his drives. He started off verv well in the third set bv taking the first and second games very cheaply. Glanvlle bad momentarily relaxed. But he nulled himself together and would not let anything pass him, and took the next three games. The games were now verv stubbomv contested, and I’m tennis on both sides '-as of a very high standard. France evened on

'the sixth game. Glanville took the seventh. France evened on the eighth. Glanville finished the set, and the match, bv taking the next two games. It was probably one of the best finals ever plaved in the chamnionship singles (says the Christchurch "Star”). z COMING EVENTS North Otago L.T. Association, championship, December 25, 26, 28, 29. Southland L.T. Association, championship, December 25, 26, 28. N.Z. Championships at Christchurch, December 26, 28, 29, 30, 31. South Canterbury L.T. Association, championship, January 1,2, 4. Canterbury L.T. Association, open January 1,2, 4; championships, Easter. Otago L.T. Association, open, January; championships, Easter. Auckland L.T. Association, handicaps December 26, 28; championships, January 27 to 30. Taranaki L.T. Association, championships, January 5 to 8. Waipukurau Club, championships, January 18, 19, 20. Wairarapa L.T. Association, championship, January 21, 22, 23, 25. Wellington L.T. Association, championship, January 21, 23, 25 Hastings Club, championship, January 23, 25. 26. Nelson L.T. Association, championship, January 29, 30, February 2. Hawke’s Bav L.T. Association (H.B. Club), championship, January 27 to February 2. West Coast’Association, chamnionship. February 3 and fol’owing days. Palmerston North Club, championship January 12. 13, 14. North Auckland Association, champion ship, Foster. Waikato Association, championship. Easter. Rotorua Club championship, December 25, 26, 2a.