WELLINGTON TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 105, 28 January 1931, Page 7

WELLINGTON TENNIS

Review of Tournament Play

DATE SHOULD BE ALTERED

(By

“Forehand.”)

Another Wellington tennis tournament has come and gone. Entries by women were more than disappointing, and by men only average. Nearly all the best players, particularly among the women, preferred to take part in the Wairarapa tournament at Masterton. Mrs. W. J. Melody, of course, was defending her title in Auckland. Compared with Wairarapa’s 629 entries. Wellington s 190 makes very sorry reading. Worst of all, there were no visiting players. The experience of the last few years, ever since the breaking away from the Wellington Association of the Manawatu and Wairarapa districts, in fact, ought to have convinced the management committee of the unwisdom of continuing to hold its championships on the provincial holiday dates. For the purposes of the tournament Wellington becomes a major association in name only. With very few exceptions the standard of the players is mediocre, so that scarcely any of the public can be induced to visit the courts to witness the matches. Problem of Dates.

The committee will have to consider very seriously the question of altering its dates, preferably to Easter time. The provincial dates were all right so long as the Wellington Provincial Lawn Tennis Association championships were held alternately at Palmerston North and Masterton. Wairarapa, when it broke away, decided upon holding its tournament on the anniversary day of the province. Despite Wellington’s objections, the New Zealand Association seemed to think that the distance between the two places was such that this would not affect the entries of either. - Unquestionably Wellington has been adversely affected by the clashing of dates. It is for Wellington now to face the facts, make the bes.t of a bad job, and alter its dates. So far as the tournament just concluded is concerned, there were certain things about its running that could have been improved upon. Most particularly I refer to the habit of keeping the finals to be played on the .Saturday in the endeavour to secure a “gate.” Wellington weather being what it is. that is a dangerous expedient. The penalty was nearly exacted this time when a strong wind marred play throughout the greater part of the day, and rain caused a stoppage for a period in the afternoon. The association’s action, too. threw too heavy a strain on some of the players who were in all events. For instance, it was necessary for D. G. France and Miss D. Nicholls to contest three finals in the one afternoon. In the lower grades there were some events not completed. In view of the poor entries, the large number of courts and the four days available this ought not to have been so

Partners Left Lamenting. An incident occurred in connection with the entries that ought certainly to be dealt with by the management committee. and could very well be reported to the New Zealand Association. A Wellington player telegraphed to the secretary of the Wellington Association his desire to bo entered in all events. The entry was dulv recorded and partners found. On the day of the tournament a telegram reached the secretary from Masterton, the sender asking to be scratched in all events. The sender played in the

Wairarapa tournament, and partners in Wellington were left lamenting.

Title Winners. The tournament was a triumph tor Miss D. Nicholls. Hardly extended at any part of the journey, she won all three events. To the singles title D. G. France also added, the doubles title with his brother, A. L. France. A. L. 1* rance, besides winning the men’s doubles, won the mixed doubles with Miss Nicholls. Miss D. Howe partnered Miss Nicholls in the women’s doubles. D. G. France encountered no opposition. Ferkins played well and strongly in the final, but he was quite unable to cope with France’s versatility of strokes and tactics. His victory over A. L. France simply goes to show how wide is the gulf between the game of D. G. France and his brother. The activity, accuracy and steadiness of Ferkins turned France s drop shots and cuts against himself to his (France’s) own undoing. . D. Reid came close to beating Ferkins, and showed himself a player both of strokes and brains. All he wants is more match play experience, and a certain ruthlessness. He has build, strokes aud temperament, to make a fine player. B. O’Brien has gone back sadly, both in strokes and tactics. C. M. Watt showed that if he could be induced to take the game seriously, he would be a front rank player,. particularly in doubles. E. A. Roussell did not enhance his reputation by the tournament, but played well nevertheless. Great improvement over his ordinary chib play was-shown by F. Pears, whose game against P. O’Brien had the merit of steadiness and placement. In his defeats he was not disgraced. Sykes proved himself a persistent placer to the corners to keep his opponent moving. It is quite enjoyable to see him make his opponents run from corner to corner. In the final of the B Grade championship, A. G. Swinburne proved himself a master of certain strokes, and an excellent tactician against the more stylish C. S. Plank, and when the war was well and truly on, Plank seemed to suffer from nerves. Swinburne’s passing shots were particularly fine. An excellent performance was put up by W. B. Fisher, who got to the semifinal of the B Grade by dogged determination and great steadiness in placing. P. M. West clid not play with the steadiness that characterised his game two seasons ago. He finds the net now much more than he used to. H. W. Burns, like O’Brien, has fallen off very badly. Overhead he was hopeless, and in his volleying and driving he was uncertain. His best feature was his service. Promising Juniors.

In Bedford and Davys, Wellington has two most promising juniors. The former has a perfect forehand drive, and his other strokes are little inferior. He is a better, player than Davys. who is New Zealand junior champion, and North Island junior champion. Davys is apt to let the ball fall too low for his driving, and overhead he hits beyond the baseline too often.

Women As I have said previously, the entries among the women were poor. Miss D, Nicholls was altogether too strong in her serving and forehand driving for hei opponents. She stood in a class by herself. Miss M. East played well to get to the final, when she was unable to do herself justice. The balls she got to she mistimed badly. Miss E. Brady was outclassed in the singles by Miss Nicholls, but in the doubles and mixed doubles she played with great strength and determination, All that could be done to achieve victory or stave off defeat she did. Her lobbine and her driving on the forehand were among the best of the tournament. Mrs. Whately has so far failed to come up to the possibilities of her game in the early part of the season. She was at her best overhead in the doubles, when she used by preference a backhand smash. In her volleying and driving she was too slow in hitting, and was too often caught at her feet. He service was not strong. Miss D. Howe has not this season anywhere near reproduced her form of last season. Opposed by any one at all her equal, she falls down to defensive, halfcourt tennis, after the first few games. There is then no zest in her game. She is slow in getting up to balls that are dropped short, and fails on balls driven to her forehand corner if she has to run across to them. Standing too far backon the service line, her volleying Is indecisive. In the wind her cut drive becomes very slow and easy to handle. Nor is she as accurate as last season with her backhand. In the final of the doubles, however, she smashed well any short returns of Miss Nicholls’ drives or services. If Miss Z. Castle were but to take the game more seriously, she would develop into a very fine player. She Ims a beautiful forehand drive, and her tactics are admirable. Unfortunately for her, her footwork is faulty, and she all too often gets the net or hits over the side line.

A certain problem was sot in a scholarship examination for London school children of 11 years of ago. and 50 of them solved it correctly. Enter it was sent tc America, where of TOO school children 1C years old not one could work it out correctly.