New Zealand Tennis : Ranking The Best Players

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 93, 14 January 1936, Page 14

New Zealand Tennis : Ranking The Best Players

(By

FOREHAND.)

riMIE forty-sixth New Zealand lawn tennis championships were not without their’surprises. Chief among these were Pattinson’s defeat of E. A. Roussel!, D. Coombe's defeat of D. G. France (thus avenging a defeat in the final of tlie Wellington championships), and Coombe’s defeat of (J. Angus.

There were times when competitors played well above themselves—or at least gave exhibitions thlfc were far and away ahead of performances they had given previously during the season. Among these were S. Buckmaster's defeat of Turner, of Auckland; N,. Bedfords display against V. B. McGrath; J. Charters against McGrath; Ferkins agaiust Moon.

Very disappointing displays were Roussell against I’attinson; and Coombe against McGrath. There wasialso some excellent play seen among the women; such as Mrs. N. Dickson's win over Miss D. Miller, (thus avenging her defeat in the Wellington championships) ; and her first set agaiust MiSs D. Nicholls; Miss N. Beverley’s near defeat of Miss Nicholls; Miss Thelma Boole’s hard match with Miss N. Beverfey; Miss I. Boole’s determined fight with Miss D. Nicholls. ' . That McGrath would win tne men s singles was, with most people, a foregone conclusion. In tlie minds of many P e 9" pie, and more particularly in the rniuds of many of New Zealand s best players, there is a deep resentment at the policy of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association in bringing over to New Zealand to compete in the national tournament the best players from overseas. The writer shares the views of these people and players. The invitation to the overseas players is out of no solicitude for the players of this country, but for consideration ot gate. All overseas players without exception, when they have annexed the titles New Zealand has to offer, tell us, what we knew already, that the standard of our play, comparative to theirs, is very low. Of course it is, and it will continue to be so while the present conditions pertain. Week-end Players.

New Zealand players are practically week-end players. They may get in a bit of play after work hours in toe afternoons. The players "that the New Zealand Association invites to this country are practically “all the year round and all tlie world over” players. Tenuis is tueir present business. They play it until it lias become second nature to them. It is no longer a sport with them. It is their living. , There is no doubt that in New Zealand we have players who, given the same chaiices as the visiting players, would also be iu the front rank. But it is no consolation to them to have these overseas players coming here and licking them willy nilly. That is merely an aggravation of the offence. It is not possible under present conditions for our boys to get the same chances. When they do they usually become lost to us as E. D. Andrews, A. Stedman and U. E. Malfroy have become lost to us. It is not worth their while to remain in New Zealand. They are assured 'of a much more profitable future overseas.

The difference between the play of a New Zealander who remains iu his own country, and one who has had chances overseas, was well seen in the ease of E. "D, Andrews. He was champion of New Zealand' when- he left New Zealand iu 1926 for Cambridge/ He would have been champion of New Zealand again this year, out of form though he was, had he not had to meet McGrath in the final. On the day of the final Andrews would have beaten any other New Zealander with ease. Andrews deserves the greatest credit for his stubborn match agaiust McGrath, and at one time it seemed he might win in Straight sets. But in his case condition counted more than strokes. On the previous day he had beaten Moon after a magnificent struggle. Still, reckoning him as a New Zmilander, for he is still eligible for a New Zealand Davis Cup team, he proved himself in this tournament definitely number one. The only, other New Zealander to reach the semi-final was D. Coombe. _ That of itself might not be conclusive evidence of the highest standard of play. -But on his way there he beat D. G. France and 0. Angas. These in conjunction with his performances in Wellington ranking matches and Wellington championships denote a very high standard of play, which not even nis poor performance against McGrath in the semifinal cjju minimise, lie is placed at numt her two. :

Nothing can detract from the great fighting qualities of C. Angas, which were shown at their best in his match with D. Coombe, when he came so near to achieving victory. It is probable that had his forehahd been going even reasonably well he would have won. But; although making numerous errors with it so that he was forced ito change to a chop he yet took Coombe fb five hard sets. He is number 3. N. G. Sturt has shown himself a clean, workmanlike tennis player who, if he does not touch the great heights, seldom sinks to dull mediocrity. His Hat type of hitting is not at its best in the Miramar winds, but his match with Andrews was full of merit. He is placed at number four. An Unequal Season. I). G. France has had such an unequal season so far that one has the utmost difficulty iu placing him. Although he played poorly iu the Wellington ranking matches he won the Wellington championships decisively, beating on the way J. (.’barters, E. A. Roussell aud D. Coombe. He is number five. N. Bedford is another player whose performances this season have been anything

but satisfactory. He was beaten by Sturt in the final of the North Island ebampiouships, but bis best performance by tar this year was his magnificent light against McGrath iu the New Zealand championships when be was within measurable distance of making it a five set match. He is placed number six, not so much on what he has done, but on what that match indicated be might do did be but set bis mind to it.

E. A. Roussell who had such a successful time of it in ranking matches, tell sadly from grace when the real business came. He went under to D. G. I'rauvc in the Wellington championships, and unexpectedly went down to Battinsou in the first round of the New Zealand championships through causes that were within *>i s own control. He is number seven. It. McL. Ferkins played a great five set match with Moon, but a Moon who was also making a number of mistakes that he did not repeat as the tournament progressed. Roussell re-established tlie balance somewhat when he beat Ferkins in the final of the New Zealand plate. He is number eight.

Improving Form. J. Charters has been progressing throughout the season, and can be said to have had no real set back. M hen he was defeated by France in the Wellington championships, it was by a France who was playing near to his best form. Agaiust McGrath Charters played really well, and in the Mauawatu championships be beat Coombe. He is number nine. N. Smith, due to a variety of circumtauces that have made his entry into tennis jhis season somewhat late, has not been able to reproduce his fcrm of last season. But almost every successive match has seen an improvement. He was unfortunate enough in the New Zealand championships to meet E. D. Andrews. He suffered defeat as every other New Zealander would have suffered defeat on that day—in straight sets. I think he would be more than a match for anybody outside the other nine mentioned and would probably defeat two or three in it. He is number ten.

The Women. So far as the women are concerned there can be Ino other opinion than that Miss Dulcie Nicholls is number one. Perhaps the margin is not as great this year as last, when she never lost a set in the New Zealand championships, but still it’ is decisive. . Second place must go to Miss N. Beverley, who came nearest of any player to defeating Miss Nicholls wheu the tuo met in the final. Miss Beverley is a fine all-court player. Not only did Mrs. N. Dickson turn tlie tables on that fine player. Miss D. Miller (thus equalising Miss Millers defeat ot her in the Wellington championships >, but she obtained a set from Miss NichoLs in the semi-final. Apart from Miss Nicholls she is Wellington’s best player. She is number three. Miss D. Miller, one of the strongest defensive players in New Zealand, and a hard fighter cannot be lower than uumber four. . Miss Thelma Poole is a greaby improved player, and she had a good chance ot beating Miss N. Beverley. She is number live. ' Her sister, Miss Irene Poole, is also an aggressive player. Indeed, she is inclined to be too aggressive. She put up a brilliant fight against Miss D. Nicholls, needing only one point in each ot the two sets to have a 5-4 lead. She reached the final of the women’s plate (this year a very strong event), ami took a set off M.ss 1 • Miller, no mean achievement. Iu tlie Canterbury Christmas tournament she beat her sister Thelma, but over a series of games the sister would probably be slightly the steadier. She is number six.

A Hard Battler. . Miss J. Ramsay is a bard battler wit ft an awkward cut stroke. She has defeated Miss Marjorie McFarlane and therefore Auckland’s No. 1. She made Miss N. Beverley play hard to win. She is number seven. , . , Miss Marjorie McFarlane, who torced Miss T Poole to three sets, ami is still a difficult player to beat, is number eig.it. Miss E. Rudkin, who plays a quiet and graceful baseline game, has the strokes but not the inclination, to take her higher. She is number nine. Miss Ruth Taylor has beautiful strokes from the backline, but lacks the concentration necessary to give them their proper chance. She had the beatings of Ma-s Rudkin in the plale. and in the championship itself she played strongly against Miss Nicholls at times. She is number ten. The rankings are thus: MEN. 1 E. D. Andrews. 2 D. Coombe. 3 C. Angas. 4 N. G. Sturt. 5 D. G. France. 6 N. Bedford. 7 E. A. Roussell. S R. McL. Ferkins. 9 J. Charters. 10 N. Smith. WOMEN. 1 Miss D. Nicholls. 2 Miss N. Beverley. 3 Mrs. N. Dickson. 4 Miss D. Miller. 5 Miss T. Poole. 6 Miss I. Poole. 7 Miss J. Ramsay. 7 Miss M. McFarlane. 9 Miss E. Rudkin. 10 Miss R. Taylor. It is quite probable that many of these placings will undergo alteration by the end of the season when “lorehand’ will , make a ranking for the 1935-36 season.