COMING EVENTS.

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 19, 23 January 1926, Page 18

COMING EVENTS.

Waipukurau Championships, at Waipukurau— Jauuary 14, IS, lfi. Otago Open Tournament, at Dunedin —January 15, lli, 18, 19. .. . . Wairarapa Championships, at Maiterton— January 21, 22, 23, 25. Wellington Championships, at WellingtonJanuary 21, 22, 23, 28. Auckland Invitation Singles, ladles and men, open—Stanley Street, January 23. Hastings Chaplonships, at Hastings—January 23, 25, and 28. Auckland Championships, at Auckland—January 27 to 30. Hawkes Bay Championships, at NapierJanuary 27 to February 2. Waipawa Championships, at Waipawa—February 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7. Father and Son Doubles and Veterans Doubles, Stanley Street,, Auckland—February 20. Te Awaroa Championships, at T» Awaroa East Coast—Easter. . Hawkes Bay Club'» upen Championship, at Napier—Easter. -

The Wellington championships are in progress at Miramax, and the playera at last can realise what a fine ground they have in the making. Much has yet to be done, but it can be done quickly if the players will only rally around their president, Mr. J. C. Peacock, and support him in this great work. It is to be hoped that steps will be taken in the near future to fully plant the available a*ea with native shrubs and a line of fern trees down the eastern and south sides could be done by the players this autumn. Already some country clubs have made offers of shrubs, and the association has- only to say that it is prepared to accept the same, and it is certain that sufficient will be forthcoming to make the ground the beauty spot of Miramar. Nelson Championships. The second annual championship and handicap tournament of the Nelson Lawn Tennis Association will be held on the Nelson Club's courts on 29th and 30th January and Ist and 2nd February. Twelve events are on the programme, and it is pleasing to see that boys' and girls' championship singles are included. Twelve grass courts will be available for play, and the secretary of the association says that he can almost guarantee that the weather will be"fine; it us-' ually is. The winner of the men's championship singles, besides holding the Nelson championship, will retain for the year the Duncan Cup, and the lady will hold the Campbell Smith Cup. C. L. Mayo (Wellington) is the present'holder of the Duncan Cup, and it is to be hoped that he will make the trip to Nelson to defend his title. Entries close at 8 o'clock this evening with the secretary, Mr. L. Cannington, 6, Church street, Nelson. The courts are in splendid condition this year, playing fast and true, and the executive is making every effort to ensure a successful gathering. Last Saturday a team was sent from NelBon to play Marlborough at Blenheim in the first inter-association match between these two bodies. Twelve men and eight ladies made the trip, and the Nelson, team was successful by 26 sets, 348 games to 22 sets, 324 games. The Nelson Association is working very hard to encourage all the clubs in the Nelson Province to affiliate, and any assistance from other associations by way of teams' matches in Nelson would be most acceptable. The Wellington Association should send a team across in the near future, and Nelson could also arrange a match with the West Coast or Wangahui. 'the Nelson Association would do well to publish its tournament programme earlier next year; in fact, all associations could follow that advice. Tennis players who are likely to travel make their arrangements early, and two months' notice is little enough. Wanganui v. Wainui-a-Ena. A very enjoyable match was played at the Wanganui East Club's -courts recently between a Wanganui team aiid a team representing the Wainui-' a-Eua Sub-Association. She up-river players proved themselves no mean exponents of the game, and their prowess was very noticeable in the singles, in which they won 9 out of 12 contests. Wainui won by 16 eets, 169 games t6 8 sets, 118 games. For the Maoris, excellent form was shown hy Misses Cribb, Eatana, and Wanihi, and also by Messrs. Potae, Nikorima, and Eanginui. The men's singles resulted as follow:—S. Powdrell (Wanganui) beat D. Potae, 9-2; Eanginui (Wainui) beat Swanger, 9-5; Te Ture (Wainui) beat P. Best, 9-5; Nikorima (Wainui) beat Hamilton, 9-3; Emia (Wainui) beat Thomas, 9-1; Peina (Wainui) beat Quartermain, 9-3. Men's doubles: Potae and Eangimui beat Powdrell and Swanger, 9-4; Te Ture and Nikorima beat Bellows and Hamilton, 9-3; Emia and Peina beat Quartermain and Thomas, 9-2. Ladies' singles: Miss Cribb beat Miss M'Cormick, 7-6; Miss Ratana beat Miss Elliott, 7-5; Miss Best (Wanganui) beat Miss Wanihi, 7-4; Miss Taylor (Wangranui) beat Miss Pukehika, 7-3; Miss Whanaere beat Miss Hollig, 7-3;' and Miss Hurunui beat Miss M'Carthy, 7-1. Ladies' doubles: Misses M'Cormiek and Best beat Misses Hurunni and Cribb, 7-2; Misses Eatana | and Wanaihi beat Miss Best and ■ M'Carthy, 7-3; and Misses Taylor and A. Best beat Misses Pukoheku and Whanarere, 7-6. Combined doubles: I Powdrell and Miss M' Cormick beat Potae and Miss Cribb, 9-7; Swanger I and Miss P. Best beat Ranginui and Miss Hurunui, 9-4; Tc Turi and Miss Ratana beat BollowsVand Miss M'Carthy, 9-4; Hamilton and Miss A. Best beat Nikorima and Miss Wanhihi, 9-7; Emia and Miss Whanarere beat Thomas and Miss Hollis, 9-5; and .Peina and Miss Pukehika beat Wills and Miss Taylor, 9-0. In the Hutt Valley. The Hutt Valley Junior Lawn Tennis Association is doing good work in gathering the clubs in the district together for inter-club competition. The following clubs compose the aa--goci&tioiu—Church of CixUt^ £fit main-

bers, 1 asphalt court; Eastern Hutt, 36 membors, 2 asphalt courts; Korokoro (Petone), 20 members, 1 asphalt court; Hutt Methodist, 65 members, 2 asphalt courts; Petone Central, 55 members, 3 grass courts; Western Hutt, 36 members, 2 asphalt courts. Total 232 members and 11 courts. In the association inter-club games,, which are for teams of four ladies and four men, the matches, comprised of lacies' and men's singles, and ladies' said men's doubles, are played every third Saturday, thus making 12 sets all told in each match, which is easily played in an afternoon. In the senior grade Eastern and Western Hutt are leading with 7 points each, and Hutt Methodist is one point behind, with one more match each to play. In the junior grade Hutt Methodist A team is one point ahead of Eastern and Western Hutt. Six sen- | ior and four junior teams are in the competition. The matches have been most successful, and are promoting great keenness and rivalry among all the clubs competing. The association has also formed ladders for ladies and men, and the following are the first ten on each:—Ladies: Misses D. Hansen (W.H.), W. Pryde (E.H.), M. Fraser (E.H.), Fleet (K.K.), N. Cardno (C.C.), V. Willis (W.H.), C. Caates (C.C.), M'Bride (K.K.), F. Harmon (E.H.), A. M'llvridge (W.H.). Men: P. Hazlewood (CO.), I. Jones (E.H.), D. Jenkins (W.H.), A. Smith (E.H.), A. Flux (K.K.), B. Smith (W.H.), J. Hector (W.H.), B. Fleet (K.K.), L. Prior (C.C.), N. Heyes (H.M.). The association has a most valuable officer in I. Jones, as secretary, and the committee must be a hard-working one, considering the amount of work that has been achieved already during this season. Palmerston North Tournament. The Palmerston North championship meeting was a great success in every way. Good entries were received, and there were some splendid matches in all the events. The meeting was most capably managed by the secretary, Tom Jones, who had all his details carefully thought out well beforehand. Parker (Wellington) played good tennis, but was unexpectedly beaten by Malfroy, the New Zealand boy champion. " Malfroy, who also hails from Wellington, is playing very well at present, and put up good performances at Palmerston North. Bussell Young (Wellington) also showed good form, and Bartleet (Auckland) found it hard work to win from him in the semi-final, 11-9, 7-5. Robson (Auckland) was too experienced for Malfroy, in the fourth round, and won 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. The junior champion did well to take a set, as the winner's stroking was very clean and accurate. Andrews, as expected, reached the final by beating Robson, but was given a more severe taak in the final by Bartleet. Twenty games were played in the first set before Andrews won it at 11-9. Bartleet took the second set at 6-4, and appeared to have his opponent's measure, but the third set was a fight right up ;o the last stroke, and twenty-six games were played before Andrews-took the set 14-12, match, and championship. There were only two games difference between these two. fine players, the Palmerston North colt scoring 29 games to 27. Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) scored in two championships at the meeting, winning the final of the ladies' singles from Miss D. Nicholla, the girl champion of New Zealand, 6-2, 8-6, and the ladies' doubles with Miss Lowry- (Hawkes Bay) from Misses Calver (Wanganni) and Miss Preedy (Wellington), 8-3, 6-4. E. D. Andrews was expected- to be a competitor at the Wellington championships, which are in progress at Miramar, as- he ,is the holder of the Wellington championship singles. He did not enter, but one can hardly believe the report that he is playing at another association's tournament, which is in progress at present. Ladder Matches. Len France regained the top place on the Wellington ladder by beating Noel Wilson, 6-4, 6-2. The winner was right on his game, but had to fight hard for the first set. Wilson had a chance in the eighth game to lead 5-3, but over-eagerness caused him to miss the opportunity. France had more control in the second set, and never looked like losing it, as his opponent was uncertain with his ground shots. The loser was challenged by R. H. Donovan, but Wilson won out fairly easily 6-4, 6-0. Donovan has worked his way up the ladder very quickly, and is to be commended for his all-round play, bnt he has one or two slight faults' that require attention. He docs not secure a steady stance when serving, and often serves his second service too quickly after a fault. Also he must watch his feet not only in serving, but also in his overhead work, which can with advantage be more severe. He is com- I ing along nicely, and doing well, but ] he must not be. shy at asking the older players to advise him. Too raany of the young players, when placing practice games, are . over-anxious about winning. It is a good thing to forget about the score, and simply go in for stroking practice, mainly with the idea of improving their ground shots. When playing against a volleying board players do not try' to end the rally in one stroke, and if they would only think when practicing, that their opponent takes the place of the volleying board their game would be all the better for it. Do not trouble to remember whether you won or lost in a practice game, but try to remember who gives you best stroking practice and look for him again. A good player sometimes plays against a colt in practice, and the colt perhaps wins a set or even two sets and thinks that ho has actually been too good for the older man. It is not so, the older man was only trying out his strokes, but he is naturally not over-pleased to see it reported next day that colt so-and-so beat veteran so-and-so, 6-2, 6-4. Who loses by it? Well, the colt does mostly, as the veteran drops his inclination to assist the colt, and looks for another veteran for his next practice game. There is more in this than meets the eye, and colts can take . "Huka's" advice to think it over. The good players are eager to help, but colts must play the game when thoy get the (.'.banco of practice with them, and drop the idea that all one has to do is to go for aces at every opportunity. The writer has no particular colt-'in mind when" writing the above. The colts are all mostly aIV alike, and even the best of them err occasionally. At the present time Wellington has a fine lot of young players coming on, but they will do well to remember that the older playera ar,e tlu'ir best friends, mid they should do their utmost to convince the veterans that they want to be advised, and shown just how to play the game for the game's sake.