Lawn Tennis Notes JUNIOR TENNIS IN AUSTRALIA NOTES FROM BASELINE NEW TYPE LIKELY

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 132, 30 November 1935, Page 23

Lawn Tennis Notes

JUNIOR TENNIS IN AUSTRALIA

NOTES FROM BASELINE

NEW TYPE LIKELY

(By "Cross-Court.")

TOURNAMENT DATES. Wellington Lawn Tennis Association. —December 25, 26, 27, 28.. Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association. —December 26, 27, 28. Wanganui Lawn Tennis Association (North Island .— December 25,26; 57, 28. New Zealand Championships, Wellington.—December 30 to January 4. South Canterbury Lawn .Tennis Association.—January 1,2^ 3. EASTER DATES, Auckland Lawn Tennis. Association. Wellington Lawn Tennis Association Otago Lawn Tennis Association (Otago and South Island championships). Some of the reasons why- Australia can produce such youthful champions as J. Bromwich and A.- Huxley and also has numbers of boys who show signs of reaching the' same standard are furnished in an article on junior tennis in New South .Wales which appeared in the programme for the recent State championships. Incidentally, this programme, copies of which were brought back by members of the New." Zealand women's team, is a first-class production, and is prepared in a.style which the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association might well adopt" ft>r the coming national championships. The article states that the coaching and general encouragement meted' out to juniors by the; various hard-court associations and the New South Wales Lawn Tennis Association is responsible for a big crop of youngsters coming forward whose proficiency and enthusiasm is simply remarkable, a tribute to efficient Organisation and control by the associations concerned and' the ability of the professionals employed. Not only are the boys and girls provided with coaching facilities in many centres, but tournaments and matches are arranged for them. They compete also with and against seniors

in club competitions, and thus at a very early age acquire not only skill but match experience and the assurance and court craft of much older players.

The age championships for boys and girls from 11 years upwards—an idea that originated /with the professional coach Herbert Edwards, and later, as its.value became established, was extended and improved upon—arouse considerable interest, and undoubtedly exert a big influence through inducing youngsters to take up the game early and fight for supremacy with others of their own age. ■

AUCKLAND TENNIS

Taking over the age championships for girls from Herbert Edwards, the New South Wales Lawn Tennis Association now runs these age and school championships for both boys and girls at the end of February and early in March, a big entry of approximately 900 testifying to their popularity. Here on neutral ground at White City many a splendid match is staged between youthful aspirants for tennis honours. Several of the hardcourt associations.run a similar tournament in September, notably Illawarra, Sydenham-Bankstbwn, and Parra-matta-Granville, with signal success. One sees amongst the youngest competitors followers of Jack Crawford Vivian McGrath, and John Bromwichm fact, many of them, unable to hold the racket with' one : hand, being so young, play with two hands on both fore and back hand, a combination of McGrath-and Bromwich:

The courtcraft: and general knowledge displayed, by many of these youngsters is no less remarkable than their stroke productions. It has been money jvell spent to give our junior boys and girls an opportunity to make good. New South Wales has turned out some very fine players of late years; Jack Crawford, Vivian McGrath, and John Bromwich being outstanding, as are Joan Hartigan and Thelma Coyne, but where in the past there have been only occasional champions it appears likely that in the near future there will be quite a number, if these boys and girls go on develop-1 ing according to promise. Year by year they are starting to play earlier; once it was on leaving school, now it is at 8 or 9 years often.

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONALS

It is a proud boast that Australian lawn tennis professionals are professionals in the true sense of the word. They are teaching, the game, travelling throughout the different Slates searching for possible Davis Cup players of the future. A writer in an Australian paper says that J. O. Anderson, pioneer of Australia's professionals, told him the last time he was in Melbourne that nothing affords him Iso much pleasure as to go in quest of likely champions. Like Anderson, the Willard brothers, Les Baker, Pas O'Hara Wood, Percy England, and E. Rowe are all doing a good job in moulding the styles of those who come under their notice. By way of contrast, W. T. Tilden, Ellsworth Vines, Vincent Richards (who was injured in a motor accident recently) Keith Gledhill, Xott. and Stoefen belong to the "barnstorming" type of professionals. For their livelihood they depend upon their playing ability and their capacity to draw big houses, and from all accounts they are doing well.

Now that the famous Frenchman Cochet is visiting Australia to play, teach, and lecture, a new type of professional may arise in Australia. R. O. Cummings, the Queenslandcr, has just announced his departure from the amateur ranks. Doubtless he has his

NEW TYPE (OF PROFESSIONAL MAY AEISE

eye on Cochet. Another, leading Queenslander is about to' turn professional. Prospects of easy- money when overseas champions are in the country may lead to an Australian1 "circus" like Tilden's in the United States. At least we may have a troup of "temporary barnstormers," armed with rackets, following hot on Cochet's trail to every .town, and hamlet.

Cummings defeated Cochet in tlie first match of the Frenchman's tour, but was decisively beaten in the second. In view of these results, it is interesting to recall that while Cummings has gained numerous successes in Australian tournaments, Cochet's name has appeared eleven times in Ayres's list of th world's first ten (compiled by Mr. Wallis Myers), and for four years—from 1928 to 1931—his name headed the list.

If the number of challenges lodged are an indication it is "apparent that the present season will see a revival of interest in the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association's ladder competition, with a strong challenge from young players arid considerable changes in the lower and middle positions. *N. G. Sturt may be regarded as likely to hold the top position, and if M. T Wilson strikes his best form he will be difficult ,to dislodge from second place. Below this . anything may happen, and it is just a question of time before players like A. D. Brown, J. W. Gunn, J. Stevens, and J. Leng, who is not at present on the ladder gain advancement (states "Server" in the "New Zealand Herald"). : Miss Marjorie. Macfarlane will hay« little difficulty in holding her position.

She is just as outstanding in Auckland tennis today as she was in 1928. when she won the Dominion title. Miss Bishop seems likely to move up, and should occupy a fairly high position at the close of the season. It is to be hoped that more lady players will take an interest in this competition, as with the departure of Miss Marion Macfarlane and the absence of Miss V. Eccles last season's number has been reduced to seven only. The positions on the men's ladder are as follows:—1, N. G. Sturt; 2, M. T. Wilson; 3, S. Lamb; 4, C. Partridge5, A. K. Turner; 6, V. R. Johns: 7, P. E. Potter; 8, A. D. Brown; 9, E. W Griffiths; 10, A. Porter;.ll, J. W. Gunn; 12, A. McKeown; 13, J. W. Neale; 14, J. S. Wilson; 15, W. E. Butler: 1«, J. Stevens. The positions on the women's ladder are as follows:—1, Miss Marjorie Macfarlane; 2, Miss J. Ramsay; 3, Miss B. L. Bishop; 4, Miss Ruth Taylor;. 5, Miss G. E. Edwards; 6, Miss B. Griffiths7, Mrs. Wren. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. C. Angas will definitely be a com. petitor an the New Zealand champion. ships. J. Lowry will partner E. ■D. Andrews in the doubles, while D G France and N. G. Sturt will probably be paired. . ■ . ' A. R. Cant has gained third place ort the Canterbury ladder by defeating H. Dymond, 6-3,6-2. • - The New Zealand Lawn Tennis Asso. ciation has approved of the following tournament dates:—Waipawa- Clubl January 11-15; Tuapeka Sub-Associa^ tion, Easter.