TABLE TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 57, 4 September 1937, Page 25

TABLE TENNIS

HUTT VALLEY NOTES

HUNGARIAN VISITORS

Although there has been no definite date allotted to the Hutt Valley Table Tennis Association for the appearance of Szabados and Kelen, the Hungarian table tennis stars, who are to commence their New Zealand tour, at Dunedin on. September 15, it is reported that they will play at the Valley on September 27. The Horticultural Hall, Lower Hutt, is to be engaged for the exhibitoin.

Both the visitors are "tennis" grip players and have fine records. Szabados favours the open game from, well behind the table, and has a practically unreturnable forehand drive.

Kelen, a left-hander, uses a backhand flick very effectively, and, in respect to that stroke, he is often compared with Barna, the world's greatest exponent of the game. In their first appearance in Australia the Hungarians met Victoria, whom they defeated Bto 0. They then travelled to Melbourne where they met the South Australians at Worth's Olympia, and beat them by 8 to 0 in the. presence of 5000 spectators. One interesting feature of the tour to date is the popularity of the game. The Melbourne match attracted a capacity house, there being hundreds refused admittance. The Hungarians make their next appearance at Sydney, where they are to compete in the Australian championships at the RushcuttersT Bay Stadium. It is anticipated that the Sydney engagements will draw a crowd of 8000, which is 4000 less than witness the English and world's championships at London every year. PROVINCIAL TITLES. A feature of the recent Wellington provincial championships was the number of titles captured by Hutt Valley players. Miss Strang (Empire) retained her singles title, Misses K.Tustinand M. Walsh (Taita) retained the ladles' doubles title, and> Miss K. Tustin (Taita) and E. Hughes (St. Ronans) the mixed doubles title. Hutt Valley took the boys' championship, won by G. Corbett

(Woburn) the men's second grade singles were won by S. Henderson (Petone Catholic), and K. B. Longmore (St. Konans), partnered by E. Boniface (Wellington) won the men's open doubles. W. T. McFarlane, winner of the men's open singles, plays for the Kilbirnie Club, but Hutt valley also had an interest in his success for he is a Hutt Valley resident who played for the Unique Club in the 1934-35 seasons. HUTT VALLEY v. WANGANUI. After defeating Manawatu by 40 games to 4 and losing to Wellington by 7 to 9, the Hutt Valley representatives last Saturday met and defeated Wanganui by 49 games to 7., The visitors' play was of quite a high standard, but they suffered in comparison. with the Valley players in defence. The chief reason for this was the manner in which jthe local team utilised the twelve feet of back space to advantage, whereas the Wanganui playe.rs all played very close to the table and attacked continually. The Valley players, however, were quite content to adopt a defensive attitude, and this proved to be the correct game. For the losers, Jones, a hard-hitting player, who confined his attack to the forehand, proved very troublesome to the Valley men, beating both Martin and Longmore. In the wpmen's section, Miss Glover, the Wanganui women's champion, was the best of the team. For Hutt Valley, Miss B. Strang and Mrs. Valk played well, but Mrs. Ingham and Miss P. Harvey, both of whom lost a single, made mistakes which the opposition appreciated, c ■Of the Hutt Valley men, Roberts was much too good for the opposition, his driving being both accurate and consistent. J. W. Croudis, essentially a defensive player, found the conditions admirable for his style Of play. K. B. Longmore, who is now changing his game, attacked both forehand and backhand. Longmore is at present very erratic on the forehand, but there is no doubt about the fierceness of the stroke. G. Martin gave his customary solid display, his defence being outstanding. Hia backhand drive, however, now lacks its former power. INTER-SECTION WINNERS. With the last round of the Hutt Valley Association's inter-club matches now being played, the various teams which are likely to play in the intersection finals are practically all disclosed.

In the C grade, Petone Catholic, with eight wins and a draw, must win their

section from Empire, who have iu»tained one loss. In the No. 2 section,. M.U. Oddfellows and St. David's, each have .one match to play, and they are at present level. Indications are that a plajr-off will be necessary. • In the D grade, Empire won the flrst section and M.U. Oddfellows -the second. .-...- _ In the E grade, Hutt Cricket and St. David's are unbeaten, and so they will contest the final of this grade. AUCKLAND CHAMPIONS.

F. Paton, who defeated the 1837 North Island champion, J. Swift, In the final of the Auckland men's open, was New Zealand champion in 1935. Paton is a "pen"-grip player, whose strong dpfence and accurate forehand have accounted for many championships. In the ladies' section Miss Wilkinson repeated her success at the North Island championships by again defeating the 1936 New Zealand crampion, Miss I. Dove. Both players are pen-?fip exponents of the game. Detailed results of the Auckland finals are:— . Men's Singles.—F. Paton beat J. Swift, 21-13, 21-18, 20-22, 21-15. Ladies' Singles.—Miss A. Wilkinson beat Miss i, Dove, 21-11, 18-21, 21-19. Men's Doubles.—F. Paton and I; brabble beat X, Cantlay and C. Burke, 21-13, 12-19, 19-2.1; 21-14. Ladies' Doubles.—Miss Bond and Miss Dove beat Miss Gillies and Miss Manson, 26-24, 16-21, 21-16. Combined Doubles.—A stowell and Miss Tanfield beat E. Chealand Miss Manson, 21-14, 12-21, 21-17.