LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 19197, 13 March 1926, Page 22

LAWN TENNIS

[By Recorder.]

The representative match against Southland was played on the Anderson’s Bay courts last Saturday, and resulted "in a comfortable win lor Otago bv 14 matches to 8. A feature of the day was the fine showing ot the visiting ladies, who quit© outclassed their opponents, winning seven out or the eight ladies’ matches played, and only losing the eighth by the odd game really a very good performance. Admittedly several Otago ladies, who would have been in the team, were away in Oamaru, and others were not available; but oven so the homo team should have done better. Again, the only reason that can be given is the lack of match practice, and, though matches in the A grade finished before Christmas, ladder matches ottered a very fair substitute, and the ladies have only themselves to blame lor not taking advantage of them. In the first men’s single Pago outclassed Deaker in the first set, the visitor being able to do little with the Otago man’s service, but in the next set things were much more even, and games went to 5 all before Page took tho nest two games for tho match. Deaker struck a very good length in this set, and scored many points with a low drive to his opponent’s backhand, but he was hardly enterprising enough in coming into tho net, otherwise ho may have done, even better. Deaker is the first player to take Page to an advantage set in a single in a tournament or reproseutative match this season (except when Page was defeated at ChristcUurch), and lie is to be congratulated on his game. Henderson was hardly a match lor Guy, though the visitor played attractive tennis, driving well, and playing an open game. His habit of changing hands at times is apt to be disconcerting at first, but ho is not alone in this banit, A. W. Sims, for instance, serving with one arm and playing all Jus ground stroke with the other. Dr Moody, who won, G-l, 6-4. was extended by M'Donald in tho second tot, being rather astounded at times at some of the recoveries made by the visitor, who was very steady with his ground strokes, and lobbed exceedingly well. The visitor used to play in Dunedin a year or two ago. but he has improved his game considerably since leaving hero. . , Little need be said of the men s doubles, tho Otago pairs being much too good for the visitors. One reason for this is that steadiness is of far less use in a double than in a single. Most, if not all, of tho visitors were very steady ui their singles, and consequently gave their opponents good games, hut as doubles players they did not shine, not having decisive enough strokes. Further, several of them Deemed willing only to come to the net when dragged there by a short ball, although, perhaps to their own surprise, they performed quite creditably when they got there. M'Donald was one of tho few Southlanders who evinced a desire to get to the net whenever possible, but unfortuntaely he was up against two hard hitters in Page and Moody, and with his partner Very often at Dio back of the court those tactics were not of much use.

Miss Pioin, in tho first ladies’ singles, had a long game with Miss M'Adnm, finally winning by tho odd game. She has not a very attractive style, playing her shots rather close to her body, and using her shoulder a lot. hut she was very steady, aml kept a good length with her forehand drive. Miss M‘Adam tame into the not once or twice, hut usually found her opponent’s drives too low to volley, and towards the end of tho game kept back, the match becoming a baseline duel, in which the visitor was just too good. Miss Rein, playing first Inst year, just lost by the odd game 1o Miss Pattison, hut this time she had the satisfaction of winning the important game. Miss Witherow played quite good tennis against Miss Hutton, and some bright rallies were seen, including some good volleying, but the Southland lady displayed a better knowledge of courtcraft, and frequently won with a comparatively slow, well-placed shot to an unexpected corner. The Otngo lady was very steady, and made some good recoveries, hut scarcely hit hard enough to defeat the visitor, who played good tennis.

Mrs Tregear notched Otago’s only win in tho ladies’ events, defeating Miss Watson by tho odd' game. The Otago lady hits much harder than many players who have been much longer at tho game, and frequently left the other lady standing, with a hard crosscourt shot, though occasionally she picked the wrong ball to hit. Further, her service, though underarm, is no mere pat over the net, and has the added merit of haying a rather disconcerting bound, which frequently necessitates a defensive return.

Concerning tho mixed doubles, one can only say that they were dominated by the Otago men, the horiio team winning’ these events by 5 matches, 53 games to 1 match 29 games, Bray and Miss Ramsay losing by the odd game against Lopdell and Miss Watson.

The match against Oamaru, played at Oamaru last Saturday in perfect weather, provided an excellent day’s tennis, which was watched by a good crowd of spectators. Again the men did bettor than the ladies, though on paper the ladies, headed by Miss Pattison, Mrs Gale, and Miss White, appeared stronger. The men won six of their eight matches, by 64 games to 54, while tho ladies won four out of seven by 40 games to 41, the first ladies’ single and the last double in both tho men’s and ladia/ events not being played. A feature of the match was the closeness of many of tho games, no fewer than seven matches being won by the odd game, Otago winning five of the seven and Oamaru two.

Bdddy and Sumpter had a hard-hit-ting match, in which the Otago man was scarcelv up to his usual form, netting and hitting out several easy balls for important points. Sumpter was steadier than usual with his groundstrokes, and finally won 9-7, thus avenging the severe inflicted on him by Boddy at the Christmas tournament.

Fulton had a long match with Mollison, for after winning the first two games he lost the next six, and later was S-4 down. However, he then attacked Mnllison’s backhand with a high bounding ball that the Oa'maru man could not cope witffi and after surviving several match points he won 9-8.

Black had a, close call against J, Familton, for after leading 7-4 and 8-6 he allowed the Oamaru man to -get level and lead in the last game, but finally got the deciding stroke with a well-placed volley. M'Grerror gave a really good display against Gale, and on his game should ho higher up on the ladder, probably next to Sumpter. He has a good service and smash, an efficient_backhand, and a peculiar fast dropping drive.

which is usually of excellent length. He was too good for Gale, the Oamaru man winning 9-3. Jensen had his revenge on Manchester, who defeated him at the Exhibition tournament, tho Cosy Dell, man this time winning 9-4 in a hard driving contest. Tho best ladies’ single was that between Mrs Gale and Miss G. Manchester, both playing a very fine game. Tho Otago lady, keeping an excellent length, early established a lead, and made it unprofitable for her opponent to corao into tho net, except on excellent length drives. When 6-4 down Miss Manchester concentrated more on Mrs Gale's backhand, and with those tactics took tho last three games, to win the set by the odd game. There was littlo between the players, Mrs Gale having a better forehand and Miss Manchester volleying and serving better than her opponent. Miss Fleming gave a good exhibition in her single against Miss Davies, and though 6-3 down at one stage she hit out freelv and won 7-6. Again_ with Matson she was in a losing position in tho mixed doubles at 8-5 down, but then won 9-8, and made a good allowing on her first appearance in an Otago team.

Miss Pattison played a great game in tho first mixed double with Fulton against Sumpter and Miss Manchester, frequently gaining applause for a crosscourt drive which left the man at_ tho net standing. She gave Sumpter little chance to intercept her return of service, and made many openings for her partner at the not, the Otago pair winning 7-4, the game being cut clown to allow the players to catch tho train. The closeness of the match can be Bauged from the fact that though tago won by fourteen sets to seven there were only sixteen games difference, Otago leading bv 153 games to 137.

There appears little chance of a return match being played in Dunedin this season, Oamaru apparently requiring the remaining Saturdays before Easter for club matches, etc. By defeating Roslyn on Saturday by eight sets to six Cosy Dell enters the final of one section of _ the B grade competition, and plays North-east Valley to find the section winner. Balmacewen wins the other section. Tho Wilding Shield match between Wellington and Canterbury did not eventuate last Saturday, Wellington withdrawing the challenge. Unfortunately for the challengers Messrs Andrews, Peacock, and L. France were not available, and though Smyth and Wilson could have made tho trip the Wellington Association rightly decided that it was not worth while carrying on with the challenge. It is rather unfortunate, for some ■ great tennis would have been seen, notably a return match between Smyth and Ollivier.

Tho M'Millan Cup will be played fox-to-morrow (Saturday), handicaps, etc., -having already been published