BIG TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 20010, 30 October 1928, Page 12

BIG TENNIS

ENGLISH TEAM V. SOUTH ISLAND VISITORS TOO 6000 In the match played at Wilding I’ark, Christchurch, yesterday, the English team beat the South Island by seven matches to two, fourteen sets to 5. Throughout the day there was not one dull match, hut there were exhibitions of the game not often seen in New Zealand. Though the visitors’ style of play docs not dilfer materially from the game as it has been developed here, the Britishers showed evidence of the cultivation of stylo ami attention to detail which distinguishes expertness from mediocrity. Although the New Zealanders were well beaten, the contests were seldom one-sided, and were always interesting and mostly sternly fought. H. W. Austin is the stylist of the party. Dr J. C. Gregory is a hard hitter, and E. Higgs, the third man, also keeps up a good speed. Collins is no better than several New Zealand players Nobody in New Zealand to-day can rival Austin in the use of the correct stroke, the correct timing, and placing. This ac■counted in large measure for his defeat of Ollivier in two straight sets. Gregory met Ollivier at his best early in the day, and the New Zealand champion seemed less puzzled by his tactics than by Austin’s. Glanville fought hard to gain his well-earned victory over Higgs, who, like Gregory, put* pace on nearly every shot, but in J>his match he made some mistakes. Concluding results : SINGLES. G. Ollivier (South Island) lost to H. W. Austin, 4-6, 1-6. C. Angas (South Island) lost to J. C. Gregory, 2-6, 3-6. DOUBLES. Gregory and Austin (Britain) beat Glanville and Guy, 6-1, 6-4. Higgs and Collins (Britain) beat Ollivier and Angas, 6-0, 5-7, 6-2,