LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 20635, 7 November 1930, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS

[By Recorder.]

FIXTURES. - ’ December 26, 27, 29, 30, and 31. New Zealand championships, at Wilding Park, Christchurch. December 25, 26, and 27.—North Otago championships, at Oamaru. December 25, 26, and 27.~-Southlaud championships/at Invercargill. January 1,2, and 3.—-Otago championships, at Dunedin. January 1,2, and 3.—South Canterbury championships, at Timaru. Easter Date.-j-South Island hard court championships, at Dunedin.

With an entry of sixty-eight pairs and favoured by delightful weather conditions, the association’s Yankee tournament on Saturday afternoon proved an unqualified success both from a playing and a social point of view. The management of the tournament was under tho capable control of Mr E. D. Dutbie, and the_ thanks of all the players are due to him for the efficient way in which he carried out his duties. This is the first time the Logan Park courts have been used for a Yankee tournament, and the fact that all the players were together was a decided improvement on the old system, when several club courts bad to bo requisitioned. Many of the leading players in the city competed, and a very gratifying feature was the number of young pairs who participated, thus' gaining some valuable experience of the requirements of match play. Under the points system adopted for Yankee tournaments every stroke has a definite value, and as steadiness and accuracy, especially in a tight corner, count for a great deal, these events provide splendid practice for young players who wish to improve their game. Saturday’s tournament reached a high'standard, and there were many bright and interesting matches. Generally speaking, close finishes were the order of tho day, and though there wore some runaway victories on paper the actual scores • did

not always represent the true merits of the respective pairs.

in every instance defeat was accepted in a good sporting spirit, and there was no inclination to criticise the handicappers, who carried out a difficult task to entire satisfaction. Indeed, it may bo regarded as a vindication of the work of the hnmhVanpers that among the section winners the “ owing ” and “ receiving ” pairs nearly balanced. . In winning the tournament from the owe 3 mark S. Falconer and Miss A. Sherriff are to bo congratulated on their consistent play. Although a number of their matches were only won by the odd point,. Falconer’s confidence and his partner’s persistent play proved to bo a wonderful asset, especially when in a tight corner. Exactly how well this pair were playing can be gauged from the fact that in the sectional play they defeated Miss Pattison and S. M'Dougall, even after the latter had worked off their handicap and the score was 2-1.

After winning their section, Falconer and Miss Sherriff had two fairly easy victories, but in the semi-final they were fully extended by Dickinson and Miss Vallis. In this match Falconer tried to do too much, and was continually getting out of position, a mistake that Dickinson was not slow to take advantage by placing many good drives past Falconer at the net. Miss Vallis ably assisted her partner, but Miss Sherriff’s lobbing was too good for the younger pair. The final match between C. M'Dougall and Miss Stone and Falconer and Miss Sherriff was very evenly contested, the latter pair winning. 30-29. C. M'Dougall was the outstanding player in this match, his smashing being very decided. The St. Andrew’s pair early established a big lead of 10 points to owo’l, but their opponents evened the score. at 20 all, and lead 25-21, only to see M'Dougall and Miss Stone gain a 29-27 lead. Miss Stone’s next three serves were, however, not verv strong, and the Moana pair easily took- the 'next three points for game. Although fairly liberally handicapped on the receive mark, C. M'Dougall and Miss Stone played good tennis in all their matches, and their win, 30-23, from Fish and Miss Barton (rec. 2) was a good performance. In tbo semifinal they also defeated a good pair ill S. Ross and Miss Read (owo 2). It is interesting to note that there were only three A grade clubs represented among the sectional winners, whereas there were five B grade clubs. The following list gives the clubs and number of sectional winners Anderson’s Boy, three pairs; Opoho, three pairs; St. Hilda and St. Andrew’s, two pairs each: St. Mary’s, Monna, North-east Valley, and Balmacewen, one pair each. , The only A grade match to be played to-morrow will be the Kaitiina v. University matches; and the second round, of B grade matches will also be played.. During tho Week Jensen gained seventh place on the association ladder by defeating Phillipps, 6-1, 6-4. It was mostly a baseline game, marked by hard driving, in which Jensen proved the steadier and met the pace of his opponent’s shots with equal pace in his own. The second set was fairly evenly contested, but Jensen had mote patience in playing for openings, and when these came his winning shot lacked nothing in decisiveness. The membership of tho United Club still continues to grow, and the 150 mark has now been passed. Although it has been continually mentioned ih these notes that only those who are members of the United Club are privileged to use tho Logan Park courts a number of players still consider that, because they are members of a club affiliated to the association, they have the right to practise at Logan Parle. S. M'Dougall and Black retained first place on the association doubles ladder by defeating Jensen and Phillipps,. 6-S, 6-3, 6-0. The first set was very evenly contested, the Roslyn pair making a number of errors which their opponents took full advantage of. In this set Jensen’s driving and lobbing were very good. When the score was 3-2 in the second set Jensen and PhilIjpps were unlucky not to even the score, an easy kill at tho not being badly missed. With the score 4-2 the Roslyn pair seemed to find their game, and from then on only allowed their opponents one more game. A feature of the match was Black’s excellent volleying, especially anything of his backhand, which was placed well out of his opponent’s reach. The combination of Black and M'Dougall was very good, and at no time did they get in each other’s way. Another doubles match between Ppllock and Deaker and Webling and Chisinau resulted in an easy wm for the former pair, 6-0, 6-4. Tho St. Hilda pair wore right oh their game, and were never fully extended. Pollock advanced another place on tho association’s singles ladder when he defeated Boddy, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Pollock was the fitter player of the two, and he fully demonstrated this in the last set, which he took for the loss of only one game.. In the first two sets Boddy plaved consistently well, but he tried to go for too many straight-out winners, consequently overdriving or finding the net.

THE DAVIS CUP.. Writers in England, Australia, ,and the United States are giving much thought these days to the future of the Davis Cup. Has it achieved the pur pose of its donor? In thirty years it has made tennis possibly the only international game that can be played with a uniform code. That objective was attained at least three years ago, when twenty-eight nations entered teams for the contest. What of the interim? What of the future? Is the Davis Cup likely to become a victim of the disease of size? Will it become commercialised like football and baseball in America, like “ Soccer ” in England? ‘ Lawn Tennis and Badminton,’ the English publication, observes. “The Davis*Cup is rapidly assuming the character of a duty rather than a pleasure, something irksome that has to be put up with. Players are beginning to rebel at the time it takes.” Will it continue in the same way? France securely in possession of the title would have no change made. Neither would European countries that have little travelling to do. What of Australia, whose authorities had to reduce players’ expenses from £2 to £1 a day ? Australia is beginning to doubt the efficacy of sending teams across the world every year. If pre-war history were to repeat itself and Australia held the cup for six years, would Franco

look with complacency on having to send a team to Australia every year? Would Germany, Italy? Will the contest continue to be an annual affair? Or will it be fought out every two or four years? Some writers in the United States are beginning to see the problem in its true perspective. They, see the Davis Cup developing into a money-making concern. One goes so far as to suggest that Mr Dwight Davis, the donor of the cup. now Governor of the Philippines, should withdraw it. Or that the whole contest be concluded within a month or six weeks.

“ The gospel of sportsmanship has been spread by the Davis Cup matches,” says this writer, “ but they are now a breeder of trouble, in dated with commercial enterprise, and are sick unto death of the disease of size. May it not be that the time has come to ring down the curtain on the last act of this international farce?’* F. M. B. Fisher has still to bo reokoned with in doubles play. Partnered with G. P. Hughes' (England) lie won the international doubles at the Bad-Ems tournament, defeating the well-known German players, P. Fnrtzheim and E\ Kuhltnann, in the final. 1-6, 8-6, 7-5. It was a hot duel.

Again AYRES’ “ CHAMPIONSHIP Stitchless Tennis Ball -will bo used for the 1930-31 New Zealand Championships. You, too, should choose this ball of the champions, British and best,—[Advt.]