LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 20984, 24 December 1931, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

[By Rbcokdb*.]

TOURNAMENTS. December 25, 26, and 28.—Southland championship and handicap tournament, at Invercargill. December 25, 26, and 28.—North Otago championships and handicaps, at Oamaru. December 26, 28, 29, 30, and 31. Auckland championship, at Auckland. December 26, 28; and 29.—Canterbury championships and; handicaps, at Wilding Park, Christchurch. January 1,2, and 4.—Handicap and open Tournament, at Logan Park, Dunedin. January 1,2, 4, and s.—Wanganui championships and handicaps, at Wanganui. January 1,2, 4, and s.—South Island championships and handicaps, at Timaru. January 5,6, 7, and B.—North Island championships and handicaps, at Palmerston North. January 21, 22, 23, and 25.—Wellington championships and handicaps, at Wellington. January 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30. N.Z. championships, at Auckland. Easter Dates.—Tournaments »t Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.

Rain which commenced about 2 o’clock rendered match play impossible on Saturday afternoon after two or three sets had been played. Kaituna started well against St. Kilda, and had won the three singles played when the match had to be abandoned. Jensen gained a good victory over Rawlinson, winning 9-8. Rawlinson started off well, and quickly established a lead of 4-1, but by taking five games in a row, the Kaituna man gained the upper hand; and although his opponent came from behind it 8-6 to square the games, he did not look like a winner. Both Sherriff and Phillipps gained easy victories, Sherriff defeating Robertson, 9-3, , and Phillipps defeating Aitken, 9-2. lii the Otago-Moana match Roddy sprung a surprise in defeating Guy, 9-8 Buddy played very consistent tennis, and on the day proved himself to be the better player. Guy’s drives were too short, and bis shots lacked pace, thus allowing his opponent to get in close to the net to volley or smash for winners. Duthie gave a very fine exhibition of driving and volleying in his singles match, and his defeat of Bray was a well-earned victory. The Moana man played hard tennis all through, and kept his opponent continually on the move. A number of important changes have taken, place recently in the men’s ladder, and the ladder now is as fol•lows :—l, G. A. Pearce; 2, R. A. Guv; 3, H. Pollock; 4, S. G. M'Dougall; 5, R. J. Phillipps; 6. A. T. Jensen; 7, K. Webling; S. S. Falconer; 9, J. Pearce; 10, S. Ross; 11, L. Barsdell; 12, C. Mollison; 13, Swallow. It. G. Boddy and C. Beaker have withdrawn their names from the ladder. The most important singles match which has been played recently was between Guy and Pearce, the latter gaining for the first time No. 1 position by defeating Guy, 1-6, 6-2, 9-7. The first set saw Guy’s forehand working well, and he frequently passed his

opponent at the net. Pearce’s in this set were too numerous, huh once he settled down to his game, ha gave a sparkling exhibition of tennis* In the last two sets Pearce served strongly, and his backhand drives and volleys frequently left his opponent' standing. On his present form Pearco should do well in both the Invercargill and Dunedin tournaments at Christmas?’ and New Year respectively. A hard-fought match was seen’ between Pollock and M'Dougall, tho former gaining the victory, 6-4. 11-9* Both players were driving well, Pol* lock's forehand being slightly more* accurate than his opponent’s. M'Dougall easily retained fourth! place when he defeated Phillipps, 6-2* 6-0. M'Dougall attacked his opponent’s backhand all the time, and although the/ majority of the games went to deuce several times the Roslyn man always? had the upper hand. The popular Syd. M'Dougall joined the ranks of the benedicts last week,; and the writer joins with, all tennis players in wishing him the best of luck*; The South Island championship and; handicap tournament, to be played at;; Timaru on January 1,2, and 4, amid: the pleasant surroundings of Maori? Park, the twelve grass courts of which? overlook' Caroline Bay, should be wi popular fixture. Entries must be re-? ceived not later than December 26, and'j the draw will take place that evening.;! The Canterbury Association lias de- ; cided to hold an invitation tournament*; in which the Australian ladies will take] part. The tournament will be held in | Christchurch ou7th, Bth, and 9th Janu-; ary, and the Canterbury Association has' issued an invitation to two of the Dun- , edin ladies to take part in the tourna- , ment. In consequence of the abandonment of the North Otago-Australianj ladies’ match the- Southland Associa-] tion has been granted a match against the visitors, to be played in Invercargill | on the afternoon of Wednesday, Janu-; ary 13. The team will arrive in Dun-; edin on Thursday, the 14th, at 6.23 ■ p.m., and will play at Logan Park courts on Friday and Saturday afternoons, January 15 and 16. In compli-. ance with the wishes of the Lawn Ten--nis Association of Australia the team • will bo known as a New South Wales team. Owing to the clashing of dates the Wilding Shield match between the southern and northern groups of the South Island will now .be played in. Christchurch on January 15 and 16 v The entries for the association’s New; Year tournament are quite up to expectations, and given fine weather the tournament should be a decided success* Pairs for the men’s doubles are: Dr, Moody and Falconer, Pollock and Pearce, M'Dougall and Black. Ladies’' doubles: Miss Fleming and Miss Partridge, Miss White and Miss Pattisou* Miss Calver and Miss Hislop, Miss Bagley and Miss Rackley. In the combined doubles the strongest pairs are: Pearce and Miss White, Pollock and Miss Pattison, Boddy and Miss Partridge* M'Dougall and Miss Fleming, and Dr Moody and Miss Calver. From Walla Walla, in the State of Washington, two days after the conclusion of the United States men’s championship singles, came word that Ellsworth Vine’s win of the championship was no surprise to his father, writes ' American Lawn Tennis.’- _ Vine’s father vouchsafed the further information that his son started a definite campaign for a Davis Cup position a few, years ago, and had just about accomplished his endeavour. On his return t» California Vines was accorded a royal welcome at Los Angeles. Presentation of an automobile purchased by his admirers, and a gold ball offered by school friends followed, and these were but a. few of the manifestations of pleasure that emanated from il faus, JJ to whom the young champion means much. After a few days’- holiday ■ Vines sensibly settled down to his studies at the University of California. Of him it is said that there has never been a champion that has carried the high honours or the game with any more modesty. He is to-day unspoiled, and that makes him the great champion he undoubtedly is. Of his plans in the future Vines has stated that he is not- expecting to turn, professional, although he has had a number of tempting offers. TENNIS UNION. . PLAYING HINTS. Smashing—A player who has developed a good, plain overhead service will almost invariably be a good smasher, as an overhead smash should, be played in the same manner, as a service. .For n siiuisb. even more than any other stroke the eye must be kept on the ball till the moniqnt of impact* A smash is essentially an offensive shot* and for this reason the placing of the ball is most important. A smash to go any way near being a winner must either be hit well back‘to the base line, or, if this not possible, across the court to the side lines. In either case, ot course, the ball must be hit with as much pace as possible. A smash hit into the net is usually the result of the plaver taking his or her eye off the ball too soon, while a hard smash which goes beyond the base line is the result of hitting the ball with the racket held nearly perpendicular. As with a seiie the ball must be hit on the top side* Briefly, consistent practice at smashing* by smashing as you serve, keeping your eye on the ball, and endeavouiiug to hit it on the top side, will eventually develop some degree of proficieucj ini this department of the game. NOTES. A mistake appeared in last week’s notes, when it was stated that Miss Walker had lost only one singles gams this season, and that to Miss Garbutt. Miss Walker has been twice defeated bv Miss Rosevear (6-2) and Miss Reid (6-1), Miss L. Page is the only lady, to have lost one singles, and that was to Miss Walker (6-3). The following figures may prove or. interest to A grade players. The players mentioned are those who haio played in not less than four A grade matches and who have won half op more of the total sets played by then! (the first number indicates the total sets plaved, the second the sets won); —Miss “Sutherland (Forbury) 15-13* Mrs Galbraith (Forbury) and Mass Rosevear (Knox) 15-12, Miss Thompson (Knox) and Miss Meinung (Forhury) 15-H. Garbutt (Forbury); and Miss N. Benzoni (Knox) 15-10, Miss Rae (First Church) and Miss L. Page (Ilaveilsbourne) 15-9, Miss Facer and Miss George (Ravensbourne) 15-8* Miss Howell (Knox) 12-9, Miss M* Page (Ravensbourne) 12-8, Miss Ryan (Kaikorai) 12-6. W. Gibson (Forbury); 15-14, L. Galbraith (Forbury) 15-12,-H. Jeffs (Forbury) 15-10, A. Hav (Knox) 15-9, J. Hayward (Knox) and L. Facer (Ravensbourne) 15-8, R* Facer (Ravensbourne) 15-7, J. Rodgers (Ravensbourne), J. Morrison (Wakan), and G. Salmond (First Church) 12-6. Matches will commence again after the holidays on January 9, and club secretaries are reminded to see that all match results are sent in, as in past years some clubs have become lax irt this respect after the holidays. Up to date every match has been reported* In a recent ladder match H. Jeffs beat W. Gibson, 9-7. As these will he the last notes until after the first matches in the new year, the writer wishes all union members and readers a merry Christmas and hgpßX and £rpߣerp_u& iSjeJE (Year.