LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 21037, 26 February 1932, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS

[Br Recorder.]

TOURNAMENTS AND FIXTURES. February 27.—Vincent v. Otago, at Logan Park, Dunedin; Eastern Districts v. Otago B, at Logan Park, Dunedin. i March s.—Otago v. Southland, at Logan Park, Dunedin. March s.—Otago v. South Otago, at Logan Park, Dunedin. March 19.—Otago v. North Otago, at Oamaru. Easter. —Auckland tournament. Easter.—Wellington tournament. Easter.—Canterbury tournament. Easter .r-Otago championships and handicap tournament at Logan Park, Dunedin.

Easter.—Tuapeka Sub • association tournament at Roxburgh.

Owing to rain no matches were played in Dunedin last Saturday and the Otago team which travelled to Timaru fared no better. The rain in Timaru on Saturday was heavier even than in Dunedin, and when it became obvious that there could be no match the team decided to return to Dunedin that night. l}ad luck was still dogging the team, and no bus could be found, it having left Timaru early on Saturday morning, and became lost or stuck somewhere on the road by the flood. Further inquiries brought forth many sensational reports of Bft of water on roads, etc., and how the team despaired when thej were told they W"uld be stranded In Timaru. for two or three days. Sunday, the 21st, will live long in the memory of all the members of the Otago team. With rain still continuing and rivers overflowing official word was received that roads and rail were impassable, and the telephone to Dunedin was requisitioned to notify relatives not to expect arrival until seen. The South Canterbury Association provided a motor run for the team out ,to Pareora River to view some of the effects of the flood, and it was hero that the bus driver was found, ho having managed to get his bus to the other side of the river, having walked across the railway bridge. The decision was then made that the return trip would be attempted. Back to Timaru, ten minutes for tea,hand the team was once more on the way south. At Pareora the team had to leave the bus at the railway station, walk about a mile along the railway, and then over the Pareora bridge. The bridge had a decided kink in it, where several of the piles ha'd been washed away; but this only added to the general thrill. With the bridge safely crossed and a nuddy paddock of stubble the team was pleased to be once more in the bus for Dunedin. Thrills too numerous to mention were encountered on the road, Dunedin being eventually reached shortly after midnight. One humorous incident is worth recounting. On the way to Timaru the bus encountered a horse on the Waitaki bridge, and as its fastest pace was about one mile per hour and its owner refused to be passed, it took about half an hour to cross fhe Waitaki. The bus driver did not speak his feelings, but the members of the team were quite outspoken in their remarks regarding both, the rider and his horse. One member of the team oven tried a little gentle moral persuasion, all to no avail, the farmer sticking to his rights that horses were made before motor cars.

The following are the positions of the various teams in the B and C grades. The writer does not accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, as a number of results have pot been notified to the secretary of the association, from whose records these tables have been compiled : B I.

In connection with the C I. matches, the secretary of the St. Clair Club advises that St. Clair 11. have played five matches, but the association’s records show only four matches played. The writer advises the secretary of the St. Clair Club to get into touch with Milk S. Wilson and see which match lias not been notified. The writer has endeavoured to keep a record of the matches played by taking the results from Monday’s papers, but the failure ‘t

of some clubs to publish results has made the task exceptionally difficult. The secretary of the St. Clair Club also points out to “ Recorder ” that consistent mistakes have been made this season regarding the standing of St. Clair Club teams. The writer can assure Mr Ruben that if mistakes have been made they have been quite unintentional. At the same time, “ Recorder ” would like to point out not only to St. Clair Club, but also to all clubs, the necessity of endeavouring to complete matches interrupted by rain. It is noticed that in the C I. grade the St.Clair 1. and 11. were to have played, but rain prevented play. Surely a little assistance, could be given the Match Committee by the St. Clair Club in arranging to play this match in the evenings. This is just a suggestion to show how clubs may assist the Match Committee to get the various competitions finalised.

•Two matches against teams from subassociation will be played at Logan Park to-morrow. The Vincent team is composed of players from Roxburgh, Clyde, and Cromwell, while Eastern Districts is representative of Palmerston and surrounding districts. Two very interesting matches should bo witnessed. In addition the A grade match between Kaituna and Moana will be played on courts 1 and 2. The Australian Lawn Tennis Association has decided to send a Davis Cup team‘abroad. Crawford, Hopman, and Sproule have been selected, but the fourth player has not yet been announced. It would appear, on the latest advice from Australia, that the selection will be made from cither D. Turnbull or jV. M'Grath, the fifteen-year-old genius. M'Grath recently defeated Moon, the ex-Australian singles champion, but he has since been defeated by Turnbull.

PLAYING HINTS,

The Doubles Game (continued from last week).—(6) The receiver in doubles, of course, has a far more subtle task than in singles, as he has the extra, player to contend with. The receiver’s object should be to break up the formation of the opposing side, and to this end an angle return offers perhaps the most favourable opportunities, as such a return will almost invariably open up the centre court.- A good lob may be equally effective, but a poor lob will usually mean a lost point. (7) If your partner is receiving your position should be at the net, and your partner must endeavour to get there ns quickly as possible. Until a doubles pair have developed into a fairly strong combination the principle that the receiver’s partner should be at the net may be waived. The two at the back of the court position is certainly antiquated and defensive, and flatters the service and minimises the worth of a good return. (8) Pairs should always work in parallel formation. This is the essence of all good doubles play, and is the epitome of all that has been said previously. When one player is forced back the other should fall back, too, and bo ready to advance together immediately the opportunity occurs. The opportunity for doing so depends mainly on the players themselves, in so far as the player making the shot must endeavour to return such a ball as can be safely followed into the net. So long as the returns allow the opposing players to remain at the net, so long must the other pair remain on the defensive. Doubles is essentially_ a “team” game, and, as has been said before, experienced and well-balanced pairs, even if only moderate players, are worth more to a side than two champions who do not combine well. It is hoped that these few notes will to some extent,help to engender this “ team ” spirit in doubles play and so lessen some of the “ individualism ” which is very apparent in some of the doubles play. As this is thb last set of playing hints which will be published this year, in conclusion the hope is expressed that they have been of some value, especially to beginners, in whose interests they have mainly been compiled.

NOTES. A meeting of the General Committee was held last night, when arrangements for the Easter tourney were finalised to some extent. Last Saturday was tho first Saturday this season that the weather clerk has not been favourably disposed towards union matches. As the season is nearing an end the draw in the B section has been seriously complicated by the postponement. Some of the grounds originally set down have thus had to be changed, but this-was the only solution of the problem if the B sections aro to be brought to a conclusion before the end of the season. For some unknown reason no ladder games have been played lately. Up to date B games have been played among the men, but only four among the ladies.

U) Sv r-< “ 3 -g ac 0 £ o ■ k1 IS’o Mb Kaituna 6 6 0 12 Opoho 6 5 1 10 *Caversham 6 5 1 10 St. Clair 6 4 2 8 •Taieri ... (i 4 2 3 G Anderson’s Bay ... G ;i 3St Andrew’s G 2 4 4 North-east Valley . G 2 4 4 Moana G 1 5 2 St. Kilda G 1 5 2 Wesley ... 4 1 3 2 Otago 5 0 5 0 * The match between Caversliam ami Taieri. which has been credited to Taieri, is the subject of an appeal. B II. Cosy Dell - C 6 0 12 North-east Valley St. Mary’s 6 5 1 ■0 6 5 1 10 Boslyn C 4 2 8 Technical 6 4 2 8 Balmacewen 6 3 3 6 St. Patrick’s G 3 3 G Port Chalmers .. G 2 4 4 Opoho .. St. Peter’s G 2 4 4 6 1 5 2 Nga Maara C 1 5 •) East Taieri 6 0 C 0 C I. North-cast Valley 4 4 0 8 St. Clair I . 4 4 0 8 Tainni y St. Clair 11 . 5 . 4 4 3 1 1 8 6 'Wesley . 4 2 2 4 Cosy Dell ... . . 4 2 2 4 Anderson’s Bay . . 4 1 3 2 Roslyn . 5 1 4 2 Caversliam ... . . 4 0 4 0 Opoho • . 4 0 4 0 C 11. Port Chalmers . 5 4 i 8 St. Mary’s ... . . 5 4 1 8 Waimana ... . . 4 3 1 . G Nga Maura ... . . 4 2 2 4 St. Patrick’s ... . , 4 2 2 4 St. Peter’s ... . . 4 2 2 4 Taieri . 4 2 2 4 Opoho . 4 1 3 2 Technical ... ■ . 4 1 3 2 Tainui . 4 0 4 0