LAWN TENNIS PREPARATION FOR EASTER TOURNAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 March 1946, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS PREPARATION FOR EASTER TOURNAMENT

On Saturday, March 30, the Greymouth Tennis Club proposes to hold a one-day tournament. This should be a useful preparation for the Easter tournament conducted by the West Coast Tennis Centre and will give some indication of the possible contenders for championship honours. Entries will* close on Saturday next and play will commence on the arranged date at 9.30 a.m. with the men’s and women’s singles matches. Instead of conducting a B gradecompetition all . players will be entered for the open tournament. Those eliminated in the first round will be automatically entered for a special plate event. Outstanding Otira Players. The Otira team, which was defeated by Greymouth by 17 sets to 7 last week-end, included three outstanding players in Mrs. . Holt, C. Minifie and Mrs. Mrnifie, Mrs. Holt

is well-known in Greymouth as a versatile and capable player, but Mr. and Mrs. Minifie are newcomers to the West Coast and a decided acquisition to the Otira Club. AH three players won their singles and displayed excellent courtcraft in so doing.

Thrilling Match. The best game of the day, when Otira met Greymouth last week-end, was the women’s doubles match between Mesdames Holt and Minifie and Mesdames Hopkinson and Alexander. The match was closely contested throughout and the score fluctuated regularly until the Greymouth pair clinched matters in the final set to win 9-8. All four players showed outstanding ability at the net, where all doubles matches are won and lost, and the backing-up and teamwork of both pairs was beyond reproach.

Slice Expert. C. Minifie, in defeating A. Winstanley, played good tennis and showed that he was an opponent who would command the respect of the best West Coast players. A feature •of his game was the excellent ball control he displayed. His chops and slices proved exceedingly troublesome to'his opponent, who is a fit and agile player. Winstanley has been one of the leading players in the Greymouth club for some years and appeared to be playing below his best on Sunday, but this in no way detracts from the merit of Minifie’s performance, which was first class.