TENNIS

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 7 November 1925, Page 14

TENNIS

The sea,son in Hawera and, indeed, all over Taranaki is well on its, way and members are playing and practising hard. Courts are rll in very good order and every condition attracts the player to the playing area, to whichever he may belong. Members of both clubs look forward to a mom interesting season.

Competitions will be commencing coon and they will add to the zest oi the player and to the interest in tne game. They provide a trying-out ground for the player, where he may Test the efficiency a.ul perfection oi his various strokes. The rivalry <;1 Platers too, brings out in each all the nest that is in them and makes them strive hard for mastery of the other. Competition is a< wonderful tonic* and *stnnulus in sport as well as in business.

The ladder is a great stepping stone to the keen enthusiast and every club practically lias one or perhaps two. Any club which is without this almost “sine qua non” should remedy the oefect at once. It is in most clubs one of the most valued institutions. Lt stirs the most intense rivalry and leads in the vast majority of cases to a steady and continued improvement in the standard of play.

The luck of the weather favoured the Park Club, who held their opening day a week later than the Hawera Club. 'However, it actually makes no difference, hut, it certainly adds much to the. pleasure of members and friends to have the glorious sunshine all round them when the courts are declared open for the season, and seems to give the season a better and more live “kick off,” to use a football term.

Mr. Wallas Myers, in the Daily Telegraph, giving his annual list, ot the world’s first ‘ten lawn tennis players, places Gerald Patterson (Australia) seventh. He says: “‘Patterson played one great Dnivs Oup single. He can never have played better, and he ns entitled to promotion on the list. He remains a. great fighter, with .a service inferior to none.” in confirmation of this- judgment it is interesting to note the opinion of W. T. Tildeii, who writes as follows in American Lawn Tennis: “I want, to say right now that I consider Gerald Patterson one of the greatest doubles players in the world. Throughout tlie week he not only played magnificent tennis, hut bis generalship and crafty tactics were superb. The wav that he mixes his furious leftdrive, cross court with a low lob over the net in an’« head, apparently wit.i the same motion, is marvellous. Everyone knows he is the greatest •smasher in the game, but in their admiration for his overhead they often fail tc recognise the wizardry of his ground strokes in doubles. . . . Only Brookes is liis equal in. doubles.”