TENNIS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 22 January 1927, Page 13

TENNIS

GENERAL NOTES. Most of the players in Hawera are now back from their holidays, and have fettled down to club tennis once more in Hawera. Many travelled during the holidays to other tournaments and took part in them. A number went to see the Australian-New Zealand test matches at Wellington, and report a very fine display of tennis, inere is no doubt this tour of the Australians will give a great fillip to the game in New Zealand. ON HAWERA COURTS. The weather lias been on the whole very favourable to the grass on the various courts, and the rain just after the Christmas tourney of the Hawera Club helped very materially to repair the strain of the play during that week. The courts are now alflooking very well. The club so far is unbeaten in the competitions, and no ! doubt the members, realising this, will get all the practice they possibly can in view of futme fixtures. Their next match will be against Park A, which also lias not yet been beaten. It should provide a most interesting struggle and a good display of tennis. The teams on . past performances should be very even, although the experience of the Hawera Club players and their appreciation of the need for taking the match seriously will make them strong opponents for Park. AT THE PARK. Park Gluh are having an interesting season. Members are feeling the benefit of the pavilion, and appreciate very much having a place_ which is a common ground for meeting to talk over the affairs of the club. There is no doubt of the valuable asset such a building is to any club. Competition amongst seniors as well as juniors will be stirred to increased life by their having trophies for which to compete. These have been. given bv Mr Bramwell, an enthusiastic supporter of the club. MANAIA CLUB. There has always been a spirit of camaraderie and enthusiasm about the Mnnaia Club, which has for many years been one of the most successful on the coast. They have each year had a number of really capable players, and many a keen match has been fought with Hawera in bygone seasons. This year they have a team of very even players, and are capable of giving Hawera or Park as close a 'contest as they can wish. Their meeting will be looked forward to wfth keen anticipation. THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE. The season generally in Taranaki lias been of exceptional interest, tourneys in both north and south having been exceedingly successful. The former was noteworthy for the _ visit of 'the Australian team in addition to a number of the leading New Zealanders on their way hack from Auckland. The Hawera tourney, though its complete success was to somewhat marred by bad weather, was well and efficiently run, and in every way was appreciated by visiting players. All the clubs in the smith should now settle down seriously to the grade competitions of the province.

I SPORT IN ENGLAND. TENNIS A WONDERFUL HOLD. ‘ ‘Oln© of the things that .struck me most forcibly,” said a returned colonist to ia southern paper, “was the fact that despite the unemployment and the long queues of dole drawers the people appear to be more prosperous, devote more time to sport and have more , money to spend than before the war. , It certainly seems rather parado-xiai •that things should be so prosperous when certainly more time is given 1:o j recreation and shorter hours are worried P Probably, the reason for this was to bo found in the fact that the one time virtue of thrift was, to a giest extent, lost. This was common to ali parts of the world. He gamed the impression that the artisan was not working as hard as in the pre-war days. All kinds of sport had a strong appeal. He noticed particularly that tennis, which was once looked upon as a game for the more leisured' classes. is now being played by all and sundry. Courts, botli public and piivate are noticeable on all hands, while public courts are met with almost- everywhere. The player goes along with his racquet and plays for so much an hour. One thing that .seemed funny to him was the style ol dress adopted by the players. The -better class Englishman makes a creed ot correctly dressing for the sport in which he is engaged. Apparently he considers it is better to be correctly attireo. than to go out.and play a good ga.me or get a good hag in non-descript attire. MATCH PLAY TACTICS. Feel out your opponent at all points, and attack his weakest spot. Finding a vulnerable point,. hammer away at it unceasingly. Shift tactics always when losing, but never, change a winning style. Save your strength by judicious finesse, and if your opponent Weakens, play safe. Banish all spectacular gallery strokes, and play to the score, not the crowd, if you want to win.