TENNIS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 14 October 1922, Page 3

TENNIS.

In company with . other summer . clubs, tennis appears to have bright . prospects this season. The two clubs , iiave tneir courts in good order'and. can accommodate a lot of playing members. A junior club is in process of making and should be a useful "adjunct to the game. They propose to practice on tue old courts behind the bowling 'dub, evacuated this year by the Hawera Club. Already they have enrolled a fair number of members and are expecting more. There should be room tor all three clubs.. The following from the London Field will be appreciated at this, end of tne world:,— New Zealand is rightly jubilant over the recent success of its lady champion, Miss Nancy Curtis, of Petons; She bids fair to equal the record of Miss Nunneley, who for years was supreme in the Dominion. Visiting Australia this year, Miss Curtis, won the New South Wales championship, defeating, Mrs. Molesworth, of Queensland, in the final. As Mrs. Molesworth was deemed the best player in the Commonwealth, the victory suggests that Miss Curtis must be very near the top of women, players in Australasia. Petone, her 'native place, means "the end of the beach," and we observe that a speaker at the mayoral function given to the' heroine on her return home, discovered a Maori rendering of the name as "the cradle of champions." The same authority, the legislative member for the district, also mentioned an incident in the final worthy of note in these mascot days.: ( When Mrs. Molesworth led 5—2 in the • first set, a black cat seated itself on * her opponent's jumper in the pavilion. ; "Miss Curtis immediately began to ' play as -she had never played before. ' The score rose to five all, and after ; that nothing could stop her." The New < Zealand champion is a clerk in a Gov- < eminent office. She- is not a specialist, but plays an all-round game. ■ Her service is plain,' but has plenty of pace', and is well placed. She takes a fast service standing well inside the baseline. Her, driving is good on both 1 wings, i her backhand having , a little ] slice. But her volleying is her strong- ] est equipment. She can take low vol- j leys surely and neatly, and her smashing is described as wonderfully good.

"I have seen most of the famous players except Mciile. Lenglen," writes v valued New Zealand correspondent to the Field, "and I have seen nothing beiter. There is talk of sending Miss Qirtis Home next year.'' ———— ;