ON THE COURTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 113, 9 April 1930, Page 12

ON THE COURTS.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. SEASON DRAAVING TO A CLOSE. (By “Volley.”) AVith the summer now drawing to a close, tennis enthusiasts in Mayawatu can look back upon an eventful season, one of the most important in the history of the game in this district. Probably the outstanding event of the season was the inauguration of the inter-club competition. A little band of enthusiasts had supported the proposal for some years and their efforts were crowned with success when Messrs C. C. Yates, T. B. AVorrall and D. 1. Robertson were appointed to control the competition. Entries were invited and every club affiliated to the Manawatu Centre entered. It was thought that the innovation might not prove altogether successful in. its first year, but events were conducted very smoothly, and satisfactorily, for which credit must be given to Messrs Yates, AVorrall and Robertson. Defaults were uncommon and the matches were quite eagerly looked forward to. The strong Palmerston North Club won both Saturday competitions, while Feilding annexed the honours in the mid-week' event. Though the competitions have proved enjoyable, “Volley’.’ contends that their chief benefit will be experienced in years to come. Young players in the weaker clubs have been afforded match practice that they would not otherwise have had. The standard of tennis at the annual tournament was high, perhaps higher than in preceding years. The men’s doubles attracted a strong field and the finalists met afterwards in the final of the New Zealand championship. Miss Nicholls won the ladies’ championship prior to, annexing the Dominion title. ** r Two inter association matches were played, Manawatu winning one and losing one. AVairarapa, -whom Manawatu beat, subsequently • won the Christie Cup from AVanganui. Wanganui beat Manawatu.

The first definite move to secure the inclusion of Australia in the AVightman Cup, which is the women’s Davis Cup, will be made at this month's meeting of the New South AVales Lawn Tennis Association, when women delegates will urge that a recommendation to this end be forwarded to the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia. AVomen tennis officials contend that their branch of tennis has progressed so rapidly in recent years that their claims to annual international contest are justified. They point out that since women players were emancipated from the trailing dresses of old days, the standard of play has considerably improved. Freed of this physical hazard, women make their strokes with ease and from any angle, and, although some of the older players persist in the “back of the court” game, the majority of the present juniors play an aggressive fast game. Examinations in lawn tennis are now included in the curriculum of two American colleges—at AVilliams and at AA resleyan. The students undergo stringent tests to determine their fitness for the game. They are given examinations by the Physical Education Department both on the court and off the court. AVlien they get through they, are given grades. They are examined particularly for their accuracy, but they also are asked technical questions about the rules of the game. Miss Dulcie Nicholls, who won the

New Zealand ladies’ singles’ title at the last national championships, has been beaten by Miss Marie Avilliams in the Brougham Hill Club’s championship. Miss AVilliams, who won 9—5, did not compete at the New Zealand meeting, and this is her second successive victory in the Brougham Hill singles. >, Arrangements are being made by the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association for its coach (Mr G. OlliVier) to deliver at an early date a second lecture on tactics to those pupils who have completed their course of stroke instruction. The scheme fully deserves to be continued, says an exchange, for already 300 players have received instruction since it was started last August.