TENNIS NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 257, 27 September 1933, Page 10

TENNIS NOTES

MANAWATU ACTIVITIES-. (By "Volley.”) Though the Hokowhitu and St. Patrick’s clubs have opened the season already activities will officially be ushered in on the courts of the major clubs during October. It is pleasing to record that the West End Club, after a year of existence, has made such progress as to be in a position to affiliate with the Manawatu Lawn Tennis Association, allowing its young players the benefit of strong inter-club competition—a necessary factor to their development—and a wise decision on the part of the club. The Manawatu Lawn Tennis Association has decided to conduct its interclub competitions on the same lines as last year. A suggestion was made that there should be three grades, but this was not taekn up. Formerly a prominent playing member of the Terrace End Club, Mr C. Spehnan returned from Nelson this year and has again linked up with his old club, where this season he will be carrying out the duties of club captain. The Terrace End Club has quite a number of new members this season, and it is understood that, should it be -warranted, an additional court will be available. This progressive club anticipates a highly successful season. HARD COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS. The next quarterly meeting of the council of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association will deal with the question of holding a national hard court championship. Intermediate championships have been abolished and the management committee has been iustructed to arrange for the holding of junior hard court championships during school holidays. The Otago Lawn Tennis Association is considering entering a _team from the Otago group for the Wilding Memorial Trophy,. and lias made application for the allocation of the New Zealand hard court championships to Dunedin. It is also investigating the possibility of arranging a primary schools’ 'competition in furtherance of junior tennis. , Provided that suitable terms can be arranged, the management committee of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association has been recommended to accept a visit by the overseas professionals, Kozeluji and Nusslein. Commenting that the question of the improvement of junior play was giving him some concern, . and that lie felt that in this respect tennis was falling behind other sports, ■ the chairman of the Auckland Association recently asked for an expression of opinion from delegates on the question of sending juniors to Australia to take part in some of the tournaments for a few weeks. After a discussion it was resolved to defer the matter for a year and to consider also the advisability of sending juniors to some of the New Zealand tournaments. The success at English tournaments of. the tall and popular Aucklander, A. O. Stedman, who is well-known to Manawatu enthusiasts, has been most gratifying. With the opportunity for stern overseas opposition, this player lias made the progress expected of him. He has the physical development and height, which are factors in big tennis, and much more success is anticipated for this young player in the future. ENGLISH TEAM’S VISIT. Definite advice has been received by the Taranaki Lawn Tennis Association that the English touring tennis team, which is to visit New Zealand en route to Australia, will visit New Plymouth in November.' They have requested that the matches they play be on grass courts. It is anticipated that the visitors will play exhibition matches and if there are not sufficient of them to play a doubles game, New Zealand players, such as C. E. Malfroy, will be invited to play with or against the Englishmen. Wilde has taken the place of H. W. Austin, who was not available. Last year Wilde was ranked only No. 12 in England, but despite this his inclusion in the four makes the team, with the exception of Austin, the strongest Britain can mutter. It is understood also that Turnbull and Quist, the Australian Davis Cup representatives, are accompanying the Englishmen, having also played in the American championships, and that they will tour New Zealand in company with them. A FORMIDABLE QUARTETTE. By his recent success in winning the national singles lawn tennis title of the United States, E. J. Perry, the famous English Davis Cup star, joins the select few overseas players who have succeeded in carrying off the American singles championship. It is worthy of note that only on four other occasions have non-American players proved successful, namely, Doherty, in 1903, Lacoste, in 1926-27 and Cochet, in 1928. Perry is likely to be a big draw in Australia this summer. He captures the crowd with his mannerisms and antics, just as Borotra did. P. D. H. Wilde, Perry’s team-mate on the Australian tour, is only 22 years of• age, and has yet to make his name in the game. Nevertheless, he has a number of excellent performances already to his credit. In 1932 he represented England against Wales, Germany and Belgium, and defeated G. L. Rogers (the Irish giant) at Wimbledon. He is said to specialise in half-volleys and forehand drives. He also plays football, golf, billiards, badminton and cricket, and is an international table tennis player. H. G. N. Lee, another member of the English team, is ranked No. 3 and is 26 years of age. He has victories to his credit over Lacoste and Borotra, and this year, with Perry, defeated Borotra and Brugnon in the French championships. His best stroke is his forehand drive, while he also lias a good service. He has been on several tours, including the West Indies and South Africa. . . G. P. Hughes, the remaining member of the team, is ranked No. 4 in Great Britain, and is 31 years of age. He is a Bachelor of Commerce of London University. He has represented Great Britain in Davis Cup matches for a number of years, and usually partners Perry in these matches, in 1931 he won all three Italian championships, defeating Cochet in the singles. Of his play it is said he is very steady and accurate and is an excellent doubles player. SUZANNE’S PRACTICE METHODS. During her London visit Suzanne Lenglen, to the great joy of ship girls employed, in adjoining practised tennis shots on the wired-m roof of a West End emporium. The famous French woman champion hit a ball up against the wall, and played all sorts of return shots on its rebound. She said it was thus she used to train in her early amateur days, and finally cured what was a lamentably weak backhand stroke. She recommends wall practice for all ambitious centre-court Wimbledon aspirants. Suzanne hits the ball a rare smash when she practises, yet she makes one unexpected criticism of amateur players to-day. She thinks they tend to Hit the ball too hard, and attacli more importance to this than to clever placing. During their lunch hour West End shop girls rushed to the roof to watch the agile Suzanne.