LAWN TENNIS NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 289, 3 November 1934, Page 2

LAWN TENNIS NOTES.

It will be a great disappointment to tennis players throughout the Dominion that Menzel will be unable to play, for the giant Czechoslovakian is not only one of the finest players in the world, but, with his high-kicking service and tremendous hitting, one of the most spectacular. As the little South African, Kirby, is reported to be travelling with the British players it seems likely that he may be persuaded to fill the gap. Last season he had a great run of successes in England, and has at one time or another beaten such players as von Cramm, Gregory, and Austin, and at Wimbledon this year reached the last eight. Perry has shown by his form in America that he is better than last year, and Hughes has been doing well since Wimbledon. That Miss Round was in her best form when she left England was shown by her play in the South of England championship, in which she won the singles without losing a set, and followed this up by taking the women’s doubles with Miss Heeley and the mixed with the Japanese player Miki. Misses Lyle and Dearman are the most reliable pair in England, and were the winners of one of the two rubbers which Britain won in the AViglitman Cup when America won by five rubbers to two.

They will probably be found to adopt the “one up and one back” formation, which experience seems to show is the best unless both partners are efficient volleyers and at least one of them quick on her feet. Apart from Miss ltyan, the best doubles player that the game has seen, the most successful player in women’s doubles was Mrs Holcroft Watson, a player with a splendid forehand drive, but very weak on the backhand, and just about the world’s worst volleyer. in 1929 she was Britain’s No. 1 player, winning her matches by hard and accurate forehand driving, and good lobbing. Her successes in doubles have never been equalled by any other British player, including the Wimbledon championship twice (with Mrs Michell), the hard court championship (with Miss Nuthall), the French championship (with Miss Bennett), the American championship (with Mrs Michell), the Argentine championship (with Miss Harvey), and many others. In all her matches she defended the baseline, leaving her partner to take the net. If there was a gap in the opposing formation she consistently drove through it for the point, and if it was impossible to pass the opponents at the net by a drive she resorted to a good length lob wliich broke up their formation and generally resulted in her partner getting an easy chance to kill a return at the net.

In many cases this is a successful formation in men’s doubles. The brothers Doherty were one of the best pairs, some say the very best, that have been known. They won the doubles at Wimbledon eight times and were only beaten by S. H. Smith and F. L. lliseley, who beat them on two occasions. Smith, like Mrs Holcroft Watson, had a tremendous forehand drive, but would always, if possible, run round a shot to liis backhand, and never volleyed, but Itisely, one of the best volleyers that the game has seen, was always ready to intercept shots at the net. In local tennis one frequently sees ladies who have no aptitude for net play standing at the net parallel with their partners, when they would be much more effective guarding the back of the court.