LAWN TENNIS.

Northern Advocate, 7 February 1925, Page 3 (Supplement)

LAWN TENNIS.

"UNRIVALLED." OLLIVIER'S STYLE. Of Ollivier, the present New Zealand tennis champion, a Wellington, writer says:— "Nlo one, I think who saw the championships played through from beginning to end, will question the statement made without any qualifications that G. Ollivier (Canterbury) is the best tennis player in the Dominion today, and that, if lis set liis mind to it and does not allow his peculiar temperament to override him, he will be easily best for years to come. For accuracy of execution and all rouiid stroke production of 1 the highest standard, a genius for the game, he stands unrivalled. When on "his game ho plays his shots with a strength and certainity that betokens the confidence of a great player, for Ollivier is a great player. Smyth, D. France, Sims, Lowry, Bartleet, Peacock, and Andrews all have more severe drives than Ollivier, but they, one and all, when bustled, lack Ollivier's precision. So accurate is his corner to corner drive that the surprise comes only when it misses. With Ollivier planted in the middle of the base line for an opponent to storm the net is futile. There may be inches only of court left uncovered, but those few inches suffice for Ollivier to get the ball past, Furthermore, the direction of the ball is' well disguised up to the actual moment of' impact of ball and racquet.. It may go to the back-hand corner, or it may foe switched over tp the forehand olie. Whatever thQ direction the result is the same. Barely is the ball returned.. Certainty of placing more than severity, is the outstanding feature of Ollivier's smash. It is the expression on the brain be hind the stroke, not the expression merely of brawn and muscle. . Smyth, Sims, D. France, Lowry, Andrews, Peacock, Lampe, have more severe smashes, and it is perhaps for that reason they miss more often. Ollivier's powers of anticipation and his sense of touch are streets ahead of any of the others, as also is his judg- I ment of pace. His sharply angled volleys are untouchable. Of all his strokes his service is one into which, apparently most effort is put, without a corresponding effect. Apart from the accuracy of the placing, it presents no difficulties to anyone of championship form. There is no one in New Zealand i who can make the ball driven hard, ! drop so quickly when it clears the net, I as he does. One of his most dangerous and consistent shots is a cross-court drive of a high bounding ball so that it drops within inches of $he side-line and close to the service line.

There is no one at present in New Zealand, who, if Ollivier cared to exert himself, he could not beat in three straight sets, and with scarcely the loss of a game. But here he is limited by . his temperament. It is a manner that suggests unmitigated contempt for his opponent, and he loses because he does not wish to win. His match against Bartleet (Auckland) in the Anthony Wilding Shield match, was a lesson in the art of throwing away a match. Bartleet would have slrared, had Ollivier cared, the same fate as his (Ollivier 's) opponents in the championship rounds, only perhaps slightly worso. Lowry, D. France and Lauronson woro made to look novices, and so would any other of the foremost players, had they been drawn against him." AN AUSTRALIAN RANKING \ - Writing an the "Sun News 'Pictorial," W. J. Daist has given his imnnal ranking of Australian tennis playera, based ' on the 1524 performances of the men and ladies concerned. "For the first place among the men," he says, ".T. 0. Anderson (N.S.W.) is the natural choice. Anderson was unbeaten throughout the year, and in the Australasian championship final lost, two sets to Schlesinger, and one set to G. M. Hone in a best-of three encounter. 'i* l not meet Patterson, but won most of his matches much more decisively than the Victoria!). Sydney players agree that Anderson is playing better than ever before. Though occasionally disappointing, G. Patterson (Victoria) had a good year, and must come second. Winning the autumn, New South Wales

! and Victorian championships, "he showed himself a great player, whose only Australian defeat (other than in exhibition contests to which no importance attaches) was by Mclnnes in t'he Australasian championships. ,Hc was pushed in five sets by Clemcnger in the New South Wales championships, and also by Dickinson in the Victorian singles in the United States national [ singles championship. I P. O'Hara-Wood (Victoria) and J. |B. Hawkes (Victoria) are bracketed | third equal. Wood in Australia lost only to Patterson and Cummings, Tiad victories over Schlesinger, Peach, and Hone, and he won the South Australian championship. Abroad, his great performances against Borotra, of J France cannot be overlooked. Hawkes | is given "his position on his matches in the Victorian championships, which until he met Patterson, he won with ease. In those matches he was better than O'&ara-Wood. ' Schlesinger gets fifth place for his j victories over Peach (twice), Mclnnes j Kalms, and Willard (twice). He was j beaten by Anderson in five sets, Peach five sets, and O'Hara-Wood four sets. It was said of ihim "that there is certainly no grittier player in Australia.'' i

For sixth place, Peach Hone, and Mclnnes were considered, and the verdict in Daisy's opinion fell to N Peach, He began* the year in mediocre fashion, losing to Kahns, Clemenger, A. Williard, J. Williard, and Patterson. He lost to Schlesinger in the inter-state match, but beat him in the New South Wales championship, In the second half of the year he scored over Mclnnes and Hone, won tEe metropolitan championship and Strathfield, and at Melbourne lost to Patterson and Schlesinger. G. M. Hone lost to Thomas (having to retire with a sprained ankle), An* j derson (twice), O'Hara-Wood, and Peach, while his wins were not against particularly good inen. Hone was given seventh place. Eighth position went to Mclnnes, who was a mixture of success and failure. In the Australasian cliamI pionships he beat Patterson and Schlesinger. He was beaten by Bainey, Fitchett, Anderson, Peach, Cummings and also Patterson. Ninth and tenth places were considered to lie among Bayley, Cummings, Kalms, Williard, Baker-, Clemenger, and Fitchett, and were given J. M. Bayley No. 9, and J. Williard or F. Kalms No. 10. The placings were therefore:—J. O. Anderson (N.S.W.), 1; G. L. Patterson (Victoria), 2; J. B. Hawkes >(Victoria) and P; o'Hard-Wood (Victoria) 3rd, equal; R. E. Schlesinger (Victoria), 5; N. Peach (N.S.W.), 6; G. M. Hone (S.A.), 7; I .D .Mclnnes' (Victoria), B,v J. M. Bailey (N.S.W."), 9; J. Williard (N.S.W.), or F. Kalms (N.S.W.), 10 < The ladies were,ranked by the same writer:—Mrs R iL Harper, nee Miss Sylvia Lance (N.S.W.), 1; Miss K. Le Messurier (S.A.), 2; Miss E. F. Boyd (Vic.) 3; Mrs Molesworth (Q.) 4; Miss D. Akhurst (N.S.W.), 5; Miss A. Gray (N.S.W.) 6; Miss M Cox (N.S.W.), 7; Mrs H. S. Ulz (N.S.W.), 8; Mrs P. O'Hara-Wood (Vic), 9; Mrs J. S. Todd (Vic.), 10. Since Mr Daish published his last list Andersoij has beaten Patterson in the Australia and New Zealand championship.