LAWN TENNIS ROBOT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22172, 27 July 1935, Page 18

LAWN TENNIS ROBOT

DANISH ' WOMAN PLAYER PRAISE BESTOWED -BY PERRY [FROM fItTR OWN CORRESPONDENT] LONDON, July 6 F. J. Perry contributes to the Evening Standard an interesting special article regarding the Danish lawn tennis player Mrs. S. Sperling, who, befoie her marriage, was Fraulein Hilda Krahwinkel, pf Germany. She is tall and athletic. Perry writes:— "Players and onlookers alike are apt to under-rate this tennis robot, who plays so efficiently. No shot seems too difficult for her to return. She has learned the primary rule of lawn tennis—to put the ball back over the net and into court so as to place her opponent in difficulties. At first glance her looped forehand, somewhat awkward service, and shots of high trajectory appear quite harmless. Until you play either with or against her it is hard to realise just how difficult these shots are to handle, and what pace they carry. "Her length of limb enables her to cover court quickly and easily, retrieving balls from most difficult places. When the time comes for her to hit a winner* she rarely misses. Therein lies the secret of her success. She has schooled herself not to rrflss the easy ones —and that is more than can be said for some of us!

"One feature of her play is the deadliness with which she despatches the half-court ball, whether in the air or off the ground. Many observers mark her down simply as a baseline player. They are wrong. She can always be relied upon to advance to the net when the opening presents itself. . . . "She has learned that determination and doggedness can combat a' beautiful style and erratic shots. On hard court I do not think any woman in the world can beat her to-day."