LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19019, 15 November 1923, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

Bt Smash.

The caplains of winning teams are reminded that reports of matches can only he published if they are received at this office in time for Monday’s issue. Similarly the teams for Saturday’s matches are published only on Friday mornings. Conditions of play were very pleasant at Anderson’s Bay on Saturday afternoon, hut some of the participants to whom I *fave spoken consider that the provision of a gas-ring and other facilities for the preparation of afternoon tea would materially have enhanced their enjoyment. In some ol (he matches there was an undesirable lack of umpires and an equally undesirable prevalence of foot-faulting,—both of them tilings that should not be allowed to continue. it may not he out of place to mention hero that decisiveness ig an essential quality demanded in an umpire, who sncmld, under no circumstances, deem it necessary to be apologetic in regard to his ruling on doubtful strokes. Not only is it a,- sign of weakness on his own part, bui it upsets the players and prevents them from concentrating on the game. Ladder matches played during the week resulted as follows:—niray beat Guy, 6 —l, 6 —6 6—3; Smyth beat Wilkinson, 6 —2, 6—3; Smyth boat M’Dougall, 6—l. 6—4; Black beat Gloghorn, 6—l, 6—3. The leading 10 positions are now occupied by Bray, Clark. Guy, Smyth, M’Dougall. Wilkinson, Duthie, Gale, Black, and Cloghorn. In the game between Bray and Guy both men played with considerable caution, evidently having a wholesome respect for each other. Th© result was a series of protracted rallies in which the ball sometimes passed over the net as often as 20 times. Both men played very accurately, and Guy would probably have done better if he had kept closer to the net. He led 2—o in the second set. Smyth, who has advanced to fourth position on the ladder, playing with more • confidence and accuracy that he showed a few weeks ago. So far no men’s doubles have been played, mainly on account of the weather. A ladies’, challenge match was played last evening, Miss Pattison retaining her place against Miss Barclay, 6—4, 6—4. Both players maintained a splendid length throughout, and used strong drives. Miss Pattison also smashed and volleyed nicely when opportunity offered, and both ladies served very accurately. On Tuesday afternoon at Moana Miss Pattison will play a ladder match against Miss M’Laren. Moana scored a very decisive victory overOtago, winning all the ladies’ events and an even share of the men’s games. The singles between Bray and Guy did not produce the high standard of tennis that was to be anticipated from, the champion of Otago and Moana’s most promising player. Both men played a safe game from the back line, rarely venturing to the net, and on the few occasions when either man went, up his smashing wa s not effective. Guy appeared (o hit the ball with the top of his racquet., and Bray- had no difficulty in returning it with well-judged shots down the side-line. When Bray went up to the net Guy lobbed accurately over his head and either scored outright or received a soft return from which he was able to score, hmyth’s showing both in singles and doubles represented a marked improvement over his display a fortnight ago. He repeatedly won his games against Duthie on his service alone, and when he smashed he smashed accurately and effectively. Owing to the weakness of the Otago ladies their Moana opponents did not play up to their usual form. ’I he lack of combination in the mixed doubles indicated that the I'tago ladies had not had a great deal of practice with their partners. Cosy Dell lost its chance of defeating Roslyn by losing both.of the men’s doubles. -u’Dougall and Black proved rather too good for Fulton and Wilkinson, but, although they won. 9—4, the game was really much more closely contested than such a score would indicate. When the Roslyn pair led o—4 Wilkinson and his partner got to 40—15 in each of the next four games, ’out the deciding points went to Roslyn. in the singles M’Dougall proved much too good for Jensen, his deep, well-placed drives giving the Cosy Dell player some excellent sprinting practice. Gale, by fine driving, led Wilkinson,. B—6, but the Cosy Dell player then struck his best form and went out by taking three games in succession. Miss Pattison scored an easy victory over Mrs M’Dougall, and Miss Pragnell won on her merits from Miss Alexander. The mixed doubles provided keen and well-fought contests and wore greatly enjoyed- by all the -players. Kaituna defeated' Sloana N T o. 2by a decisive margin of both sols and games. Dr Moody showed greatly improved form as compared with a fortnight ago and was very deadly in the air, while his first service also had his opponents thinking hard. W Sheriff played very consistently in his singles against Moody, but he was unable to withstand the, Kaituna player’s strong attack. Cleghbrn made short work of Slater and Angel established a lead of B—2 against -n.. Sheriff when the latter improved his position by going in to tho net. A very hue game, characterised by free and accurate driving,- was- witnessed in the meeting of Miss Easterfield and Miss Bagley. The Moana player led 4—2, but Miss Easterfield gamely her and won 6—4. Miss Duthie and Mies Anderson also provided an attractive game, and the Moana lady owed her victory to her ability to volley,— a valuable department of the game in which she has attained considerable skill. Iti the first mixed doubles game Miss Easterfield indulged Tn some nice cross-court driving ibat Sheriff could not reach, and Dr Moody was very effective overhead. Slater and Miss Duthie came near defeating Angel and Miss Meenan, but Cleghorn entirely dominated his match against R. Sheriff and Miss Hopkins. Mrs Archibald showed sound tennis in her two games, and, in particular, she was responsiolp for gome nice volloying in her mixed doubles. St. Kilda and Roslyn No. 2 played an evenly contested game, victory resting with the. former club by 8 sets (1(X) games) to 6 sets (87 games). In the inen’js singles Tregear kept W. E. Gregory thinking hard, and finally ran out a winner B—4. Townsend, who now occupies second position on the St. Kilda ladder, lost to J. L. Gregory by one game, but the University footballer is a player who will improve, as he gets plenty of force into his strokes and is very active and effective at the net. In the men’s doubles Townsend-and Deakcr (although they both lost their singles) defeated M’Dougall and Boddy 9—5. In the other game Gregory brothers proved just too good for Tregear and Carlyle. In the ladies’ singles Airs M’Ketlar. fighting hard, went down to Miss Alexander 4—6, but, partnered by Miss Gore, the nair accounted for Miss Alexander and Miss Boyd in the doubles 6—3. The mixed doubles were evenly divided, each club winning two of the matches. In a private letter to a friend in Dunedin, R. A. Wilkie, formerly of Kaituna, states that he and Mrs Wilkiie, who are now in Sydney, have joined the Mosman Club, where play is conducted on sixgrass courts. “The other day,’’ he continues, “1 paid a visit to the While City courts, where the big matches are played. It was a great sight to see all the courts in play—-about 50 grass courts and a dozen chip courts. There is a fine clubhouse on ?i rise, with a, sloping lawn, and dances are held there every week. I met Mr Kidston (‘Austral’ of the -Referee) and H. Rice, the great old veteran, to whom I presented a fetter of introduction from Mr A. E. Harraway.” Mr Wilkie adds that the Sydney papers rarely contain any New Zealand news, with the exception of horse racing and mining squabbles. An English lawn tennis authority says: “I would recommend all learners of tho game to concentrate on ‘court-position.’ I often ask n player after ho has made a stroke to shut his eyes and say whore ho is in the court. A first-class player, after hitting the ball, does not stand and look at its course; he hurries Hick to his centre. T his, for ground-play, is on or behind the base-line’s centre; for volleying ,it is halfway between the net and the service-line. The delay of a moment in getting back to either centre is often fatal. It is curious that, women are apt to bo careless about their whereabouts in court, especially in singles. Position and returr, to posivion should be mechanical. More matches are won by tins ABO of tactics than by brilliant strokes.” The following points are from decisions on actual match games:—Should a ball become -broken through hitting, a let must be called. It is not a good return if a player returning the halt, and finding that he cannot stop himself before reaching- the net. lumps over it. The rule requires the players shall be on opposite sides of the net.” and therefore the player invading his opponent’s court loses the strokes. It is not fault if. after throwing a ball un preparatory to serving, tho server decides not to strike it. and catches it instead. He has not touched the ball “in attempting to ntvike it." A bill is played into the net; the player on the other side, thinking that the ball is coming over, strikes at it and hits the net. The question arises, does he lose the point? If the player touched the net while the ball was in play he loses the point. A ball touching the net ceases to be in play as soon as it is clear that the ball unimpeded will not cross the net. If, while the ball is in play, a player’s racket slips

out of hi.' hand and touches the net he loses the point. If a player's racket leaves his hand hut meets the ball and returns it over ‘•he net it is a good return. There is no law requiring a racket to be in a player’s hand when the ball is returned. The detailed scores of the various rounds in the American national singles show the ease with which Tilden scored his fourth successive win in that event. His record was as follows, Washburn being the only player to take a Bet from him:—Beat Washburn. 6—S. 3—6, 6—3, c—4; beat C. A, Major, 6 —2, 6—o. 6—o; beat Fischer, 6—l, 6 —2, 6—IS; beat -M. Alonso. 6—o. 6—o, 6—2; beat Norton, 6—4, 7—5, 6 —2. Other matches of interest were the defeat of Williams by Norton. I—6, 6—5, 6—4, 3—6, 6—4, and F. T. Hunter’s victory over Richards, B—6, 4 —6. 2—6, 6—4. 6—4- Speaking oif this latter game. Tilden says: “The startling defeat of Vincent Richards by Francis T. limiter should have an excellent effect on. both players. In the case of Richards it should prove conclusively, once and for all, that he must learn a ground game if he is ever to scale the championship heights. It should teach him that a match is never won. particularly against so gallant and courageous a fighter as Hunter, until the last point is played. Richards led by two sets to one and was 4—l in the fourth set, but from then onwards Hunter swept him off his feet. Richards will have to take - his game a little more seriously in the future if he is to hold his place near the lop. Hunter should gain enormously by his victory, for he beat. Richards by sensational volleying, and if he can do it once he can do it again. I look to see Hunter round out his game now that he has learned that he can afford to do more than drive.’’ In regard to the U illiams-Norton match the champion writes: “R. N. Williams remains the tennis mystery and the tennis tragedy of America. One moment supreme, the next mediocre, Williams has thrown away more big matches than anyone in the game. Norton did not really beat him. lie beat himself b- missing an easy drop shot on point 5—2 for the final set. when any sort of a safe return would have won, for Norton was far out of court.”