LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19107, 28 February 1924, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

By Smash. The annual Yankee tournament arranged by the Otago Lawn Tennis Association is invariably a popular fixture and the one held last Saturday was no exception to this general rule—in tact, it was even more successful than usual. Favoured by a perfect afternoon the players engaged thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and as the Yankee form of tournament is so devised as to provide a maximum amount of play in a given time they obtained some splendid practice. The course of play provided an excellent illustration of the difficulties of handicapping out the best players, most of the pairs which survived the various sections being made up of the strongest players in the city. Miss M'Laren, back from her triumphs in the north, was partnered by Guy, and they won all their games at Anderson’s Bay with comparative ease, and should .cow annexe the final, in which they have to meet Cook and Miss Hayward. No matches have been set down for Saturday, March 8, on which day the usual Garden Fete will be held. The Fete Committee has asked lawn tennis players to assist with the afternoon tea. and it is hoped til ere will be a good response. It should be remembered that all branches of sport benefit from the money raised as a result of this annual effort. The Ealmaceweu flub held a social in the Overseas Club Room on Monday night, when there was a splendid attendance of members—about 30 couples. The evening was spent in dancing, cards, and song, and everyone enjoyed themselves so much that there is a general desire to have another similar social.

Dear ‘"Smash.’’ —Your recent suggestion I hat some provision should bo made bv the association for grass courts on which players desiring to compete at tournaments could secure practice is one that is well worth following up. In Otago wo produce tennis material capable of development to the liighest rank, and the chief, if not the only, factor which retards the progress of those players is their inability to got practice on grass courts. The present time is opportune for a movement in the direction of removing this disability. Negotiations are now proceeding for the establishment of a bowling green in the Woodhaugh reserve. No better spot could be found in Dunedin for grass courts. The locality is absolutely sheltered from all winds, there is ample room for several grass courts, and no doubt, the City Council would he found to be sympathetic. The association might make the arrangements for the laying down of the courts, and it should be easily possible to arrange with the managers of the bowling green to get (heir caretaker to keep ihe teiinis courts in order. There are A _ grade players who would very willingly pay special fees for the privilege of playing on such courts. The suggestion is commended to the president of the Otago Lawn Tennis Association for his serious consideration.— I am, etc.. Volley. Providentially an article on this subject | has come my way from the pen of a writer in Australasian Lawn Tennis. As it con- ! tains some valuable hints I reproduce the following portion: —"When one goes to play on a hard court after being used to a gras; court one is apt to think that the difference in the height of the rebound is the only difference, 'ibis really is far from being so. Actually I do not think the mere height of the rebound is of very great importance. Many grass courts differ more from each other in the actual height of ro-‘ bound than some hard courts do from some grass courts. To mv mind a far greater • cause for disturbance is the difference in the angle of rebound of tire ball on grass courts from that on hard court®. Being used to the angle of rebound of the ball on a ( grass court, one is at sea when one gets on a hard _ court. One strikes the ball just as one is used to do on a grass court, and the ball prompt!v flies over the base line. Of course, the ball is probably hotter, and therefore has a greater tendency to fly than a ball ion a gra-ss court would have. Also, as it gets worn out more rapidly on a hard court than on a grass court, it has another reason for flying more. This all being allowed tor. the result hf the difference in the angle of rebound is a distinct cause of error in stroke-making pn a different surface to that which one is used to. I "On a hard court, especially when the surface is partly dust, the ball comes

through with more skid. Its flight is at a more acute angle, and assuming the face of the racket bo vertical to the ground in both oases, the angle of the path of the bail aa it leaves the face of the racket is distinctly different in tho two cases. The pace of the ball through the air has no effect on this angle of incidence. “ The practical result of the realisation of this difference in the angle of, incidence is that one should try at once when changing from® grass courts to hard courts, or vice versa, to distinctly alter the angle with which tho racket surface meets the bail. If the ball is flying over the base line, then cioud the top of the edge of tho racket over in advance of tho lower edge. If the ball is going into tho net, then open up tho top edge of the racket; that is, keep a bit behind the lower edge. Of course, al ways one must adjust the verticality of the surface of tho racket according to the height of the rebound, keeping tho upper edge more forward as the height of tho rebound increases, and vice versa. Always, however, allow for this difference in tho angle of incidence of tho ball on the racket.”

The ranking of the world’s lady players by Mr Wallis Myers is as follows: — Mile. Lenglen (France), I; Miss Helen Wills (U.S.A.), 2; Mrs Mallory (U.S.A.), 3; Miss M’Kane (England), 4: Miss Ryan (England), 5; Miss Goss (U.S.A.), 6. Full accounts of the Australasian championships are now to' hand, and make very interesting reading. The following comments are from the Referee: —“J. O. Anderson is clearly one of the greatest players in history. Although without sufficient practice to gain his best form, he defeated in turn all the best players opposed to him with ease. Although Schlesinger took the third and fourth sets, and led 3 —2 in tho fifth, Anderson’s command of the situation was clearly shown by the decisive manner in which he won the last games of the match. It was as if he said, ‘Now, young fellow, you have gone far enough; I want the rest of the games.’ His defeat of. Hone had shown how clearly he could dominate the situation when the need arise. It was the same against Schlesinger. He won decisively when the crisis came.” Mr A. Wallis Myers, in criticising the present English methods, says hard things about the non-progressive game of waiting for the other fellow to miss, or staying back and driving. He says: “Controlled speed, plus infinite variety—these are the factors that win matches.” The Australians owe their present position to this, and no better example could be found than J. O. Anderson. Let him be ever so much off his game, he never brings his pace clown, but rather nlavs himself into form. Tilden, in his book, “ Lawn Tennis for Chib Players.” devotes a chapter to what he cals “ nnderplav.” He says: “ Underplaying is tho result of lack of confidence in your strokes. This underplaying can be readily overcome by forcing yourself to acquire a long followthrough to your stroke. Believe in your shot and hit. the ball as you would if it were purely practice Tho crisis of all times is not the time to nnclernlny, for your opponent will be giving his best and you cannct afford to let down.”

Bv winning both the singles and doubles at the recent New South Wales tournament. G. L. Patterson showed that, with Anderson, he still shares the supreme place in Australian lawn tennis. At the same time he did not have matters all bis own way, and in Clemenger, Kalms, and Willard he me.t foemen worthy of his steel. The first-named, in particular, gave the champion a great shake, the score at one staee being two sets all and 5 all. (bus indicating that Patterson must have had to draw on his last reserves to win. Kalms.went down in straight sets, and Willard managed to win the second set from Ventage. The cable message relating to the final savs that. Patterson’s play was free from its usual faults, which would seem to indicate that it was marked by more accuracy- generally and by better stroke production on the backhand. Patterson has been selected as the first man of the Australian Davis Cup team, his colleagues Ireing R. E. Rchlesinger, P. O’Hara Wood, and F. Kalms, the New South Wales country player. The probabilities are that Patterson and Kchleaingcr (who is improving rapidly) will plav in the singles, and Patterson, and O’Hara Wood in the doubles. Such a team should undoubtedly stand an excellent chance of reaching the challenge round despite th© strong opposition that wil' be encountered, but it is open to considerable doubt whether it 'will succeed in lifliner the cup. O’Hara Wood is one of the best doubles players in the world, and the Australians will probably win this event against America’s strongest pair, but they are going to be hard put to it to win the two deciding singles. Incidentsllv, it may be remarked that O'Hara Wood is an experienced singles player, and it would not be at all surprising to find him replacing Schlosingar when it comes to business. Whoever the Australian singles players may he, it still requires the gift of imagination to see (hem defeating Tilden and Johnston. It is disappointing that Anderson could not be prevailed upon to join the team as his inclusion would make matters decidedly interesting, especially in view of defeat of Johnston last year. Brookes is not mentioned, but as he is competing at the English and Continental tournaments, he may yet link np with (he team. Another important factor is that the team should survive a sufficient number of rounds to more than cover the expenses of the tour.