LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19202, 19 June 1924, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

Bv Smash.

The statistics of sport in New Zealand which were published last week awarded second place in point of membership to lawn tennis, and, large as the total is, it would pot surprise many followers of the game in the dominion. Travellers from other countries often assert that there is a larger number of persons, relatively __ to the population, playing la"-n tennis in New Zealand than in any other country. 'The returns show no fewer than 302 chibs and 19,967 members, of whom 0294 arc females. There are, in addition, 1922 school members, of whom 828 are females. These figures are not complete, but they no doubt represent fairly accurately the number of players in the dominion who are members of registered clubs. In aolition to these, however, there are many small clubs up and down the country which axe not affiliated with any association or sub-associa-tion, and which would swell the total very materially. But while the figures in themselves speak eloquently of the popularity of the game it has to be remembered that lawn tennis has only come into its own of comparatively recent years, and that it is commanding a wider following in each successive season. It is not too much to hope that it may one day rival the high place in sporting favour now occupied by our national pastime. ! So far 12 matches have been completed in the European zone of the Davis Cup competition, and the remaining games should be completed in ample time for the final at Providence, Rhode Island, about the middle of August. The results to date are as follow

First Round.—Britain boat Belgium. Second Round.—France beat Ireland; India beat Holland; South Africa beat Argentina; Britain beat Spain; Denmark boat Hungary ; Italy beat Rumania ; Switzerland beat Austria; Czecho-Siovakia beat New Zealand. Third Round.—Britain beat South Africa ; Denmark beat Italy; Czecho-Siovakia beat Switzerland. The. winner of the match between Trance and India will play Britain in the fourth round, and the victor in this contest will reach the zone final in the top half of the draw. Jn the lower half of the draw a number of the smaller nations still have to play off, with the chances in favour- of Italy. , The question cf making any change in the annual continuity of the Davis Cup competition was not discussed at the recent meeting of the Internationa} Federation in Paris, as it was held that this was a matter which should be decided only at a meeting of the competing nations. It is hoped to hold such a gathering during tbe progress of the championships at Wimbledon this month, when it is hoped that Mr George Wightman (president of the United States Lawn Tennis Association) and Mr Julian Myrick (chairman of tbe American Davis Oup Committee) will be present to put forward the views of the country which founded the competition. The English 'field, in discussing this matter, advances reasons in favour of the continuity of the competition, but its reasoning is not altogether convincing and it does not quite meet the contention of Mr L. editor of the National Review, that the Davis Oup is likely to “degenerate into a dreary contest among professional players. The new “zoning” system has certainly done a. good deal to limit the contest within more reasonable bounds than was formerly the case, but even under this system the Pams of no fewer than four nations must be prepared to devote a great deal ot time to practice and match-playing, with the incidental travelling that is necessarily involved. Furthermore, it is difficult to see how “the aim and purpose of the Davis Cup would be seriously checked it tne contest were made biennial or even tTionnial, for that course would mean only an extension of the period of continuity and not an actual break in the thread of the memorable history of the cup. ■ Japan's Davis Cap team will be captained bv Shimizu, who at present resides in New York. Ha will have the assistance of M. Fukuda (champion in 1922), Sanao Ukamoto (who Has won tournaments in. India), and Takio Harada, the present Japanese champion, who is entering Harvard for a post-graduate course Japan will play either Cuba or Canada in the second round. This country enjoys the unique experience of having' reached the challenge round of the Davis CupK on its appearance in the competition. This was in , 1921, when Shimizu (having previously beaten Anderson and Hawkes .Newport), came witnin two points of defeating Tilden in three sets at Forest Hills. Japan does not hope to go so far this year, but in the event of anything untoward happening to the Australian team it is quite possible she may reach the challenge round again. Harada is reported to have beaten Kumagae in his own country. . “.Lawn Tennis for Ladies is the title at a. small book which has just been issued bv Messrs Mills and Boon (Ltd.), whose name is associated with many sporting publications The joint authors are Mr and Mrs A. K. Beamish, both of whom, apart from being international players, are thoroughly qualified to impart practical instruction in a thorough-going and straightforward manner. Presupposing a knowledge of the elements of the game, the writers devote themselves to emphasising points in play and tactics which are best calculated to enable students of the book to improve their game, and they are careful to remember that what is practicable for men is not always possible on the court for women and girls. Specially helpful will be found the chapters on tactics and position on the court in singles, doubles, and mixed double and on footwork, anticipation, and spin and swerve. The following piece of advice from “General Hints for the Finished! Player” is typical of much of the instruction which Mr and Mrs Beamish impart:— ‘Remember that all your shots should be complementary to those of your partner, and that a simple stroke, if it works iipart of the machinery of the scheme, is far more valuable than your favourite shot, which may risk the point.” Commander Hillyard, in his book, “Forty Years of First-class Lawn Tennis,” to which reference was recently made in the cablegrams. describes the Renshaws. Pirn, the Dohertys, Brookes, and Wilding as the greatest masters and geniuses of tbe game since its inception. Describing Brookes’s first appearance in London, he says: “He was not an easy man to play with in doubles. He was' completely unorthodox, and volleyed from his own peculiar position in the court, which was 100 far bade for my taste. But I soon found the secret. It was to lot Brookes take three-quarters of the court. Then he was an absolute wizard, and brought off the most astonishing strokes.” Commander Hillyard adds: “I " have never quite made up m,y mind who has the finest service—Brookes, Patterson, or Tilden. ] am not sure whether the palm should not bo awarded to Brookes, because of his infinite variety. Brookes, at his best, had at least four distinct services.”' Referring to Patterson, he says; ‘ne is the most difficult man to assign a niche. Patterson ought to be about the world’s best; somehow he just missed it. There is something lacking in his ground shots, buf ho is young and strong enough to have the greatest triumphs before him.” Commander Hillyard says that, in view of the awful weather of 1922, and the fact that Anderson was then unwell, it was impossible to judge his form, though since then he has done big things in Australia and America. Although Q. P. Dixon is , in his fiftysecond vear, the famous veteran achieved file distinction of a treble first at the Gallery (Dulwich) tournament at. the eriil of April, when ho won the men’s singles, the men’s doubles with F. Wallers, and Ihe mixed doubles with Miss Maltby. The lastnamed, who defeated Miss W. Wood by 6—l, 6—2, in the women’s singles final, also won three events. Dixon, who just beat A. C. Belgrave by 6—4, 5—7, B—6, after being within a stroke of the match in the second set, does not intend to plav any more singles after tins season. A Wellington writer who has received a le.ttef from (ho New Zealander, J. C. Peacock, states that in Peacock’s opinion, after seeing many of the best Continental players in action, the best New Zealand team would be quite capable of reaching, if not winning, the final of the Davis Cup mulches in the European zone. He was not too sure of success against Czecho-Siovakia, with the team available, but was hoping for some good practice in England, as he was endeavouring to get the match played in London. It would appear, by putting two and ' two together, that, the Trench players (and Peacock had seen their best in action) were the only Continental players likely to beat New Zealand’s best. The lady players at the Riviera tournaments arc in a class by themselves, headed by tne lodestar, Mile. Suzanne Lenglen, and, although some nag ftho is on the. decline

in her play, according to Peacock she stands head and shoulders above any oriier lady player that he has ever seen. The following team of players are the best, accord mg to Peacock : Mrs Co veil (England), who is very slight, and has a most unassuming manner, especially so when compared with the incomparable Suzanne, is a splendid player. She lias all the ground shots, and volleys like a man, and has the instinct of putting the ball in the right place at (he right time. Miss Ryan (America) i s - a very 'strong player, has a very. severe drive, and can volley and smash with the best. With Mile. Lenglen she would probably beat any men’s double in New Zealand. Miss Helen Wills, the youthful Californian star,’ who is now American lawn tennis champion, is sparing no pains to avoid the pitfalls into which past American visitors have fallen (says the London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian). It is a well-known phenomenon of women’s play that, whether they be Americans visit, mg Europe or, as last year, Englishwomen going to the States, they have invariably tailed to show their best form on a first trip, and even on later visits have seemed to take longer to acclimatise themselves than do men players. Recognising the need for time in which to adapt herself to English turf, English bails, as well as the. change in environment, Miss Wills sailed from New York on the Berengaria on May 14 in order to have plenty of practice before Wimbledon. It is in her favour that she proved more than capable of adapting herself to the conditions in the Eastern States, a change from her native California almost as groat as this visit to England. All the winter she has been practising against the best men players, neither asking nor giving quarter in the hardest rallies, so that competent judges consider her to have improved considerably even on her last year’s sensational form.