FABLE TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23593, 1 September 1938, Page 2

FABLE TENNIS

By Backhand Chop OTAGO CHAMPIONSHIPS The Otago championships will this year be held on September 9 and 10 in the Y.M.C.A. It is anticipated that the number of entries will be approximately double that of last year. The reasons for the large increase is perhaps twofold—first, the great fillip given the game a month or so ago by those two masters of the celluloid ball, Vicktor Barna and Laslo Bellak, of Hungary, and second, the increased number of teams over last year. HANDICAP TOURNAMENTS As well as the open championships, there will be handicap events in the Men's and Ladies' Singles and also in the various Doubles. An entirely new form of handicapping will be used this year and it is hoped that this new system will eliminate most of the dissatisfaction in the past. In all sports there always seems to be a certain amount of dissatisfaction and this new system may even be taken up by other sports interested in finding a more equitable handicapping system. The handicapping will be done by the players themselves immediately prior to playing their match, and with the collaboration of an adjudicator. EVENTS The events will be as follows: Men's Championship Singles, Men's Championship Doubles. Ladies' Championship Singles, Ladies' Championship Doubles, Mixed Championship Doubles, Men's Handicap Singles, Men's Handicap Doubles, Ladies' Handicap Singles, Ladies' Handicap Doubles. Entries for all these events close with the association secretary at 5 p.m. on Monday next. BARNA'S RANKING Whilst competing at the North Island Championships at Lower Hutt last week. Otago's L. C. Brown gleaned the information that Barna considers the Otago champion, R. A. Algie, fourth best in New Zealand. Barna also stated that New Zealand players compare very favourably with the players in England and a team of 12 New Zealand players would have a close match with an English team of the same number.