TENNIS

Southland Times, Issue 20633, 3 November 1928, Page 18 (Supplement)

TENNIS

By

“Chop.”

B grade matches to-day. Invercargill A v. Bluff, at Bluff; Invercargill B v. Georgetown, at Invercargill; Central v. Kennington, at Central; Waihopai v. Southend B, at Southend; St. Mary’s v. Southend A, at St. Mary’s. A grade matches were begun in glorious weather last Saturday. Victories for Invercargill, Southend and Gladstone. Central v. Bluff was postponed till November 17. The handsome victory gained by Invercargill over Winton came as a surprise to most, for it was expected that there would be a very close contest. The Winton ladies, Miss Watson, Mrs Martin, Miss Humphries and Mrs Brandford, looked a very strong quartette, but the Invercargill girls played excellently and won two of the four singles and both doubles as well as assisting the men to win three of the four combined doubles. Miss Rein heralded her return to inter-club matches with three wins and again demonstrated what a great match winner she is. Miss Watson, her singles opponent, has not yet regained her fine form, her absence from the game in the latter part of last season telling against her. Miss Rein was also an absentee from the court most of last season, but has quickly got into her stride this year. It was her imperturbability that enabled Miss Logan and her to win their double after the match point was against them. Miss Lawrence is going to be one of the very best in Southland this season. Her play in the combined and the ladies’ doubles on Saturday was first class, her volleying being most refreshing. In her single against Mrs Martin she was not nearly as aggressive as she could have been. Possibly Mrs Martin’s good lobbing and placing accounted for this in part, but Miss Lawrence is inclined in singles to play for safety instead of going for her shots. Miss Logan was seen at her best in the combined. She returned in a phenomenal way some fast serves by Barham. Miss Todd Was nervous and this affected her play, but it was a treat to see her volleying and smashing so aggressively. Mrs Martin used her head in all her games, and placed most effectively. Miss Humphries, an ex-North Otago rep., is the possessor of an excellent forehand. She was a bit weak in her combined, but improved greatly in her double and single and will play still better before the season ends. Mrs Brandford is a most attractive player. There certainly is no better doubles player than she in Winton. George Lindsay played so vigorously at Otautau on Labour Day that his right arm was not functioning as it should on Saturday. He has been putting a bit more twist on his service and this has put a bit more strain on his muscles with the

result that he has contracted “tennis elbow” (no relation of bending the elbow). He did not play his single on Saturday and though he was formidable in double and combined he was not at his beet. Johnstone's stroking was very good, but too many mistakes cost him his matches. He will be much better in a week or two. Barham played a fine single, getting back some of Mills’ winning shots. Henderson and Strettell waged a marathon, the Winton man losing by the odd game in 17. Henderson went well with Mrs Brandford in the combined. Lopdell, though short of practice, gained three victories and played very well in doing so. In the first men’s double he and Sumpter gained a lead of three games at the start, but with the score 5—4 in Invercargill’s favour the Winton pair had bad luck in not drawing level. Thereafter Sumpter and Lopdell were not troubled. As is invariably the case the Winton ladies entertained the visiting team most hospitably. Gladstone won decisively against Waihopai despite the keen resistance of the Waihopai ladies. Miss Lester and Miss Torrance had a close game with much good driving, the Gladstone player winning by the odd game. Both Miss Whyte and Miss Edginton won their singles comfortably, but Miss Ward had her work cut out to defeat Miss Abbey-Jones 7—6. The Gladstone men won both doubles and three of the four singles. Stephens was the best of the Waihopai men. He fully extended Diack. Although Mrs Hoyles and Miss Jones lost their singles, they played so well together in the doubles that they avenged their defeats to the tune of 7 o—an extraordinary reversal. Waihopai lost its reputation as a club that can show the others how to play combined doubles, for it lost all four. Southend, strengthened by Miss Chism and Deaker, is a team that has to be reckoned with. St-. Mary’s found their rivals much too strong, but went down fighting gamely. Miss Chism, whom Southend acquired from the Eastern District, played splendidly in her games, and it should not be long before she ranks higher in her team. She is at home at the net as Well as in rear court. Miss Mahoney and Mrs Latta had a close contest with the Southend player predominating owing to greater steadiness. Mrs Latta is playing more freely, however, this season than last and will further improve. Deaker and Reg. Baird had a much better game than the score would indicate. Baird was driving well and had Deaker running about, but the older player won the majority of points through making fewer errors. Baird has nothing to be downhearted about. He only needs a bit more restraint and discrimination to make him a really good player. W. Baird and Miller played very well in their double against Deaker and W. Rea. If they had gone for winning shots when they were 8— 7 it is doubtful if Southend would have got home. The Englishmen proved in a class above the South Island players, although Ollivier and Glanville managed to annext singles. Austen, Gregory and Collins are in the first flight in England. Miss Mears, who played top for Western District last year, is now living in Invercargill. She has linked up with the Invercargill Club, for which she will no be playing in A grade matches before long.