TENNIS

Southland Times, Issue 20939, 23 November 1929, Page 18

TENNIS

(Bj

“Chop.”).

Invercargill v Western, at Otautau today. Invercargill v Eastern, at Gore, on December 7. ,

B. grade matches postponed from last Saturday will be played to-day. The draw is: Kennington v Southend B, at Kennington; Bluff v Invercargill, at Invercargill; Georgetown v St. Mary’s, at Georgteown; Southend A v Waihopai B, at Southend; Waihopai A v Central, at Waihopai. G. Sumpter, of Oaniaru, and C. Deaker, of Dunedin, are two northerners who will be playing in the Southland Christmas tournament at Christmas.

Southland athletic bodies owe a great deal to the generosity of Mr B. C. Galloway, who, whenever a cup is needed comes to light most willingly. Three years ago he presented the Galloway Cup for competition among the leading men in the province. He has now given a cup for competition among the top ladies. In return the Association is to invite the ladies to the end-of-season re-union 1

The Wednesday players are less lucky with the weather than the Saturdayites. There had to be another postponement this week. These matches will be played on Wednesday next. The Waihopai courts have been occupied at all opportune moments since the opening day with ladder matches. Forty-four challenges have been played in five weeks, including challenges to the top lady and the top man. Miss B. Whyte and Stephens still retain their respective positions, but Miss Whyte had no easy victory over Miss Torrance, the sets running 6—4, 4 —6, 5—7 in favour of Miss Whyte. The club is at present playing off tournament events in ladies’ and men’s singles (handicaps), and championship events in men’s and ladies’ doubles, and the fact that over 50 entries have been received' in each of the handicap events speaks well for the keenness of the members and the prevailing elub spirit. The coaching received is having a very marked result on new players. The committee passed a motion at a recent meeting limiting the membership to 150 playing members. Otherwise the blackboard and bell would be getting too much use, on Saturday afternoons especially. In English tournaments' I hear that executives have decided to summon players to court on a new principle—not by the raucous “talkie” method of the irfegaphone, which was employed in former years, ( but by a timetable prepared and distributed overnight. The latter system is in almost universal vogue on the Continent, where fields are now nearly as large and where an “order of play” is recognized as indispensable both to players and spectators. The objection to the megaphone is that its blasts may often be shot over the courts at the critical period of a rally. The Southland tournament has not, however, grown to such an extent that this system needs to be adopted. Larger centres might well consider it. The leading,, French players will be on the wing again this summer. . Representing the Racing Club, Cochet, Brugnon, Landry and Rodel are to visit Japan, Egypt and India in turn —all of them countries which have not as yet seen the magic of the French craft. Then Jean Borotra is planning another trip to /Australia after Christmas. Although his main objective will be private business he is likely to compete for the Australian title which he won two years ago. Here are some useful hints compiled by W. J. Melody, of Junior Association fame:— —Service.— (1) Win the toss—take service. Lose it—face the sun. (2) Serve within the court limits at the sides. (3) Line balls are in. Don’t stand on the base-line —i.e., inside the court—when serving. (4) Stand sideways on and throw the ball up high when serving! (5) Keep your eye on the back line whilst you arc serving, and try to get your first service in. (6) Stand near the centre line (in singles) and hear the corners —i.e., behind the railway lines—(in doubles) when serving. (7) Place your service down the middle of the court in doubles, and vary the speed of it. (8) Make sure of returning service; get it back somehow. (9) Watch where your opponent is standing, and then place the service as far away from him as possible. (10 After you have served step back behind the base-line; it is far easier to run forward to play your opponent’s return than to run backwards. (11) Remember, 80 per cent, certainty and 20 per cent, force should be the basis of all your strokes. —General.— (1) First learn to get the ball over the net and into the court. (2) Try to watch the ball right on to your racket every time you make a stroke. (3) Hurry into position, but don’t hurry the stroke itself; stop running before the stroke is made. (4) Take short, quick steps when getting into position. (Practice the chasse, it is quicker and more serviceable than the haphazard run.) * (5) Stand sideways on to make all strokes. (6) Play all backhand and forehand strokes from about knee-high to waisthigh well to the side, and always in front of the front knee, with a horizontal sweep. (7) Play the ball at the top of the bound before it commences to fall. (8) Volley downwards diways. (9) Keep your front foot firmly on the ground as the racket meets the ball. (10) Avoid all wrist flourishes; tighten the grip just before the moment of impact. (11) Remember that the net is 6in higher at the sides than in the centre, hence when stroking down the “railway lines” or the “alley” keep the ball -on a higher trajectory. —Courtcraft.— (1) “No Man’s Land” lies between the base-line and a line parallel to and about 6ft. distant from the net. Keep away from it. (2) When your opponent is in “No Man’s Land” aim at his feet. (3) Watch your side lines and drive down your opponent’s whenever he is out of position. (4) When you are forced out of court to take a ball, either by having to run out to the sides or to run backwards, LOB and lob high. • :

(5) The best scoring shot in doubles is the return between your two opponents. (6) In doubles try always to return the ball in front of your partner, and remember always that a lob is a winner in doubles.