TENNIS TOURNAMENT AT CHRISTMAS

Southland Times, Issue 23389, 22 December 1937, Page 14

TENNIS TOURNAMENT AT CHRISTMAS

Last Year’s Winners Defending

Their Titles

(By

TOP-SPIN)

With the conclusion of last Saturday’s tennis matches there is a break in club competitions until well on in January, but tennis players are well catered for with the Christmas championship and handicap tournament and the centenary tournament at Riverton over New Year. Entries for the Christmas tournament are well below those of the last few years, the women’s entries being particularly poor, but there is a satisfactory field fer some of the men’s events. The tournament will be robbed of much of. the usual interest since leading Dunedin players, who have regularly competed in the past, have been unable to make the trip. The Rawlinsons, the Pearce brothers, Ken Bryan, Syd McDougal, Pollok and Falconer are allowing Southland competitors to contest their provincial titles unchallenged. Allan Baird, the present title holder, will be a favourite for the singles championship, but will have to dispose of A. J. Deaker to reach the final. Deaker will find Shand a difficult proposition in the second round. McCallum lost to Sharp, of Wyndham, in last year’s Galloway Cup match, but providing he can turn.the tables he should meet the winner of the McLeod-Sharp match for the right to enter the final. McCallum contested the final with George Pearce three years ago, and as he is playing very confidently at present he may well do so again, with Baird as his most likely opponent. Baird and Deaker, the present doubles champions, should have no trouble in reaching this year’s final. The most likely finalists in the other half are McLeod and Sharp, or Strang and McCallum. The latter pair may or may not prove a happy combination. 1316 women’s events should prove a walk-over for Miss Rebe Wilson, both in singles and in doubles with Miss Cutt as partner. A new item on the programme is the championship mixed doubles, and it is pleasing to see this event so well patronized. However, Baird and Miss Wilson may as well claim the trophy without competing for they are hardly likely to be extended unless McCallum and Miss Cutt cause a surprise.

The executive has made a good job of the handicaps and one cannot detect any “dark horses” from a perusal of them. It may safely be prophesied that among those prominent at the conclusion of these events will be Miss Henderson, lan Shand, C. Breen, A.. Breen, L. Whitaker 'and George Lindsay. RIVERTON TOURNAMENT The Riverton tournament will attract the keen ones after the conclusion of the Christmas tournament. Indications are not favourable for a big entry; it would be a pity if the Riverton Club received poor support after its efforts to make the tournament a success. The Riverton courts are in excellent order and are pleasantlysituated. The tournament will be held on January 1,3, 4 and 8 and entries were to have closed on Wednesday last, though doubtless the committee has provided blanks in the draw for late entries. Invercargill tennis will be the loser by the recent departure of Roy Howe, former Wilding Shield player, for Wellington. Howe is a player with a wide knowledge and a deep interest in the game, and although he has not been able to produce his real form on the hard courts of Invercargill, having lost ranking matches to Deaker (club ladder) and McCallum (provincial ladder), he plays the type of game that we see only too rarely in Invercargill. Howe comes of a well-known tennis family. His sister was three times junior champion and won the New Zealand open title in 1926. His cousin is at present a New Zealand ranked player and his father a former Wellington representative player. An interesting anecdote is related of Mr Howe, sen., when he competed in the New Zealand championships in 1920. He had survived two rounds and was tremendously keen to win the next in . order to play against the great W. T. Tilden, who was competing for the first and only time. It was a dour struggle, but he was forced to acknowledge defeat to a younger man in a match that went the full distance. However, the winner was apparently overawed by the occasion and promptly defaulted when he realized he must play Tilden in the next round. At a recent meeting the executive made a ruling that from January all affiliated players must receive the association’s permission to play exhibition matches. The discussion apparently arose as a result of a local firm sponsoring a series of these exhibitions on request from various town and country clubs. The coaching committee might have felt that this was trespassing somewhat on its own preserve, but as its time was already well occupied meeting requests for its services there was hardly need to feel a sense of competition. The position

shows a growing demand for competent coaching, and although the association’s ruling is a perfectly reasonable one, it would be a wise move in the

interests of tennis to encourage the use of our leading players to demonstrate the game, rather than make any move that would tend to restrict their activities. One country club, Wyndham, is making a bold bid to cater for its increased membership and is putting down some excellent additional courts. In town the St. Mary’s Club is rapidly collecting a tidy fund, and may be expected to increase its courts to five before the season is over. It is fortunate in having plenty of space in a locality that is becoming increasingly popular. Provision for permanent shelter. is one thing that requires serious consideration.

COURTS AT THE BEACH The City Council has an experimental grass area of about one acre in extent at Oreti Beach, and the suggestion has been made that this ground should be prepared for four grass tennis courts. How often one hears it said that tennis on grass is a different game. Appealing as the idea is, it is feared that there are too many obstacles in the way of bringing the idea to fruition. Tennis players were again favoured with good weather over the week-end, Saturday’s matches being played under ideal conditions. The surprise in the senior B competition was the defeat of the unbeaten Gladstone team at the hands of Waihopai. Gladstone appears to be unfortunate in being unable to field the same team from week to week, and on Saturday was without the services of its leading woman player, Miss McKay. Boyd continues to be erratic and could win only one game from Laurenson, who gives very few points away. Evatt and Yule (Gladstone) lost their singles rather decisively to Kean and Crawford respectively, yet were able to turn the tables on their opponents in the doubles with a comfortable win. St. Mary’s has a member who is apparently versatile in sport. J. Webb started off the afternoon with a cricket match. Making a creditable 68, he was probably feeling satisfied with, himself and this may explain why he later went down surprisingly 4—9 to Southend’s leading strmg, A. Alsweiler. Good work by Southend s women gave them a comfortable win. Waihopai No. 2 continued on its winning way with a narrow win over Makarewa, and again the credit must go to the women of the team. Makarewa has two good men in McLean and Mclvor and it was a good effort for Lumsden and Thompson to take them to 8-all in the doubles. The Bluff-Invercargill match was not as even as expected. Bluff’s top man rarely lets his club down and it must be a new experience for him to lose his three matches as he did to Collis. But can this be the same Collis who has recently been providing the strong tail to Invercargill’s senior A team? The feature of Collis’s game is a fast flat forehand, nicely angled across court. He maintained such a good length that Hamilton was unable to sustain an attack to his opponent’s backhand. Miss Crocket (Bluff) plays an attractive, if not resourceful game from back court and came from behind at 5-6 to beat Miss Shand by the odd game. Central has a mortgage on the wooden spoon. It could gain only three sets from Bluff, two of which were gained by the diminutive Sutherland who plays some attractive shots overhead. The other set was won by Liddel and Miss Harvey in the first mixed doubles after trailing 0-6. Liddel changed his tactics at this stage and stormed the net and the Tisbury pair were unable to exploit the passing sideline shot as they should. Tisbury’s leading player, Johnson, has a fine array of strokes. When he advances to the net on a good length ground stroke he volleys crisply for a placement. To defeat Liddel 9-4 is a good performance considering that the Central man was a leading Dunedin A grade player. not so many years ago, with a win of 9-6 .over George Pearce to his credit. Tisbury’s second man, Mclntosh, plays the solid type of game and makes a good partner for Johnstone. The third man, Flynn, unleashes a fierce overspin forehand that a Budge may not disdain on occasions.

The three leading teams in the intermediate grade, Kennington, Invercargill and Moana, all had wins as expected, but only by the narrowest of margins in each case. Southend gained its first win at the expense of St. Mary’s, and Georgetown, well up in the competition, had a comfortable win from Bluff. Rugby Park deserves credit for a fine performance in gaining eight sets from a strong Invercargill team, ultimately losing by nine games. GIRLS’ TEAM FOR AUSTRALIA The Southland Association recently nominated Miss Rebe Wilson for inclusion in the team of four junior girls which is to visit Australia in February, and the Otago Association has graciously offered to lend its support to the nomination. It may be thought that because Miss Wilson is on the New Zealand ranking list she is assurer! of a place, but it should be remembered that three other girls, Misses M. Beverley, J. Douthett and G. Cooke, are ranked

above her. A Wellington paper mentions these three players in discussing the personnel of the team, and also the chances of Miss J. Bums and Miss Griffiths. Proceeding it states: “Beyond these players it does not seem likely that there are any girls in New Zealand worthy of inclusion, beyond the possible exception of Joyce Bedford.” Not a word of Miss Wilson, who comes from somewhere way down south, and therefore hardly merits consideration! The writer has seen practically all the New Zealand ranked players in action, and considers that, given the opportunities northern players have, the Southland girl would speedily assure herself of a higher ranking. It would be a great pity if Miss Rebe Wilson should miss inclusion through lack of a little judicious boosting by Southland people. When the selection is made tennis players at this end of the island will wish the grand little player the success she deserves. Interest in the town ladder has abated somewhat with the approach of the holidays. A. Breen (Southend) has resisted a challenge from S. Smith (Georgetown) with a straight-set win of 6-2, 6-1, and moved up a place at the expense of his club mate, J. Buchan, with the score 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. As this match was coupled with a club ladder challenge Breen goes to third place at Southend. Mesdames Clarkson and Salisbury won their challenge to Mrs Croad and Miss Henry after a marathon match, 9-7, 7-9, 6-3, while Mrs Hanan and Miss Mehaffey retained first place on the doubles ladder by defeating Misses Mahoney and Hallamore, 6-4, 6-5.

SOUTHLAND LADDER The ladder placings are now as follows:—

MEN’S SINGLES 1. R. McCallum (Southend) 2. I. Shand (Invercargill) D. S. McLeod (Gore) B. Whelan (Riverton) 3. W. Strang (Waihopai) 4. D. Perrin (St. Mary’s) 5. J. Marriott .(St. Mary’s) 6. J. Henry (Georgetown) 7. A. McKay (Central) 8. A. Breen (Southend) 9. J. Buchan (Southend) 10. S. Smith (Georgetown) 11. L. Stubbs (Central) MEN’S DOUBLES 1. Baird and Deaker 2. Strang and Clarkson 3. Davidson and Larcombe 4. McCallum and Raines 5. Buchan and Jones 6. Hughes and Sleeman 7. Collis and Kennedy 8. Shand and Hodgson 9. Henry and Breen 10. McKay and Stubbs 11. Perrin and Marriott 12. Mclntosh and Johnstone WOMEN’S SINGLES 1. Miss R. Wilson (Balfour) 2. Miss J. Wilson (Balfour) 3. Mrs G. R. Hanan (Waihopai) 4. Miss L. Mehaffey (Southend) 5. Miss I. Henderson (Kennington) Miss M. Kelly (Nightcaps) 6. Mrs E. Salisbury (Waihopai) Miss K. Jopp (Gore) 7. Mrs I. Mayhew (Invercargill) 8. Mrs C. Lipscombe (Invercargill) 9. Miss M. Woods (Central) 10. Miss E. Hoyles (Invercargill) 11. Mrs Barnett (Kennington) WOMEN’S DOUBLES 1. Mrs Hanan and Miss Mehaffey 2. Misses Mahoney and Hallamore 3. Mrs Mayhew and Miss Hoyles 4. Mrs Ellis and Miss McCallum 6. Mrs Larcombe and Miss Basstian 6. Mesdames Clarkson and Salisbury 7. Mrs Croad and Miss V. Henry 8. Mrs Barnett and Miss Henderson 9. Misses Deegan and Woods . 10. Misses R. Henry and Thomson INTERNATIONAL CONTESTS The presence of the American and German Davis Cup players in Australia is producing some interesting tennis across the Tasman. There will probably be a triangular series of matches in Sydney over the holidays between Australia, America and Germany and the meeting of the world’s two best amateur players, Budge and von Cramm, should prove an epic encounter. When Budge defeated Bromwich recently for the Victorian title he stated that

the youthful Australian would never oe a world beater until he improved his service and his overhead from back court, but Budge may have to revise his opinion in the light of Bromwich’s recent victory by 6-2, 6-3, 8-10, 6-4. It is significant that McGrath could put up great performances in Australia against visiting players, including his sensational elimination of Vines in the Australian championships, but could not reproduce the same form overseas. Bromwich has beaten Menzel, Maier, Kirby, Boussus and now Budge on Australian courts; but would he ever repeat these performances at Forest Hills or Wimbledon?

On January 4 A. C. Stedman and D. Coombe (ranked first and fourth respectively for New Zealand) will give an exhibition at the Invercargill courts. Stedman has an international reputation and has probably performed better at Wimbledon than any other New Zealand player since the palmy days of Anthony Wilding, not excepting E. D. Andrews’s sensational defeat of F. T. Hunter. Critics rank him next to Austin as equal to any player in England. Coombe is rather flattered in being ranked above players like Angas and Barnett, but he can provide a variety of excellent shots and as he has probably improved by his trip to Wimbledon Stedman will not be taking his opponent too lightly.