LAWN TENNIS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1928, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS

TALKS ABOUT PLAYERS. MRS. GODFREE (KITTY McKANE.) (A Special Interview by Mrs. Satterthwaite.) There is no more shrewd judge of the game of lawn tennis that Mrs. Godfree (who is perhaps better known as Miss Kitty McKane). As well as being a very fine player she has a clear sense of judgment and a knowledge of the technicalities of the game which very few women possess. Of course, she is essentially a volleyer, and, as she says herself: “If I were asked which was my favourite stroke, 1 should most certainly say that I was happiest when playing a low volley. I feel more confident and at home with that shot than with any other, and I generally use my gßrand strokes merely as a means to the end of getting to the net and having a chance to produce my favourite stroke once more.”

Mrs. Godfree’s finest game is unquestionably singles although, as all the world knows, she is also a very fine doubles player. She would always prefer three hard sets of singles to get her into proper tournament training than any amount of doubles. “If I have to play doubles,” Mrs. Godfree says, “I always try to pair up with the partner with whom I am going to play matches or tournaments. In this way you improve your team work, and you also learn the value of good combination, without which no doubles pair can ever hope to succeed.” Mrs. Godfree is most emphatic in her opinion that too much tournament piny is a very bad thing, especially for young players. “If you play in two tournaments running, you should most certainly take a fortnight’s rest in which you can practise and consolidate what you have learned in your latest tournament. I feel certain that this is especially neccessary for beginners, as it is quite impossible for them to remember all the various things about foot-work, stance and position in court, and at the same time try to win matches. When you are. playing competitive tennis,” she went on, “you must forget all the technicalities of the game and simply concentrate on getting every ball back. People, especially tl;ose who are more or less just forming their style, are so apt to forget that there are quite a number of strokes in a match—perhaps almost 25 per cent.—which cave to be taken right in front of the body with no particular balance whatever; the ball has to be got over the net somehow; In order to win, therefore, it is absolutely necessary for you to have your practical games in between, when you will n turally not worry at all about winning, but will concentrate entirely upon the correct method of making the strokes.” Mrs. Godfree is a great believer in the value of imitation, “I think that young players should make a point of watching the champions whenever they possibly can, and they should pick mt the one person whose style they are attempting to copy and follow his or her actions extremely carefully. Then they should try to practise them as well as they can at home; but if they find they are not making much progress alone, they should find some good instructor of the game, tell him the player they want to copy, and take lessons along those lines.”

Of course, there is no doubt that Mrs. Godfree’s early and frequent successes at badminton helped to make her the extremely active lawn tennis player that she is to-day. Her power of anticipation is extraordinary, and I have often seen her start to move across to the ball long before it has come over rhe net, with the most unfailing accuracy and precision. She has also got that wonderful gift (alas! how rare it is) of being able to play her very best when the big occasion arises. She says: “1 have to get really ’wound up’ before I can produce my best form and I always feel more able co concentrate when great things depend upon the issue of the match.” I asked what her ideas were about the best way of getting into training, and she told me: “Personally I like to play about three or nossibly four times a week —not more, because otherwise I think you are in great danger of getting ‘stale’ and bored with the game—and .1 like to go ‘all out’ as hard as I can go for three sets of singles. I cannot emphasise too strongly how much better it is to do this, and to play for an hour and a quarter at most, than to drag on for set after set when the first keenness has gone and everyone is getting tired and thoroughly careless in play.” Mrs. Godfree, who has not been able to play quite so much as usual this season owing to her recent throat trouble, is now quite recovered, and is in full practice to defend her championship this month. She is also playing in doubles with our splendid “young hope,” Miss Betty Nuthall, whom she finds an excellent little partner. They commenced their new career together by winning the doubles out of a •foty strong “field” at the recent Middlesex championships at Chiswick Park, and they will certainly not lack supporters at Wimbledon.

MISS WILLS BEATS D. H. WILLIAMS By Telegraph—Press Assn —Copyright. Australian Press Association. Received June 11, 7.15 p.m. London, June 11. There was a large attendance at the North London lawn tennis finals and it enjoyed the unusual experience of seeing a thrilling man versus woman singles contest. Miss Helen Wills, being unable to defend her ; !tle, played an exhibition match against D. H. Williams, the Welsh champion, and beat him 9 —7, 6—4, after a spirited, hard hitting match.