TENNIS—THE POPULAR GAME.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18069, 19 March 1923, Page 8

TENNIS—THE POPULAR GAME.

Our improvement in tennis is gratifying, lo say the least. .Lately, although wo hate having to admit it, wo have had some reverses in sport. It suits some of us now to complain of the rudeness of the Cricketing Colonel who travelled with the M.C.C. team, hut. we have to admit without any shilly-shally, that, as cricketers, we are to use,an army term, ‘‘duds.” There is some consolation in realising that we will improve, with practice. But New South Wales really iikes our tennis. We are not Tildens, oi* Shimidzus, or Kumagaes, but we are tennis players, and liavo become such during the last ten years. It has been a new game for New Zealanders. When Charles I. 'was lazily throwing round the nimhle ball at Hampton Court, and on ether old tennisse courttes, New Zealanders wero painting their faces and bodies, and stewing their mothers in-law and warring. That was their pastime. To-day, we ven ture to sav, tennis is more popular in this country than, say, golf. And golf is extremely popular. Take the team playing at present in Australia. Sims comes from the Waikato —Hamilton is his home—rand . there are tennis courts in every.little township in that district ; in Kawhia, "Raglan, To Awamutu. even Ohaupo, which consists mainly of a stock yard. Ollivier comes from Christchurch, where there are literally hundreds of courts. Peacock probably lias played on. scores of courts —public and private —in his town, and every other member of the team has accepted the game because of .its sterling value. Every boarding school and secondary school (one. or two small district high schools excepted) has its tennis court, Rome are really enthusiastic and have both asphalt and grass courts; in Tiniaru not a few business men rise in the early hours and take down their commercial npi'Ninent s in a most friendly set or so! Brave souls have even played by artificial light. We.

predict that one day, New Zea- | land, having entered a Davis Cup [ team, on its own, will wrest the coveted trophy from the larger nations, and will do credit to the memory of Anthony Wilding. ’Would" Timaru in general, he surprised to learn that there are over 800 tennis players in active club membership here? It is a most encouraging state of affairs when a healthy sport becomes so popular—a real sport for the people. ___________