TENNIS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20668, 5 March 1937, Page 13

TENNIS

NOTES ON THE GAME (By “Your Serve.") Junior Tennis Championships. The postponement of the junior championship to the middle of March should not affect the entries. These events are open to boys and girls under 18 and under 15 on March 13. 1937, irrespective of whether they belong to a tennis club or not. In the last few' years some good juniors have been produced, although the country players have never risen to any higher standard after having won the championship. It will probably be found that the boys under 18 are an improved class, and some good tennis should be produced in the closing rounds. Last year the girls were showing signs of improvement, but so far this year their form is uncertain. B Grade Finals. Wai-iti and Timaru. the two undefeated teams in the B grade, met on Saturday, Wai-iti winning by ten sets to six. This is the first grade win by the Wai-iti Club since 1926 when it annexed the B grade banner by defeating Y.M.C.A. The team has been most consistent throughout the season, although the Timaru team had a slightly greater number of sets and games to its credit. Timaru were by no means at full strength in the men’s section, no fewer than three men being unavailable on the day. The Wai-iti men were definitely superior in their events, and the Timaru women superior in their section, but the Wai-iti men had sufficient strength to control the mixed doubles, giving the club three wins in this section. St. Mary's v. Aorangi. St. Mary’s recorded a good win against Aorangi on its own courts. The St. Mary’s team has recorded some good performances this season, and if the .team is kept together it should, do well in future seasons. St. Joseph’s v. Pleasant Point. St. Joseph’s defeated Pleasant Point by nine sets to seven. St. Joseph’s, with five wins is second equal in the competition with Timaru. Earlier in the season Timaru decisively defeated St. Joseph’s by 12 sets to four, and is probably entitled to be graded above the country team. In defeating Pleasant Point, who possess some experienced men and women players St. Joseph’s recorded a good performance. It was notable, however, that St. Joseph's as doubles players were superior to their opponents. Wai-iti B2 v. Baptist. These two teams with St. John’s shared the wooden spoon up till Saturday with no wins to their credit, but Wai-iti 11. rose to the occasion and won by 12 matches to four, their superiority being mainly in the women’s events. Ranking List. With the approach of South Canterbury’s annual match again Otagc at Dunedin, interest in the ranging ladder increases. The first eight men are: A. C. Barr, W. E. Renton, A E. Sandral, G. C. Reici, F. G. Lewis, I. Mathieson, J. S. Satterthwaite and J. Milliken. The first eight women are: Mrs Provan, Miss D. Smythe, Miss D. Shirtcliff, Miss E. Callaghan, Miss D. Patchett, MUss J. Eaton, Miss B. Sutherland and Miss M. Jefferson.

Renton has had a challenge in for some weeks against Barr and this should be played before the Otago match. Miss D. Shirtcliff goes un to third place by an easy win 6-0, 6-2 over Miss E. Callaghan, and Miss D. Patchett rises to No. 5 by defeating Miss J. Eaton 9-7, 6-3. J. Milliken has risen from fourteenth place to eighth in the province and must be considered as the most improved player on the ranking list. Providing the province can send a strong team to Dunedin, there are good prospects for a close match. Otago generally win on the asphalt and they will be a solid proposition to tackle. Representative Match. There is no doubt that Canterbury paid us the compliment of sending very nearly its strongest team to maintain its very long and unbroken run of wins. South Canterbury’s performance, nevertheless, was one of the best., if not the best that has ever been put up. In the past Canterbury has defeated us with players ranked as low as sixteenth on their ladder, while on Saturday the bottom man was No. 8 on the Canterbury ladder. The women were correspondingly strong the only deflections being the Poole sisters. The market of sets ran out 75 per cent in Canterbury’s favour, but the games were won in the following proportions: Canterbury men 54 per cent to 46 per cent; women 58 per cent to 52 per cent, and in the mixed 52 per cent to 48 per cent, sufficient to indicate that the games were very evenly contested.

Renton v. Angas. At times Renton was a match for his versatile opponent in volleying duels, and occasional angle smashes left Angas standing. However. Angas did not win by simply returning the ball; on many occasions he attacked after returning one of Renton’s well-placed smashes, and the way he can answer an apparent ace is somewhat disconcerting. Renton should have led 4-1 in the first set. At 2 all in the second set Angas set up an attack and broke through Renton’s serve. He won his own to lead 4-2. Renton again won his serve to be down 4-3, but Angas retaliated by taking the next two games and the match. Souter v. Barnett. This was not an inspiring match to watch, as Barnett had a counter for every one of Souter’s drives, which actually lacked variety. Although the Wai-iti player played the soundest forehand driving games in his career, it was against the wrong man to produce results. Sandral V. Corich. This was a long and very even game in which both indulged in pretty placements, intermixed with loose shots. Tire Canterbury boy has a great record this season and his win over Sandral 7-5 in the third set hinged probably on a lucky point in the eleventh game. Sandral troubled Corich with wellplaced serves, and judicious net play, while Corich evened matters by serving fast and occasionally effectively down the centre line and producing a stinging forehand drive.

Reid v. Barrar. Reid commenced in great style winning the first set 6-1 and had a comfortable lead in the second. If he had kept hard on the attack he would have won. Barrar has no winning shots, is a left hander and enjoys a marathon. Reid played into his hands in the final set by not attacking and the Canterbury man won at 6-2. Lewis v. Penfold. South Canterbury’s only win in the men’s section went to Lewis after a long three set struggle. While due credit must be given to Lewis in coming out on top, Penfold has not shown his old form this season. In the previous week Lewis played Penfold at Christchurch, the Canterbury player winning 6-4, 6-4, and evidently Lewis in the meantime summed up the opposition. At match point Lewis just got back a good drive of Penfold’s, lobbing it to give Penfold an easy smash to deuce the game, but the Canterbury 1 layer cast discretion to the wind and outed a hefty smash to give Lewis the point and the match. Lewis certainly served well and put away some great smashes. Satterthwaite v. Pattinson. Satterthwaite returned every drive in the game until at 3-all in the third set Pattinson broke through his opponent’s serve and went on to win. Satterthwaite is recovering some of his lost form, and his performance against a player who has extended New Zealand’s best players was a good effort. TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW Wai-iti v. Highfleld: P. Walsh P. Williams, R. Martin, D. Hall. Misses M. Young, S. Ussher, M. Stephens, M. Turnbull. Wai-iti v. Aorangi A: Barr, Souter. Morrison. Blanchard, Mrs A. Provan, Miss E. Fraser, Mrs G. Guy, Miss M. Vesty. Aorangi Al v. Wai-iti: W. Renton. F. Lewis, I. Mathieson, J. Milliken, Mrs Stewart, Misses Callaghan, White and Shillito. Aorangi A.2 v. St. John’s (home team): G. Keen, P. Sinclair, W. Sexton, P. Young, Mesdames Oakey and Newlands, Misses Christie and Fear FIXTURES FOR TO-MORROW A Grade (Maori Park)—Highfleld V. Timaru, Wal-itl v. Aorangi, Aorangi 11. v. St. John’s. C. Grade (Club Courts)—St. John’s v. St. Paul’S, Wai-iti v. Highfleld, Timaru v. Fairview. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS By Telegraph -Fi ess Association WELLINGTON, March 4. The management committee of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association decided to hold the New Zealand junior tournament at Wellington on March 29 and 30. Players under 18 at December 31 last are eligible to compete. Entries close with the secretary of the New Zealand Association not later than March 23. One half of the travelling expenses of a limited number of promising players nominated by the respective Associations will be paid. Applications for the subsidy should be in not later than March 16. The Wellington Association will endeavour to arrange private billeting for those desiring it. The 1937-38 championship tournament will be held at Auckland. The dates provisionally approved are January 31 to February 5.