STEDMAN SHINES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20932, 11 January 1938, Page 10

STEDMAN SHINES

DAV’S CUP PLAYERS IN ACTION

| EXHIBITION TENNIS i Playing some of the tennis which has won him English ranking second only to H.W. Austin, A. C. Stedman (Auckland), New Zealand Davis Cup player, with D. C. Coombe (Wellington), holder of the national singles championship title, delighted a fairly large gallery at the Aorangi Club’s courts yesterday afternoon when a series of exhibition matches was played under the auspices o? the South* Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association. The matches were scheduled to be played on grass courts at Maori Park but heavy rain during the week-end having made that impossible a transfer was made to the hard courts. Both Stedman and Coombe appeared to find the change of surface strange at first but when they settled down they played excellent tennis. Stedman, who has returned to New Zealand after three years of big tennis at Home, showed the remarkable benefit international experience has been to his game. The outstanding quality of the tennis he played yesterday was the speed which he imparted to all his shots and the cool ease with which he covered the court. His most telling shot was undoubtedly his forehand drive. Hitting the ball just as it dropped from the top of the bounce, he produced his favourite shot with pace which has not been seen in Timaru since the visit some years ago of the English party, including F. J. Perry, F. H. D. Wilde, G. P. Hughes and H. W. Lee. Master of Control Stedman proved himself a master of control, placing the ball exactly where he wished without sacrificing any of his speed, and angling his returns to a degree which was a revelation to Timaru players. Where he stood head and shoulders above Coombe and the Timaru players, W. E. Renton and G. C. Reid, was in accuracy. His margin of errors was remarkably small and, while he maintained a perfect length with all his shots, he rarely gave the linesman a chance to call “out.” A majority of his shots skimmed the net and, although occasionally he misjudged the height his net errors were also negligible. Coombe’s game did not appear to have changed greatly since he won the New Zealand singles title here a year ago, and it is questionable whether one season of international and English tennis is* sufficient to make any marked difference in a New Zealand player’s game. Coombe' displayed better court coverage and a greater sense of anticipation, however, but when opposed to Stedman his game, although sound, only served to show that Stedman is in a class of his own, so far as the Dominion is concerned. Taking a line through present form, Stedman will be extremely difficult to deprive of the New Zealand singles title this year.

Reid Begins Well In spite of the fact that they were overshadowed by their opponents, the Timaru men played good tennis. Reid, second ranked man in South Canterbury, opened the afternoon’s programme in a match against Coombe and acquitted himself creditably. Coombe took some time to settle down and in the first set Reid, by medium paced driving, kept his opponent on the defensive, taking the first two games. Coombe equalised, but the Timaru man kept a good length and made profitable excursions to the net. Coombe made too many errors and, benefiting largely by these, Reid carried off the set 6-2. When he warmed up, however, Coombe had more success with his top spun service and, cutting down his margin of errors, took the second set 6-3, after 3-all had been called. Good positional play and increased speed saw Coombe with the situation well in hand in the third set, in which he followed his service into the net to score convincingly with pacey volleys, winning 6-2.

The match between Stedman and Renton, South Canterbury first string, produced fast tennis. Trying to match his opponent’s speed; Renton hit out freely, taking every opportunity to come to close quarters and bring his overhead battery into play. In a hard-hitting contest he was no match for Stedman, however, the Davis Cup player treating short returns with scant respect. Although Renton was defeated 6-1, 6-1, the game provided bright and interesting tennis. . Stedman Outstanding Greater interest centred in the meeting of Stedman and Coombe, but the Wellington player was outclassed in all departments. One of features of the match was the ease with which Stedman converted Coombe’s fast service into an attacking return. Repeatedly a serve which seemed to the spectators to have all the qualifications of an “ace” came flashing back across the net with the added impetus of Stedman’s terrific forehand drive and, as the game progress, it appeared that the harder the ball was hit to Sted-

man the better he handled the return. After losing the first set 6-2, Coombs volleyed well in the .second and played with more accuracy, but he could not maintain the length of his drives and Stedman made winners off anything which did not reach the back of the court, winning again 6-3. Interesting Doubles The most interesting tennis of the day was provided by a doubles match in which Stedman and Reid were opposed to Coombe and Renton. The pairs were evenly matched as the score, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 9-7 in favour of the former pair indicates. The game produced some sparkling exchanges at the net, all four players coming to close quarters to volley brilliantly and smash heavily. Of the four, Coombe and Renton were severest overhead, the Timaru man in particular being outstanding. Reid’s volleys lacked pace to be effective in the company, but he placed his shots well and made several neat winners on the sidelines. Coombe was sound in all departments, and features of Stedman’s game were his driving and perfectly judged lobs. With the sets two all and the final one going to advantage excitement ran high among the spectators as successive volleying duels failed to give either side a winning margin. The score mounted to 7-all before Coombe dropped a game from 15-40 on his service, and F'.edman’s service in the next was the deciding factor in favour of him and Reid. The match lasted almost two hours. Results were:— D. C. Coombe beat G. C.' Reid, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. A. C. Stedman beat W. E. Renton, 6-1, 6-1. Stedman beat Coombe, 6-2, 6-3. Stedman and Reid beat Coombe and Renton, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 9-7.