TENNIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16861, 11 October 1922, Page 3

TENNIS

On all the Court*

FIXTURES. New Zealand Championships—De member 26 and following days, at Hastings. Canterbury Christmas Tournament— December 26 and following days. Canterbury v. N.S.W. LadiesSecond week in January (probably). Canterbury v. Wellington Interpro vinola! Match (at Christchurch)—Sat urday, February 17. Tlie Christmas tournament at Christ church is taking shape rapidly. It b necessar\' to obtain the approval of the New Zealand Association, and an appli cation is to be made to the United Club for the use of courts for th tournament The Match Committee favours a commencement on Tuesday. December 26. although many keen players would prefer to make a start Oil the Monday, as the tournament wib occupy three days at least. There irl! be the usual five events, both open and handicap, with the option of makinp two grades where the entries warrant it. The entry fees will be the same a.* for the Easter tournament, with s minimum ot 2s. Players will supply their own balls The prizes will be the same as at Easter. Entries will close fourteen days before tlie meeting for the handicap events, and ten-, days bo fore for the open events. Mr W. N. £eay, the president, has been nominated as referee The questions of catei • ing and charging for admission have not been decided yet. The preparations of entry forms and a programme is ::i the bands of Mr T*. R. Harman. • * The interprovincial match between Canterbury and Wellington will be played this year in Christchurch. The third Saturday in February (February 17) has been agreed on for the fixture, which will include men and lady players. Last year Canterbury sent a very poor team to Wellington, following or n surfit of tennis locally, and the reEult was just what everybody expected - -an overwhelming win for Wellington. The February match will not, of course, have anything to do with the Wilding Shield competition, of which more should be heard later. The'New South Wales ladies’ team, which will tour New Zealand, consists of Miss Lance, w ho could not play last vear, Mrs* Laseelles, Miss Lloyd anJ Miss Gray. The team is a strong one, but they Will have a very good try-out in Auckland, and after that they will be in competition at the New Zealand championships at Hastings at Christmas.

The itinerary of the team is a bit uii«-'t*ain. as it depends to some extent on the sailing time. Mr W. E. Denniston. chairman of the Management •'’ommittee of the New Zealand Association. has given the following rough outline of probable .dates : December 4 or 11 —Arrive Auckland. December 14-15—Play Auckland. December 22—Arrive Hastings, via Rotorua and Hawke’s Ray. December 26-30—Play in New Zealand championships tournament at Hastings. January 6 and 7 —Meet New Zealani team at Wellington. ."January B—Arrive Christchurch. January 15—Arrivo Wellington. The team will be the guests of the New Zealand Association and player* from the time they land at Auckland or Wellington until they join tlieir boat for Sydney again. The whole ot 1 heir travelling expenses will be pail, and they will lie billeted privately. The Tourist and Railway Departments ha.**j i odertaken to do everything possible t ' facilitate their travelling orrangeT "<mts, and make their tour enjoyable, i hey will be assured of big gates, an 1 *he tour ip certaiu to be a very great success. Whether tliev will get as far as Dunedin, where there arc no gras courts, is doubtful. The prospect of obtaining a test match at Christchurch between the visitors and a New Zealand team of u.ci'es is very strongly favoured by the Match Committee of the Canterbury Association, which discussed the matter with Mr Denniston. It is felt that Christchurch will need a strong tennis attraction during the season, and the prospect »i seeing Miss Nancy Curtis, the New' Zealand champion, in Christchurch again would be a very strong draw. "There is woe and lamentation in Dunedin over the fact that the itinerary arranged for the New South Walvs ladies’ team does not include a mato.n in the southern centre,” says “ Foremind.'* in the “ Dominion.” “ The i rago tennis players are largely responsible for this >y the lack of interest they have displayed. It is some years now since Dunedin produced a lady player with any pretensions to firstgrade rank, and when the New' Zealand championship meeting was lie. 1 at Christchurch last year the Otago ladies were conspicuous by their ab sonce. When the English team, including Beamish and Lowe, vieited tli3 Dominion, matches were played ab Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. At Auckland a profit of £BO was mad *, Canterbury cleared £6O, but the tour nament at Dunedin resulted in a de ficit of 6d. “ The N.Z.L T.A. hope to make •'> 7 «ofit out of the visit of the N.S.W. ladies,’* the writer continues, “ and to use the money so raised as the nucleus of a fund to send a men's team to New* South Wales. To send the visitors to Dunedin would take an extra week, and there is no guarantee that, Otago could he able to place a team in the field which would make a of it with the visitors. While such ?• visit would do a lot of good for lady tennis players in Otago, time is short rnd the financial aspect has to be seriously considered. When the New South Wales ladies get to Christchurch tliev may desire to take a run to Mount Cook or the Southern Lakes, and a little time must be reserved for sigh* seeing- While one sympathises with the Otago people, it must be admittec. that they have not shown any enthusi asm for thi game, and the best \vn; to ensure future visits is to send along lady representatives to the New Zealand championship meetings who will once again place the province on th i tennis mao. The N.Z.L.T.A. is no' running the tour in the interest of •inr club, and it is doubtful if Mastertoil will ’ receive a visit, even though die Wellington championships are to bo played ther-** *

Tlie opening of the grass court season at United could not have been more highly favoured in tho matter of * ©other, and there was a very big muster. principally of ladies. The opening of six additional courts at the southern end has made it possible to reduce the number of the middle courts from twelve to ten, with a consequent shifting of the posts that throws the heaviest wear and tear on those portions of die lawn that lay between the courts last year. Although in beautiful order, the courts are necessarily on the soft side still. Continuous play will oomIhience next Saturday.

COURT POSITION.

The West Spreydon Lawn Tennis and Debating Society is the unblushing title of the latest club to be affiliated to tlie Canterbury Association. It is understood that the debates have nothing to do with the tennis matches. The club has opened with one grass court in Wychbury Street. off Barrington Street. Four other grass courts are contemplated. It is almost a certainty, according to Mr M. E. Denniston. that a men’s team will be sent from New Zealand to Sustrnlia next year, probably late in tho season. A motion wil he tabled at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Association by Air O. F. Salmond in favour of paying reasonable expenses to touring teams for accommodation as well as' transport. A ranking list of players from clubs offiliated to the Canterbury Association is likely to bo drawn up by the beginning of November. The match committee has drawn up certain rule*;, and will meet again in o week’s time to complete them. So far it is proposed to have a list of forty players, in two sections (first and second twenties). This list wil be drawn up each year by tlie Select-ion Committee by November 1, and a f ter that the chosen forty will move up and down as they do in the ordinary status list. Those v. he. are not in the list will be entitled to challenge the man at the bottom of the ranking list. Probably a ladies’ ranking list will have to be drawn up as well. The necessity for ranking lists has long been felt in Christchurch, owing to congestion in ©liampionshin tournaments, and the innovation will be watched with interest. Wellington has already drawn up a ranking list, or “ ladder,” but it does not reach very far. The revised list ne frtllnu-S

is as follows: 1. J! C. Peacock. 2. R. N. K. Swanston. 3. B. L. Salmond. 4. J. Parker. 5. L. France. 6. D. Power. 7. B. Burkinan. 8. C. F. Williams. 9. L. J. Berry. 10. W. Rollings. 11. G. N. T. Goldie. 12. F. Martin. 13. R. Young. 14. A. AT. Father. 15. J. Wright The recent appointees are A. M. Fathers, the young Newtown player, and J. Wright, a promising Wellington Club colt who plays an attractive game. The last-named player has gone upon tlie ladder as the result of the withdrawal of D. G. France, who is leaving Wellington for business reasons. Both ladders will be open to challenge os from November 1. It is proposed that prior to any challenges being received from players not on the ladder a series of matches between the even players ahd odds *’ shall be held. Tlie ladies’ tennis ladder, for which entries were taken by the Wellington Provincial L.T.A. some time ago, has been graded and was announced last Friday. The ladder is is follows: — 1. Alias N. Curtis (Wellington). 2. Airs W. G Aleiody (Kelburn). 3. Miss E. Travers (Thermion). 4. Mrs J. C. Peacock (Thorndon). o. Miss M. Tracey (Brougham Hill). 6. Aliss A. Howe (Brougham Hill). 7. Aliss Arrow-smith (Petone). 8. Airs Parlinson (Petone). 9. Mrs Austin (Hutt). 10. Miss Foster (Thorndon). 11. Miss Walters (Petone). 12. Airs Turnbull (Brougham Hill). 13. Miss At. Williams (Brougham Hill). 14. Mrs Heath (Newtown). 15. Aliss Shearer (Salamanca).

! The top six are all familiar names to i tennis players, says the ‘‘ New Zealand | Times.” Miss Nancy Curtis, the brilI liant young Wellington Club star, j holds the national singles title, as well j as the New Zealand doubles and coniI bined championships and the singles j championship of New South Wales, and ! was a member of the New Zealand j ladies’ team which visited Australia ! last season. Mrs W. J. Melody is a singles player of great steadiness and lias won many provincial championships. In company with Miss Curtis she bolds the doubles title for New Zealand. Miss E. Travers and Airs J. C. Peacock are both well-known flavors and no novices. Each lias gained provincial representative honours on more than one occasion. Miss Travers remarkable for the consistency and severity of her forehand, while Mrs Peacock plays well all round the court. The grading of' Miss May Tracey as fifth lady will come as a pleasant surprise to many. This young Brougham Hill player lias a long and -successful record in tournament play and is remarkable for her activity and dashinr tactics. Miss Airita Howe, three times junior national champion, was a mem her of the Wellington team against Canterbury last year, and is a highly promising young player. Hot decisive defeat at the hands of Miss Tracey in the hard court tournament last year has probably led to her occupying the sixth rung. Organised sc? 00l play is the greatest method for training young player? in tennis, W. T. Tildon says:—‘‘l be lieve the best method of developing juniors in tennis is through organise school play. In Philadelphia «ve lave two leagues, one of six and another of 12 schools. playin’* more than 1-30 matches a season. Thus at least 100 young players, the great majority under tho junior age limit are "'p competition from the first of April to the <nd of May. playing a f ieast three m.-.cches a week. Follow ing the league season, the individua championships of the two leagues are settled by elimination tournament® From this school competition hav> come most of « nr young stars of the last five year’s. I am a great believer in individual coaching by the leading players of the district. It does not mean much to any man to give up an hour a week to coach some promising boy, and by so doing, he will sac*, tlie lad many years of discouraging defeat on the road to success. He is also developing a civic asset. For years I have coached one or more boys everv season, and can truthfully say that I have gained far more than I have lost Tlie future of American tennis rests in the hands of the juniors, and only by developing them can we expect «o progress.’*

A tennis court is 39 feet long from baseline to net, says a tennis writer. Many players think that any portion of this territory is a correct place in which to stand. They could not be further from the truth. There are only two places in a tennis court where the player should be while the ball is in play. They are : (1) About a yard behind the baseline (at any rate bellin ’

it), and (2) from 6 to 8 feet back from the net practically opposite the spot where the ball has landed over the other side. The first position is the base of operations when trying to beat your man off the ground. The second is the spot you should occupy when you advance to the net. Some tennis writers will tell you that, if you are drawn awav from tlie baseline position you should immediately regain it. That is nonsense. During a hard rally, if drawn to one side or the other, you will immediately attempt to get back towards the centre; but you must- always be ready to stop or to turn back, should your wily opponent make his return towards th© direction from which you are running, hoping to catch you on the wrong foot. AN AUCKLAND INCIDENT. This becomes more easy as the pace of a game speeds up. In the Davis Cup contest at Auckland during the progress of the first single, there were a series of driving returns from Norman Brookes’s forehand to Tilden’s backhand. Suddenly Brookes came to light with a beautiful drive across to th© American’s forehand, and Tilden was forced to make a defensive return into midcourt. The backhand portion of his court lay open, and lie came tearing back at a terrific pace. So fast did he travel that when Brookes put tlie* ball back into his forehand again with a deliberate drive, the Australian scored a clean placement, for Tilden almost upset the baseline umpire before he could pull up. PLAY INTO THE OPENING. But in ordinary circumstances, onco a man’s court is opened up iti pays to put the ball into it. unless, as in the preceding incident, the pace of the previous play has been very great. Tn ordinary circumstances, then, you may expect a return on the other side of the court from that where the ball has just landed. And your policy is to make towards this side. ” Keep moving ” should he your slogan. Remember that, with the best will in the world you cannot hit the ball unlessyou can reach it. There are players who seldom seem to liurrv on a court; but if you watch them, you will find that thev do mort of their hard running before the ball arrives. “ NO MAN’S LAND.” The distance from the baseline to within about ten feet from the net you should consider as “ No man’s land.” Never linger there a moment. If you are caught well in and can see a hard shot coming, advance to the net. Always advance in preference to retreating, as it makes your shot easier. Never stand and watch a shot. It is in learining to get into position for the return that brain work counts for so much. This is what makes Norman Brookes, when no longer young, formidable. Should von be caught at the net on a short shot,, decided which side your opponent will hit to. and make a jump for it. Tf you are wrong you lose nothing, while if right yon stand a chance of volleying his shot and winning the point. COVER THE STRAIGHT SHOT. Your position should always be that from which you can cover the greatest possible area of court without sacrificing safety. As the straight shot is the surest, the quickest, and, therefore the most dangerous, you must alwaycover that. From a good, deep sh it your opponent can put the ball only into a limited area of the court, and so you need not cover it all. It is merely a question of how much of the cour, except that immediately in front .>t the ball you must guard.

Save your energy by using your head. Always make an early start towards the return, and you will husband your energy, and you will never have to run after hopeless shots. Bv keeping on the run, you conserve your energy in tho long run, and in a match every ounce counts. It is seldom, that more than t' —birds of the court need be cover c . Y-'by worry about the remainder?