TENNIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17862, 2 June 1926, Page 3

TENNIS

NEWS FROM ALL COURTS.

A TENNIS BEAU BRUMMEL. Beau Bruinniel in the days of old. Was wondrous spick and span, I’m told; If he could beat our Cuthbert Bing. He must of dudes have been the king; But I think Cuthbert of my rhyme, Could give Beau fifteen every time; To see him stand (he will not sit For fear his pants might strain a bit) Is quite a sight. There’s ne’er a bag At knees, nor does his blazer sag. No crease offends the eye for Cuth Irons them all out, each day he doth; And I’ve been told that once some tea Fell on his pants, and instantly He howled enough the roof to raise For days, and days, and days, and days. Still—Cuthbert Bing, he has his use, Untidiness has no excuse. He serves—what said the poet great They serve who only stand in state. A NEW HARD COURT. There is in Christchurch (if Sumner is Christchurch) a court that has all the advantages of grass, all the merits of asphalt, and the defects of neither. It is a court on which the rain can pour down for days, and in half an hour after the last drop falls the court is playable. On it the ball has the same bounce as on grass, but from a surface always true. All grass courts are uneven, and the stroke artist needs a perfect court just as much as the billiard player needs a true table or a cricketer a good pitch. With asphalt the surface has to be raised in the centre to drain the court. The balls wear quickly, and get discoloured, while the bounce, especially on a hot day, makes the game a different one to what will always be standard, that of a perfect lawn. Further, no asphalt surface is a true one. It is full of. small inequalities. Vet another disadvantage it has. The cost in shoes is a big item in the year’s tennis. Not only is the wear great, but the court is tiring on the feet and legs. But the day of the asphalt court is ended, if the promise of this new type of court laid at Sumner is fulfilled. There they have one as near perfection from a playing standpoint, as can be imagined. Whatever disadvantages that may be found will come from the cost of attention, of watering and roll-

ing; as far as can be judged at present this will not be a great item. This Sumner court is made of brick dust. Only that and nothing more. Above a foundation of clinkers a layer one and a half inches thick of coarsely ground brickdust is laid, and above is a half-inch layer of the same material, but more finely ground. The whole surface is watered and well rolled until it has a surface like that of New Brighton beach at low tide. There is just the “give” present to take the jar from playing and yet the court is solid enough to resist being marked by the fastest serve. With a surface like this the balls keep white, the colour of the court is most pleasing to the eye, and surrounded by a background of trees, makes beautiful colour harmony. There is-little wear of balls and shoes, and it is more comfortable to the feet than even grass. And as -was said before; the ball bounces true. Recently Messrs A. Ollivier. W. Goss, G. L. Berry, and R. Browning played on the court, and each of them expressed the opinion that the surface approached very closely to perfection. This must have been very pleasing to Dr. F. Slater, who has been responsible for the laying of this court. Dr. Slater is an enthusiast. He believes in this type of court, and he has introduced it into Christchurch at his own expense. Only when the Sumner Club is satisfied with it after a year’s use are they to take it over. The cost of putting down is not known yet, but it will not exceed £IOO, and should a number be attempted it will be less. Anyone interested is invited to communicate with Dr. Slater and a game can be arranged and any further information given. The Levy. There was a good attendance of delegates at last Thursday’s meeting. Mr W. N. Seay was in the chair, and there were present Messrs W. Goss, G. L. Berry, M. E. Lyons, J. Longton, D. O’Connell, J. Peppier, R. Mahalm, E. F. Chapman, R. Cartner, H. Thomson, A. G. Gillies, H. Wise, N. A. Baggs, N. C. Loney, A. R. Merrett, M. G. Somerville, S. W. Field, A. W. M’Kay, H. Herdman, L. J. Taylor, T. W. Patterson, J. Mercer, M. G. Moore,' C. Lightband, A. E. Steere, F. J. Parson,and R. Browning. Matters in connection with the pro-

posed coach, the senior competition, and various correspondence came up, and then Mr Goss, in a fine speech, proposed the half-crown levy. He pointed out what the association aimed' to accomplish and went over the various objections to the scheme. Mr Lyons seconded the motion, pointing out that delegates should support the association. Mr G. Brown (Belfast) said that while_ he was favourable to the levy, 3-et his club opposed it. During the discussion it turned out that the subscription at Belfast Club was but 10s a year. Mr Gillies (Canterbury College) also said that he favoured the levy, but the club opposed it on account of the system at the college by which all the sports were controlled from a consolidated fund. Messrs A. E. Steere (Addington), Parson (North Beach), Jones (Wesley), and Mawson (St Paul’s) spoke in favour of the levy; and after Mr Seay had pointed out the importance of Wilding Park in the tennis scheme of things, a vote was taken and the levy was carried by a 5 to 1 majority. The only clubs registering their opposition were Canterbury College, Ascot, Belfast, Heathcot, and Trinity. Senior Inter-Club Competition. Next Saturday the 1926 senior interclub competition starts at Wilding Park. This year there are only eight teams competing, and with a further eight courts now available, it will allow five courts for each match. The courts have been renumbered and No 1 is the old No. 14 court. No’s. 1,2, 3, and 4, are asphalt; No’s. 5,6, 7, and 8 bitumen; No’s. 9, 10, 11, and 12 asphalt; No’s. 13, 14, 15, and 16 bitumen; No’s. 17, IS, 19, and 20 asphalt; and the match courts, the old No’s. 1 and 2, are now to be called A and B. i For Saturday, Fendalton play Canterbury College on courts 1,2, 3,4, and 5. The Fendalton team is; 11. G. Wake, (captain), F. B. Hale, P. Vesty, S. Hollobon, Miss M. Wake, Mrs Blight, Mrs England, and Mrs Crawshaw. The Canterbury College team is an unknown quantity, as the vacation is on, and the captain, Mr C. J. M. Hunter, does not return till Saturday. The team will probably be a weak ' one, for the two Robinson brothers are playing for Opar wa, A. B. Loughnan may play for Avonside, and Miss L. Saunders and Miss Partridge are not playing through the winter, while Miss Sowden is likely to play for Avonside. Still it is understood that a team will take the field. On courts 6,7, 8,9, and 10, Opawa plays Suburban. Opawa has a strong I team, and look like going through undefeated. They are: G. Ollivier, T. W. Patterson, W. R. Robinson, E. Robinson, Miss Y. Ferrier, Miss Reed, Miss M. Saunders, Miss M. Andrew. Suburban team is; W. Hawkins (Woolston), A. M’Keown (Paparua), J. Mercer (Halswell), H. Tillman (St Paul’s, Papanui), Miss Muirson (Ilalswell), Mrs Chalklen (Riccarton), Miss Colombus (Te Whalca, Lyttelton), and Mrs Spicer (Paparua). On courts 11, 12. 13, 14, and 15, Linwood plays Avonside. Lin wood team is: W. Goss (captain), A. L. Wood, S. W. Field, A. Borrows, Miss Eva Borrows, Miss Spratt, Miss Bradford, Miss Emma Borrows. The Avonside team, it is rmderstood, comprise: B. B. Loughnan (captain), C. Angas, A. B. Loughnan, S. D. Denton, Miss M. Speirs, Mrs Sharpe, Miss Sowden, and Miss Ward. D. F. Glanville is not available this week. New Brighton meets Cashmere on courts 16, 17, IS, 19, and 20. New Brighton team are: C. Collins, J. R. Johnston, M. Munns, G. Palk, Mrs Miles. Miss M. Eaglesome, Miss M. Hooker, Mrs Barry. Cashmere are j D. O’Connell, R. Browning, A. J. Derbidge, T Munnings, Miss K. Johnston, Mrs L.’ A Dougall, and Miss E. Bowron. The fourth is the winner of a match between Mrs P. G. Greenwood and Mrs Van Asch. Play starts at 1.30 p.m. sharp. The men’s singles and doubles are the best of three straight sets, and the ladies’ singles, doubles, and combined matches are 9 up. . Lach team has to have a captain who is responsible for the team, and who must send in the resultjrf the match. OPAWA CLUB. Last Thursday Opawa plaved Avonside. Owing to rain the night before, the courts were too wet for play until after an early luncheon. The match was most exciting. In the first round Avonside led by seven games; in the second they came out even, and in the third Opawa led by six games. The teams were equal in the final round again. Avonside won by one game. Those playing for Opawa wereMisses Ferrier, Saunders, Reed, Willcox, Willis, Andrew, Thwaites, Mrs Armstrong and Mrs Steeds. Avonside.—Miss Spiers. Mrs Sharpe, Misses Muirson and Lowden, Mrs Bullock, Misses Ward, Dorman, Guy, Mrs Donaldson,. and Mrs Price. Thanks are due to Mrs Morgan and Bliss Taylor for looking after luncheon and tea, which were held out of doors, and to those who kindly swept the courts, getting them dry before play started. A tennis tournament was held last Tuesday, many of the players being school boys. The - winners were Ladies, Mrs Morgan, Mrs L. Barker, Mrs L. 1. Joint; boys, i-f. BrydgesJones, C. Blazey, and F. Robinson. The ladies selected to play in the inter-club competition on Saturday arei Misses Terrier, Reed, Saunders and May Andrew. Those coming next in I order are Bliss Willcox and Miss j Thwaites. I In the men's championship singles i W. Robinson beat R. Sowden, 6—o 6—o. I Ladies’ championship singles.-—Miss j May Andrew beat Miss Menzies, 6—3, j 3—6, 6- —3, Miss Saunders beat Miss Travers 6 —2, 6—4, Mrs Steeds beat Miss M. Williams 6-—2, 6—3. Ladies’ handicap singles.—Miss Willcox beat Miss Scott by default; Mrs Stringer beat Miss Grev by default; Miss Reed (owe 30) beat Miss Fraser (rec. 5.6) 9—5; Mrs Armstrong (owe 5.6) beat Mrs Stuart (rec. 15.3) 9—4; Miss Atkinson beat Mrs Wilson by default. NOTES. Cashmere will hold a progressive combined doubles tourney to-morrow for the holiday. A mid-week ladies’ doubles Yankee tournament has been started and is expected to last for a couple of months. Sixteen pairs have entered. This is for the ladies.—For the big match at Cannes, Suzanne wore salmon; a salmon head-dress which could almost be described as a turban, a similarly coloured wide-knitted sweater, and a short white skirt. Helen wore a rose-coloured sweater, a middy blouse, and pleated skirt. She discarded the sweater to play, but Suzanne kept hers on through the match. Latest. reports are that Suzanne Lenglen is to marry a poor man. He is a French reporter who earns £lO a ' month. American rumours will have , it that the French girl is to become a i movie queen in a 1 special society I drama.” 1S to be hoped she does | better at it than Tilden did. It is re--1 ported than he lost £lO 000 in his effort to become a star. I The Davis Gup matches lad: interest SO far. Holland has bcaUn Belgium; I South Africa beat Portugal, Britain beat Poland, France beat Denmark,

Czecho-Slovakia beat India. Britain meets the winner of the Holland-Ru-mania match, and France meets Czecho-Slovakia.

THE GAME IN BRITAIN. British lawn tennis had a decided “ lift up ” in the two semi-finals of the men’s singles of the London covered court championship at Queen’s Club, writes S. H. Doust. H. W. Austin aged nineteen, beat F. R. Leighton Crawford by three seats to 0, losing only five games in the match, and N. Sharpe, aged twenty-one, fulljr extended O. G. N. Turnbull, England’s acknowledged best player. Austin’s victory was so decisive that it almost tends to make one say Crawford played badly. Such, however, was not the case. Austin won because he played every shot of the game with discernment and coolness. On only one shot was he weak, and that was the overhead smash. In all other departments he was splendid. He served within an inch of either line; he drove hard, clean and with length on either wing; he lobbed when driven into a corner; and all his shots, whatever they were, were made with such ease as to look simple. “In the final against Turnbull, Austin led by two sets to 0 and by two games to 0. Austin’s performance of extending the best English player to the whole of five sets and very nearly winning is a remarkable one. His technique is very nearly perfect, and he has the temperament. He made his openings and grasped his opportunities like a veteran, and, when he lost several easy chances, he was unperturbed. Only in one thing did he err. When he held a long lead, gained by his magnificent ground strokes, he attempted to settle matters too quickly by advancing to the net, only to be forced back to the base-line by good-length lobs. These excursions to the net tired Austin more than the longer rallies from the baseline. Austin seemed more persistent in volleying when ahead, for after gaining his lead in the last set he made the same mistake in forcing matters from the net.” •*« HELEN WILLS SAYS, “CONCENTRATE.” i A girl may have a very promising game, good form and natural ability in tennis, and yet she may never become a really good player, because of lack of concentration (says Helen Wills). Concentration in tennis is a hard thing to define exactly. In young players it is very ofteji absent; but, aided by real interest, it grows with experience. The experience coming from tournament play is most valuable in acquiring concentration. Among the best players of this country, two stand out as possessing marvellous power of concentration in match play. They are:—William Johnson and Mrs Molla Mallory. It shows in their court manner as well as in their methods of play. How can one possess the power of concc tration in tennis? one may ask. The answer lies in the word “ cultivation.” One often sees young players “ fooling ”on the court. They talk about the various shots, making irrelevant remarks, and are careless in their play. If this is continued, they cannot become good players because of this lack of concertation. One can have much more fun and enjoyment from playing the game quietly and thoughtfully for a short period of time than from “ fooling ” for a whole afternoon. Along with concentration and experience, control is important. One must be resolved upon entering a match not to be influenced in any way by the turns of luck which are so numerous in tennis, or in various little incidents which may arise during the course of play. Sometimes one sees a player “ thrown off ” for several games because some real or imagined mistake of a linesman in calling a ball in or out. Or a racquet string may break, and the incident may be regarded too seriously. There are hundreds of other things which may have a devastating effect on one’s game unless one guards against them. The beginner in tennis should cultivate control.

FUTURE OF ENGLISH TENNIS. Our men have fallen upon a lean—but by no means hopeless—time, writes Miss Kitty M’Kane in the “Morning Post,” in dealing with the future of English tennis. On the other hand, our women are certainly able to hold their own with any country in the world, and the talent shown by our younger players makes the future look even more rosy. One of the outstanding features of last season was the promise of Miss Joan Fry, and I am certain she has a great future before her. I hear she has been coached in one or two departments of the game, and, although her progress may be slightly checked, she will most surely become a greater player in the end. Last year on the Riviera Miss Eileen Bennett began to show the world what she can do, and with her excellent style, keenness, and opportunities there is every reason to believe that she will soon become a player of international standing. Miss Betty Nuthall, too, will be a great strength in the future; she is at present probably the best player in the world, for her age.