LAWN TENNIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18629, 5 December 1928, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

NEWS FROM ALL THE COURTS.

By

K. TILLMAN.

New Zealand Championships—December 26, 27, 28. 29, 31 (at Auckland!. North Otapo Championships and Handicaps—Christmas dates (at Oamaru). .Marlborough Championships and Handicaps—Christmas dates (at Blenheim). Southland Championships and Handicaps—Christmas dates (at Invercargill). Martinborough Championships and Handicaps—December 26. 27, 28, 29 (at Martinborouph). Canterbury Open and Handicaps—December 25 to 31 (at Wilding Park). Poverty Bay and East Coast Championships and Handicaps—December 26, 27, 28. 29 (at Gisborne). Rotorua Club Championships and Handicaps—December 25, 26, 2 'r (at Rotorua). Auckland Handicaps—December 31. January 1 and 2 (at Auckland). Hastings Club Championships and Handicaps—December 26, 27, 28, 29 (at Hastings). Hawera Club Championships and Handicaps—December 26, 27, 28, 29 (at Hawera). Waikato East Championships and Handicaps—December 29. 31, January 1 and 2 (at Matamata). Otago Championships and Handicaps— January 1. 2. 3 (at Dunedin). Wanganui Championships and Handicaps—January 1. 2, 3 tat WangaTaranaki Championships and Handtcaps —January 2,3, 4, 5 (at New Plymouth). South Canterbury Championshtps and Handicaps—January 1,2, 3 (at Timaru). Pahiatua Club Championships and Handicaps—January 1,2, 3 (at PaliiaManawatu Championships and Handicaps—January 7, S, 9, 10 (at Palmerston North). Waipukurau Club Championships and Handicaps—January 10, 11, 12 (at Waipukurau). _ __ Waipawa Club Championships and Handicaps—January 15, 16, 17 (at Waipawa). .. Wellington Championships and Hannicaps —January 19. 21, 22, 23 (at Miramar). . _. Wairarapa North Island Championships and Wairarapa Championships and Handicaps—January 19, 21, 2-, 23 (at Masterton). Canterbury Championships and Handicaps—January 24, 25, 26 (at W IldAuckland Championships and Handicaps —January 25, 26, 28, 29 (at Stanley Street). . _ West Coast Championships and Handicaps—January 23, 24, 25 (at Greymouth).

A Tournament Holiday. Christmas draws near and with it holiday time. Have you ever thought of spending your holidays at one or other of the many tournaments that head this column? It can be recommended. Make up a party or go alone. It does not matter about partners. Nominate early and obliging tournaments’ secretaries will get you partners. There is a little known tournament held at Christmas at one of the prettiest townships in New Zealand. Kaikoura runs its own championships and handicap events. It is probably unnecessary to say that Kaikoura is beautiful. Even at Christmas the .mountains that look down on the town are often snow-clad, and the drive along the coast is of a never-to-be-for-gotten grandeur. Getting down to essentials, there are at least two good hotels, and visitors are made welcome everywhere both by townspeople and local tennis players. You will find the local banker partnered with the baker, and both good sorts. When you have been blown out of every event there is good fishing and many beautiful motor drives. The standard of the best local tennis is about equal to Suburban A grade in Christchurch. ‘ W. Hawkins, the Woolston player, won the championship singles one year, and J. Mercer, of Halswell Club, won a couple of championship events another year. Another good tournament holiday can be obtained at Blenheim at Christmas. A dozen or so players come from Nelson, and a similar number from Wellington, while there are a

few from Canterbury. Suburban players will find one familiar fafce there. " Jim ” Goss, son of W. Goss, lives in Blenheim now and usually plays.

The Blenheim tournament courts are of grass. There are six good courts, four belonging to the local ■association and two to the Anglican Church Club. The settings are ideal, and the surroundings are beautiful shady trees and gardens. Here again visiting tennis players are welcomed, and the management of the tournament is all that can be desired. The standard of play is very little higher than that of Kaikoura. One year T. W. Patterson arrived and blighted the bright hopes of one-half of the draw. After getting so far, he left without going to the final. Picton nearby has municipal tennis courts, and around the numerous bays are courts so that a racquet and a pair of balls should be always carried on launch trips. Endeavour Inlet, Drvden Bay. Crail Bay and Havelock have all got courts, and visiting players are welcome to play. 22 2-2 22 Ladder Matches. On Monday night D. F. Glanville and T. W. Patterson, at Wilding Park, stagerl a ranking match that was full

terson was the challenger; Glanville is of second place. Once or

twice there were long rallies, but they did not include many purely defensive strokes. On his game on Monday Patterson would have beaten almost anyone in rhristcburrh but Glanville. The challenger launched numerous hard drives at Glanville’s backhand, but Glanville, with wonderful ease. took them on the rise and tossed them back with a “length" that never varied At times he varied it with hard wrist y backhand cross-court drives. %oth were sure overhead and Patter-

son's volleying was superb. Patterson's service was good, but neither served any aces. A feature of the service games was the great number of first serves that went in. Those players who waste their energies in extra serves should note that in the first set which Patterson lost 12-10, of Patterson’s seventy serves the second ball was only needed nine times; Glanville, who served fifty-eight times, needed the second ball also only nine times. The game was further analysed. Patterson netted the ball twenty times, had twenty “ outs/’ and was aced twenty-one times. This meant the loss of sixty-one strokes. Glanville hit the net twenty-four times, made twentyone “ outs," and was aced v sixteen times. So he also lost sixty-one strokes. Glanville’s game is . based on the simplest of methods. He plays forehand and backhand with equal ability and equal inclination. lie never attempts to run round a shot. By this means he saves many steps and exposes no weakness. There was little to choose between the pair for the first few games. At 4-all, Patterson served, and after four “ deuces,” Glanville got the game and on his serve he led “ 40-15.” It meant two set points. He lost them, and it was expensive. There were twelve more games before the set finished. Glanville had the lead again at 8-7, at 9-8, and 10-9. The play during this period was exciting. Four love games followed one another and then four crisp hard volleying and driving games. Patterson almost led 11-10 with three successive aces, but then struck a bad run, and before he recovered his grip Glanville ran out 12-10. The next set saw Glanville hitting with confidence and Patterson less sure. Glanville won, 12-10, 6-4. x x J. Crawshaw played A. Smithson in a ladder match and won 6-1, 6-2. Crawshaw plays a delightful game. There is always something doing. He serves and volleys well, mixes cut drives with heavily topped ones and lobs with unerring judgment. He is wonderfully quick on his feet and plays a game hard, cheerfully, and enthusiastically. It appears that he will go a long way up the ladder. Smithson played a number of good strokes, but hurried too many of them. He served very well. Smithson played a better game against E. H. Orbell a few nights before. The game started at 4.50 p.m. and did not finish till 7.40 p.m. Orbell did not get used to Smithson’s breaking serve, but the younger player’s steadiness prevailed and Orbell won 6-4 in the last set. In a match against H. Wilkinson on Monday night, Orbell won 6-2, 6-2. Orbell always did have good strokes and to these he has added greater steadiness and judgment. F. B. Hale, after being eleventh on the Canterbury ladder, is finding the nineteenth position untenable. A. W. Dickson beat him 6-4, 6-1. Then 11. Searle beat Hale 7-5, 6-4. Hale has had little tennis recently and is hardly in form yet. A few more games, and he will do the winning. Searle won his match on angled drives and a fine service. He started weakly, but gathered confidence and kept a steady pressure in speedy drives. F. G. Greenwood has challenged A. B. Loughnan and S. W. Field has challenged the loser. Dickson has challenged N. G. Munns and 11. Searle plays the loser. For first place. D. F. Glanville has challenged C. Angas. Ladies’ Ranking List. For seventh place on the ladies’ ladder. Miss Eva Borrows played Miss Sowden last evening and won decisively. 6-0, 6-4. Occasionally Miss Sowdejn came into the net and volleyed with good effect but generally she was outplaved by the winner. Miss Borrows drove hard from corner to corner and when in difficulties sent back a short and well-angled cut shot that scored time and again. Mrs Miles has challenged the loser of the Miss Wake-Mrs Beale match; and Mrs Reeves has challenged the loser of the game between Miss Rankin and Miss Sowden. School Tennis. North Beach, unbeaten, won the primary schools’ competition. It will be good news to know that Mr J. Sinclair has been trying to arrange for a championship tournament for primary school boys and girls to be held on December 20 and 21. These are the days following on the “breakup” of the schools and there should be a large entry. There will be a boys’ and a girls' singles championship and also boys’ and girls’ doubles, with the possibility of a combined event.

Suburban Committee. A meeting of the Suburban Committee was held last week, Mr J. Mercer presiding. The main business was the arranging of the ladder in view of the fact that some of the ranking list players were not taking part in the suburban competition. After a discussion, it was agreed that the rules strictly interpreted allowed any member of a “suburban" club to be placed on the ladder or to take part in the “suburban” tournaments. The committee were unanimouslv of the opinion that only those who support the competition should be i ligible to I>e placed on the “suburban" ladder or to take part in the annual tournament. For this reason they have called a meeting of delegates for to morrow night to consider the rules. Opawa Tennis News. A friendly match was held at Elmwood last Thursday between the Opawa B and Elmwood teams. Elmwood won by 11 games. On Friday the' Opawa courts were lent to the Union Bank of Australia, the whole seven | courts being in play. The summer tournaments are now in full swing, there being over 20 pairs in both the combined and ladies' doubles, and 10 pairs in the men's doubles.

At Avonside. At Avonside the first round of the ladies’ double handicap has been played. Mrs Herdman and Mrs Prince (owe 3-6) beat Misses J. and N. Taylor (owe 3-6) ; Mrs Ballan and Miss Dorman (owe 30) beat Mrs Hannibal and Miss Hastings (owe 1-6) ; Misses W. and N. Angas beat Misses Campbell and Perkins by default: Mrs Lauchland and Miss Ilounsell (scr) beat Misses Gordon and Queenan (scr). In the second round Mrs Ballan and Miss Dorman beat Mrs Herdman and Mrs Prince.

In the first round of the men’s doubles. Mallett and Deans (owe 5-61 beat Wilson and Bell (owe 4-6) 9-8; in the second round. Darby and Holly (owe 15 3-6) beat Mallet and Deans 9-4; Donaldson and Herdman (owe 5-6) beat Abbott and Owers (scr) 9-2. Commencing at 1.45 p.m. next Saturday, a Yankee tournament will be held. At Linwood.

In the combined handicap doubles Martin and Miss Edmonds (owe 15) beat Webb and Miss Smith (owe 151 6-1, 3-6, 6-5; Andrews and Miss Wild (owe 15 4-6) beat M’Millan and Miss Nash (oWe 15 3-6) 6-3, 6-4; Gabites and Miss Spratt (owe 401 beat Sheppard and Miss M’llree (owe 15) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. In the ladies’ handicap singles Mrs Wild (owe 15 2-6) beat Mrs Epps (owe 15 2-6) 9-0; Miss Nash (owe 3-6) beat Miss Spratt (owe 30 4-6) 9-4; Miss Wilson (owe 30 2-6) beat Miss Edmonds (owe 2-6) 9-6; Miss Clark (owe 1-6) beat Miss Barwick (scr) 9-6.

In the men’s singles Andrews (owe 30 5-6) beat Sowden (owe 30) 9-8: Epps (owe 15) beat Woodward (owe 15) 9-4; Wild (owe 3-6) beat M’Leod (owe 30) 9-6; Wilson (owe 30) beat Bunt (owe 3-6) 9-4; Treebv (owe 15 3-6) beat Stephens (owe 3-6) 9-5; M’Millan (owe 30) beat Downing, jun (rec. 1-6) 9-4.

In the men’s doubles Douds and Griffiths (owe 40) beat Gabites and M’Millan 5-6. 6-5, 6-4; Richard and Stratford (scr) beat Downing and Downing (scr) 6-2, 6-3. In the Scott Ramsay Cup Miss Wilson (owe 30 2-6) beat Miss Cooper (owe 3-6) 9-2; Miss Edmondslowe 2-6) beat Miss Miller (rec. 3-6) 9-1: Miss Wild (owe 15 2-6) beat Miss M’llree (owe 15 2-6) 9-4; Mrs Epps (owe 15 2-6) beat Miss Smith (owe 3-6) 9-2.

In the ladies’ doubles Misses Wild and Spratt (owe 30) beat Mrs Gilbert and Miss Rogers (owe 2-6) 6-0, 6-2; Mrs Epps and Miss Wilson (owe 30) beat Misses Lyons and Clarke (owe 1-6) 6-3, 6-3.

In the men’s singles Sowden (owe 30) beat Richard (scr) 9-7; Andrews (owe 30 5-6) beat Downing, jun (rec. 1-6) 9-6: M’Millan (owe 30) beat Douds (owe 30 4-6) 9-8; Stephens (owe 3-6) beat M’Phail (owe 15 2-6) 9-7; Epps (owe 15) beat Wild (owe 3-6) 9-8; Gabites (owe 40) beat Downing, sen (owe 3-6) 9-4; M’Leod (owe 30) beat Woodward (owe 15) 9-6; Baron (owe 15) beat Spratt (owe 30) 9-3; Webb (owe 15 2-6) beat Wilson (owe 30) 9-3; Andrews (owe 30 5-6) beat M’Millan (owe 30) 9-3.

It is the intention of the committee to run another Yankee tournament on December 15. At United. Further handicap matches have been played at United. In the men's singles J. R. Johnston (owe 4-6) beat A. Borrows (owe 15) 6-1, 6-4; D. Purvis (owe 15) beat S. W. Field (owe 15 2-6} 6-1, 6-3; T. W. Patterson (owe 30) beat E. G. Burn (scr) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. In the men’s doubles A. B. Loughnan and Reeves (owe 15) beat Fleming and Tillman (scr) 8-6, 6-1; P'ield and Allison (owe 15 4-6) beat Anderson and Burn (owe 15) 6-1, 6-4; Wise and Burns (rec. 2-6) beat Cullman and Renton (owe 3-6) 6-1, 6-4. In the mixed doubles Dymond and Mrs Bullock (owe 3-6) beat Morrison and Miss Guy (owe 4-6) 6-4, 6-2; W. Somerville and Miss Saunders (owe 15) beat Browning and Miss Wake (owe 30 2-6) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1; Borrows and Jellett (owe 15) beat Anderson and Miss Borrows 1-6, 8-6, 6-4; Reeves and Miss Gould beat Robinson and Miss Thwa'tes (owe 15) 6-0, 6-4; Wilkinson and Miss Sowden (owe 15) beat Eaton and Miss Pondor (owe 3-6) 6-4, 6-2.

In the men’s singles (B grade) H. C. FoVd (owe 30) beat R. N. Clav (owe 15 3-6) 8-6, 6-4; W. Goss, jun (owe 30) beat H. Instone (scr), 6-1, 6-4; J. W. Fisher (owe 15) beat S. W. Binns (owe 15 3-6) 6-4, 8-6.

Tn the B grade (second section) V. T. Thwaites (owe 15 3-6) beat R. J. Hean (owe 3-6) 6-2, 7-5; A. Steeds (owe 30) heat H. M. Taylor (owe 15 3-6) 6-2, 6-4*. A’Court (owe 30) beat J. L. Findlay (owe 3-6) 6-3. 8-6.

In the men’s doubles (B grade) Travers and Whitehead (owe 2-6) beat Instone and Mallett (owe 15 2-6) 6-2, 8- Poison and Poison (owe 15 3-6) beat Stacy and Penlington (owe 15) 9- 6-1; Taylor and Binns (owe 30) beat Bell and Fitzgerald (owe 15) 8-6, 6-3; SaviH and SaviJl (owe 15) beat Spragge and Murly (owe 15) 6-3, 7-5.

In the ladies’ singles (B grade) Miss R. Nutt (owe 4-6) beat Miss Turrell (scr) 6-3, 1-6. 6-2; Mrs Cracroft Wilson (owe 3-6) beat Miss Willson (scr) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

In the A grade Mrs Reeves (owe 3-6) beat Miss Macdonald (owe 15) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5; Miss Ward (owe 30) beat Miss Nutt (owe 3-6) 6-4, 6-5; Miss E. Borrows (owe 15) beat Miss Sowden (owe 15 3-6) 6-4, 6-2: Miss IToare (owe 4-6) beat Miss Reed (owe 15) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. In the doubles (A grade) Misses Dallas and Jones (owe 15) beat Misses Saunders and Thwaites (owe 15 3-6) 6-4, 6-2. NOTES. United players are warned that all second round matches in events 2 and 3 and third round matches in events 1,6, 7, 10 and 11 must be played by December S. :: k x Entry forms are available at Mr R. Browning’s office at 104, Hereford Streqt for the Christmas open and handicap tournament, to be played on Wednesday (Boxing Day), Thursday and Friday, December 26, 27, 28. Entries close Friday, December 14. There are the usual five open and five handicap events, with the addition of a boys’ and girls’ singles. The age limit of these events is eighteen years. The games will be played on the grass courts. X X X Country players are reminded that entries close on December 14 for the country tournament at Wilding Park. The tournament will begin on Boxing Day, and is to be continued on the Thursday and Friday. Threre are five championship events and five handicap. Representatives of country clubs will assist with the handicapping and the management. Each of the five open events carries with it the Canterbury country championship for the year. Any member of an affiliated country club can enter. There are twenty-tw’o courts available. Country players should support this venture, as the success or otherwise of this year’s tourney will determine if any further tournaments will be held.