TENNIS NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 938, 7 December 1933, Page 4

TENNIS NOTES.

T. W. Patterson Deals With the Serve. (By “BASELINE.") “ The service,” says Air T. W. Patterson, “ should have two qualities in about equal proportion—speed and placement. Some wonderful serving was witnessed at Wilding Park recently. Malfroy several times “ aced ” the fleet-footed Perry; he put over balls that Perry could not get near. His services had speed, but, what was equally important, they hit the corners. There was this in common with Perry's, Malfroy’s and Turnbull’s serves: each player hit the ball at the top of his reach, and their arms were straight, or nearly so. When it is remembered that a “ cannon ball ” service by Tilden, who is a six-footer, only clears the net by two inches, it can be seen that every inch of height must be utilised. All players are not tall, but those who are should take advantage of their height. Another thing Perry held in common with the others: the ball was thrown forward and the body was leaning into the ball as it was hit. On every court are to be seen players who throw the ball overhead and hit with their arms alone, The weight of the body must be thrown into the shot.

The service requires one other factor, which, for want of a better name, can be called rhythm. The swing of the arms should be, from the start to the finish, one continuous acceleration of the racquet continuing onwards after the impact. If the swing is well made the head of the racquet will be well ahead of the wrist, and the finish of the. stroke will not be towards the ground, but will continue on in the same plane —inmost serves, towards the right. Speed comes from perfection of the swing, body thrust and timing. “ The other essential is placement. This can only be gained by practice with the mind on placement. To hit the corners the mind must be on the corners.. Haphazard thinking never made a tennis player: and for the same reason the first service must not be made with any other thought than that it must go in. It is of more importance that the first should go in than the second should—unless you are like Perry and Malfroy and have an equally good second one. Even with them it is important that the first goes in. Every wasted effort tells in a long game. The average club player with a weaker second serve and the first one a fault has lost the attack. It has built up the morale of his opponent. A weak second service is little different from a double fault. “It is for this reason that Perry recommends that the second serve should be as fast as the first—that should be the ideal aimed at. But better than a good second serve is a first one that goes where it is intended.” :: :: It is good to see Angas playing better tennis than ever. ITe has taken I erry s day Ms display was without a flaw. His service and drive have been speeded up. In view of the likelihood of a Davis Cup Christmas would mean that his claims could not be Ignored. There is a disposition in the -Wellington newspapers to belittle his undoubted prowess, but lie has youth, and only needs the oppoitunitv. Angas's failures have been few and bis successes many. It would be well if our champion had a little of the £SOOO reposing in the stocking of the New Zealand Association spent on him. Barnett has lost touch, and this was tify this. Angas is improving Ills at“united's No. 1 team defeated Cashmere by 5 matches to 1. Sheppard knew too much for W. Deans, who played second for Cashmere. Deans, who put pkm(dHp W ?nd ! took ‘a* set'“off'olan'vmi, uses thS half-volley effectively. United's No. 3 team, which is almost as strong as the first, won easily against linwood. Canterbury College had a good win against Fendalton. Crawshaw and Munns were to have played for hendalton. but they were not available. Barnett made no mistake about lus singles, but Barrer never found out what Walter critic* the*'tall Fendalton SE 'mu* p*r Isi n g* e lui 1 f-*v o, ley s have been his stock-in-trade for years. He plays them as well as Perry does. P.. L. Sowden is one of the most enterprising players. He serves and smashes well and goes for everything. Addington had their first match in the seniors, and won by 5 matches to 1 against Cathedral. Addington were used as an argument that the standard of 10 n B ot Ye-tiSfr X ::

The Inter-club competition saw nrnsr* one-sided matches than are usual in the A grade. Someone has asked who is the best player in the section. G. A. Webb is undefeated, which is a good record for probably the oldest player in the competition. Gnat year’s champion is out of it. Silvester is now in the seniors, and F. Smith, the runner-up. has had two defeats. N. Franklin defeated Carpenter on Saturday. and Franklin has lost to Hansfield. Duffleld has claims, but probably Mansfield will finish up with the best record. Belfast had their first defeat this year, at the hands of Linwood. Linwood wiil give Cathedral a fight for the shield, although the latter has been strengthened by the Inclusion of M. .1. O’Malley. O’Malley, who replaces Blackmore, has a weak knee and is not as active as he was last year. Sumner have a number of young players. G. Browne dropped out of tennis for three years, when he was looked upon as a most promising junior. He is hitting hard and will work up the club ladder. Mis.s M. Smith, who is a vounger sister of Miss Aileen Smith, plays good tennis. Mrs Bell Syer. who is first lady, defeated Mrs Sharpe, 6-4. Mrs Syer is one of the best women players in the competition. Her game is full of attack and she hits clean winners. Misses Dorothy Dickey and Aileen Smith were the first two of our promising juniors to be coached by the Association’s Coaching Committee. Mr T. W. Patterson was the first coach. Entries for flie New* Zealand chain?LrA h Xm IpTo^p?^rS 1 pTo^p?^rSe er thVb. B l^ feast of tennis seen .-it Wilding Park for years. E. D. Andrews. C. Sproulo and C. Donoghue and the Australian women’s team, together with the best of the Dominion’s players, will be competing. The following are the results of further ranking matches:—C. Angus heat 11. A. Barnett, 0-2. 0-0; E. 11. Orbell beat W. .T. Gould, 0-7. 6-1; Miss Fleetwood beat Mrs D. Maccfonald, 4-6, .7-0, S-6 and Miss Rudkin beat Miss J. Poole. S-6, 6-2. Miss Thelma Poole defeated MisNoel i lie Bishop. 6-2, 0-4, in a ranking match for second place on the Canterbury ladder. In spite of the score it was an even contest with Miss Poole better able to finish off with smashes and volleys at the net. Miss Poole has come right back to form. Her serve has improved, especially the second service with which she •need ” Miss Bishop several times. Miss Bishop produced new backhand passing shot and greater speed :ili round* The match was ii evorv way a credit to our juniors. AI l * nit i'd. in tin- third round of the men’s handicap singles, In- Lambert ( scr) heal West (scr). 2-0. 0-2. 7-7; Or | hell (owe 4-0) beat Cracroft Wilson

(4-6), 6-3, Morris beat Box, 5-7. 10-S, JO-8: Morrison beat Ogier, 6-4, S-6: Fisher beat Eaton, 9-7, 6-4: Barlow beat England, 6-1, 6-2; Sowden beat M’Laehlin, 7-5, 6-3. Field has reached the fourth round. He defeated Langrish, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2. In the third round of the doubles A’Court. and Robinson beat England and Young, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0: M Laughlm and Box beat Browning and Allison, 7-5, 11-9; W. Somerville and Barrer beat Patterson and Greenwood, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1; Dymond and Rhodes Williams beat Loughnan and Gould, 4-6. 6-2, 6-2; Orbell and Munns beat Hamilton and Hamilton, 6-0, 6-3. Dymond and Munns have reached the fourth round. They defeated? W. Somerville and Barrer, 6-3, 11-13, S-6. In the women’s doubles Mrs KibbletV UliWnTw meet Miss Smithson and Miss Saunders in the final. In the singles Miss Smithson beat Mrs Simes, 7-9, 6-3, 6-1 ; Miss Rudkin beat Mrs Mason, 6-1, 2-6, 6-0; Mass Sherris beat Miss Reed, 4-6, 6-S, "i the P grade doubles Misses Green and Thomson beat Misses Fraser and Anderson, 6-4, 6-2; Misses Stevenson and Bruce beat Mesdames Hardie am? Tmgey. 6-2, 6-4: Misses Hall and Lewis heat Mesdames Geddas and- Wilson, 6-3, Misses| PyTe T^nafTHi,'f-V Kd! months, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. r. Women’s Mid-Week Games Played. SECOND ROUND RESULTS. The second round of the women’s mid-week tennis competition was played yesterday afternoon at Wilding Park on the grass courts. Conditions were good, and again there was keen competition. Results were:— SOUTH CHRISTCHURCH v. OPAWA. Singles. Mrs JI. S. Chet,win lost to Mrs Beale, Mrs R. Good beat Mrs Thomson, 9-8. Mrs W. Du flic* Id lost to Miss D. DickMiss Lyons lost to Mrs Gibson by default. Dou hies. Mesdames Chet win and Good beat Mcsrlamcs Beale and Thomson, 6-4, 6-2. Mrs Du flic Id and Miss Lyons lost, to Mrs Gibson and Miss Dickson, 2-6, 1-6. Opawa won by 4 sets to 2. ELMWOOD v. WOOLSTON. Singles. Miss P. Wright lost to Miss S. Boyd. 3-9. Miss L. Camm beat Mrs A. B. L. Smith, 9-5. Miss It. Hook ha in lost to Mrs Douglas, 7-9. Miss B. Gresham beat Mrs T. Archer, 9-7. Doubles. Misses Wright and Camm beat Miss Boyd and Mrs Smith, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Misses Hook ham and Gresham lost to Mesdames Douglas and Archer. 6-4, 2-6, 1-6. Wools ton won by 7S games to 59. Inter-Club Competition. The following matches, arranged by the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association, will be played on Saturday. Unless otherwise stated, matches will be Played at Wilding Park; Senior Grade, Second Round—Cashmere v. United No. 3; Cathedral v. United No. 2; Addington v. Canterbury College; United No. 1. v. Linwood. Grade A, Section IT.. Fourth Round — North Linwood v. Shirley I; Linwood No. 2 v. Beckenham; Hornby v. Addington 2; Elmwood 2 v. St Mary's; Shirley 2 v. Waijnairi 2; South Christchurch v. Woolston 2; Redcliffs v. Cathedral 2. Grade B, Section 11.. Fourth Round St Paul's v. Aulsebrook’s. at Aulsebrook’s; Opawa v. North Beach; Elmwood v. St Philip’s; Edgeware v. Templeton, at. Edge ware; Waimairi v. CanGrade C, Section 11., Fourth Round — Church V 2 ’ R?ccartonf‘st P Jame^3 o vr*St M ?sat d. Fourth Round—Addington Catholic v. St Mary’s; Belfast v. Linwood; Linwood Methodist v. Templeton: Shirley v. Spreydon, at Spreydon: Cathedral v. Barrington; Windermere v. St John s, at Windermere. In a match for second place on the Canterbury women’s ranking list, Miss Thelma Poole beat Miss Noeline Bishop (challenger), G-2, 6-4. Crawford Beats Hughes. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, December 6. In a. one-set exhibition lawn tennis match at Dubbo, Crawford beat Hughes,