JUNIOR TENNIS

Wairarapa Age, 19 March 1929, Page 5

JUNIOR TENNIS

PROJECTED NEW ZEALAND TOURNAMENT. SELECTION OF DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES WAIRARAPA ARRANGEMENTS At its recent quarterly meeting, the New Zealand Lawn Ten-nis Association adopted Mr W. J. Melody’s scheme for the encouragement of junior tennis, and so far i as the immediate future is concerned, this means that a national tournament for junior players is to he held at Wellington in May next. The Warrarapa Association is very much in favour of encouraging junior tennis, and its secretary (Mr H. M. Boddingtonl has offered to go to Wei lington in May to assist in the management of the tournament. In view mtf the comparatively limited time availably., arrangements for the selection of* district representatives at this year’s tournament necessarily will be of a somewhat makeshift character. With time available, the proper course no doubt would be to hold a series of •elimination tournaments at sub-centres and at the principal centre in each district. For the tournament in May next, some more rough and ready method of selection evidently will have •to be relied upon. Tn thia district nothing else seems possible than that the Wairarapa Lawn Tennis Association should invite nom inations of junior players from schools vnd clubs (the tournament is open- to all junior players of both sexes under the age of eighteen) and from these nominations select the district representatives*. This in fact is what the as relation desires to do. Arrar-gcments possibly might be made for a limited jirmber of challenge matches at which' any junior players considered to have superior claims could try conclusions the association’s nominees. "At the recent meeting of the New Zealand Lawn Tenuis Association, those who are anxious to see junior tennis actively encouraged and fosterod subordinated everything else to a definite scheme adopted. They are to bo congratulated upon achieving their object, for there is no doubc that apart from the efforts of a few mdividTia’ enthusiasts amongst whom Mr Melody is conspicuous, junior tennis has been sadly neglected in this country in the past. No doubt it will be found possible as time goes on to improve ihe scheme in detail. An interval of two ye.-trs between tournamen*s, fcr inst- : semes unduly long, a though it Tn- »■ be justified at the outset. It may be hoped that in the near future the junior national tournament will become an annual fixture. An important detail on* which the last word has not yet been said is that of representation. Under the . scale meantime adored, some of the larger cUßriet associations will be able to enter four boy players and as many girl players. The Wairarapa association is entitled io enter only one boy player and (Xe girl player, though there is provision that emergencies may in eomo circumstances be included in tEe draw. It «ancms only reasonable that lEny association actively supporting tfce should be allowed to enter a full team, so that it may be representod by its own players, not only in the singles and combined doubles, but in the doubles for boys and girls respectively. It would rurely be better even to cut down the representation of the Sarger associations to -ome extent than Jto require some competitors to pair up .with those from other districts in the doubles. Headmasters and others interested in tfhi’ scheme are requested to advise Mr H. M. Roddington immediatelv regard--sng any players they may wish to nom-1 anate. It will, of course, be recognised that there is no time to be lost if the| rest available players are to be selected to represent tie Wairarapa at the national tournament in Welington in