LAWN TENNIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 195, 19 August 1931, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

IN UNITED STATES WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP. FOREST HILES TOURNEY. NEW YORK, Aug. 17. At Forest Hills, Miss Betty Nuthall defeated Mrs B. F. Stenz (Garden City, New York), fl—2, 6—l, in the opening round of the national women’s championship to-day. Mrs Wills-Moody eliminated Miss Edith Signdurnoy (Boston), 6—o, fl—o. Miss Helen Jacobs defeated Miss Couvorst (Wichita, Kansas), G—2, 6—2. Miss Joan Ridley defeated Miss Clara Zinka (Cincinnati) 6 —4, 6 —3. Miss Doro thy lound defeated Dlrs Lamme (New York), 6—3, fl—3. Mrs Whittingsall defeated Miss Rosamund Newton (Brookline), 6—l, 6—o. Mrs Shepherd Barron defeated Miss Mary Keler (New York), 6—o, fl—l. Miss Phyllis Mudford eliminated Mrs Hubbard (Massachussetts), 6—3, 6—l. TOURNEY AT NEWPORT. CASINE INVITATION. NEW YORK, Aug. 17. At Newport, in the opening round today of the Casine invitation tournament, Perry eliminated Nordstrom (Seattle), 6—2, 6—4. Hughes defeated Hobbs (Newport), 6 —3. 6—4.

CENTRE COURT THEORY SUCCESS IN PRACTICE The following items are taken from the report of this year’s final of the Davis Cup doubles:—“Brugnon’s placing of his return betw’cen the two Englishmen was marvellous”; “in the fourth set Brugnon’s persistence in playing down the centre scored repeatedly.” The idea of placing each ball down’ the centre of the court, when net play is attempted, is a theory that has frequently been expounded by J. Parmly Parot, a well-known tennis writer. Theories do not always turn out well in practice, but there is a lot in that of Parot’s. However good the combination of any pair of players may be they have separate brains and cannot judge what the other will do. Any ball that goes between the two will leave a doubt as to who will take it. That doubt must make for hesitancy in making the stroke, whoever takes it. and a percentage of errors must come from this cause. In addition, there are the mistakes from both playing the shot and also those when both leave the ball to the other. Another advantage of playing the ball down the centre is that the net is lower there. In a Hose match those few inches must make just the difference between victory and defeat. Still another gain by centre theory play is that either player knows where the ball is going. The man who is nearest the net must wait till the ball has passed him before he knows where his partner has put it, if there is no such understanding. It is true that, after a while, the opponents will expect the ball from that quarter and be prepared for it; again, it may be. and now and again is, that a doubles pair are strongest down the centre. In that case the theory will not hold, but in most cases it does. Geoff. Ollivier always made an effort when receiving in doubles games to return the bah down the centre. He was a master at putting the ball temptingly close to the net man—just near enough to encourage a half-hearted attempt to intercept. Indecision is fatal in tennis and the centre theory of Brugnon and others is worth trying