LAWN TENNIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 279, 25 November 1931, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS

CHANCE FOR THE LADIES THAT INFERIORITY COMPLEX. They sat side by side on a bench of the Blank Tennis Club. Two young men with all the intolerance that goes with youth. Said one:— “Our team is all right as far as the men are concerned, but the ladies —oh, my hat—they’re hopeless. Believe me. they give me a pain—they “I know,” the other broke in. “It is just like our ladies. Can’t play for nuts—can’t do anything—gives me the willies just to see them on the court—of course, I poach everything I can—take it off their racquets—but we still get beaten. My partner said to me on Saturday: ‘I can’t play very well/ and I said: ‘Believe muh, you can’t’ ” An older player sat listening and he rose and stood in front of them and said: “You say your ladies are no good. One of you is captain of the team. What have either of you done to improve the ladies’ play? Have you ever arranged for team practice? Have you ever played with them? Have you ever restrained your habit of being a great big bully and not upset their play by poaching? How can they play a shot with you waving your racquet in front of the ball and they never knowing which ball is for them to take and which you are going to play? Haven’t you given them an inferiority complex by your very attitude? How much encouragement have you ever given them? How much team sense, how much club spirit have you got? Just ponder on it!” One of the young men looked at the other after the speaker had gone. “What’s biting that old bounder?” he asked.