TENNIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 266, 13 November 1935, Page 6

TENNIS

By

A. M. Campbed, Pro., W.L.T.A.)

Tournament Dates. Dec. 25-28, North Island championships at Wanganui. Dec. 25-28, Wellington. Dec. 25-27, Oamaru. Dec. 26-28, Christchurch. Dec. 26-30, Poverty Bay. Dec. 30-Jan. 1, Hawke’s Bay. Dec. 30-Jan. 4, Wellington championships at Wellington. Jan. 22-29, Auckland. Providing the weather is fine, all grade matches will commence on Saturday. Club officials are reminded of the rule by which if conditions do not allow the first round to be played on November 23, the second round will be held, thus adhering strictly to the timetable. Missed rounds will be played after the conclusion of the final rounds on’y if results would be altered. Subject to any regrading by the association, the following arc the St. John’s teams for Saturday:— B Grade: Misses I. Glover, V. Piper, K. Purcell, Mrs D. Evans, ,1. Kearney, D. Evans, G- Beadle, and P. Millen. C Grade: Misses M. Stansfield/ J. Keating,' E. Gillies, V. Clark, Messrs E. Windley, I’. Crawford, G. Caucbman, and V. Fennell. Captains of all teams must hand in results to me on the Monday following the matches. Looking at the names on the Anson Cup one is taken back many years. Mr J. Harold, winner in 1892, 1895, and 1901, is the patron of the Wanganui Club. Dave Meld rum is keener on golf nowadays and can be seen at Belmont most days- L. Stedman is the father of Allan Stedman, one of New Zealand’s champions, and now a Davis Cup representative residing in England. W. A. Izard confines himself to gardening and bowls, but his family, especially Mrs Douglas Earle, carry on the game. 11. 11. Christie is.also a keen golfer, and 11. M. Butterworth, killed during the war, was probably the most brilliant player the club ever had. N. R. Bain i< the president of the Wanganui Club and still a good player at tennis and golf and we wish him success in his Parliamentary election. S. Powdrell is still a playing veteran, Jim Anderson has a court at Brunswick, and K. Stevens is farming at Marton. Other holders are still active players and are all “striplings.” The many friends of Mrs Peter Stott will regret to hear that while playing at Gonville on Saturday she fell and strained a ligament in her leg. which will take quite two months to heal. Mrs Stott is one of the foremost members at Gonville and she will be greariy missed by everyone, both as a player and a leader of the club. Tennis enthusiasts in New Zealand will regret to learn that F. J. Perry, the world’s leading tennis player, will not be able to participate in any exhibition or tournament play for some time, owing to an injury to his back, perrv was seen in action at Auckland recently, and prior to that he had played at Auckland when he annexed the New Zealand singles, doubles and combined doubles titles in January of this year. On that Occasion he won the appreciation and admiration of the onlookers. Since then Perry has

won every important event in whivii he has participated with the exception of the United States championship, which he lost to M . Allison. W hen he was successful in the French championship singles he won the title for the first time for England. He is the only player to have held all four championships, England, France, America and Australia. Perry followed up his success in France by winning the Wimbledon title. In this event he was never seriously threatened and he is the first plaver since 1921 (when W. j Tilden was successful) to secure the i singles title on two consecutive occa- | sions. The president of the French Lawn Tennis Federation, M. Pierre Gillou, has remarked that professionalism in French tennis, in his opinion, is dead. He admits that Tilden’s recent tour of France excited some enthusiasm, but considers’that attendances are falling off for want of new blood. M. Gillou s efforts were upset when Tilden formed his troupe and went on tour, leaving no one good enough to oppose the professionals who remained in France. j Australia has increased the number of its Davis Cup selectors from four to five. Those appointed for the new season are:—Messrs N. E. Brookes, H. Malcolm, J. Clemenger, C. S. Sproule, and T- E. Robinson. Table tennis in England has shown an amazing increase in popularity since the world championships were held there last vear. It is no longer looked upon as “ping pong,’’ and the competition for the Swathling Cup, described as the Davis Cup of the game, has persuaded hundreds to take up the sport in earnest. Leagues have been founded throughout, the country, comprising as many as 51 clubs. The present world lawn tennis champion, Fred Perry, graduated to the outdoor game from table tennis. Austin’s victories over both Allison and Budge in the Davis Cup challenge round of singles completed a succession of eight wins in singles matches against American players in Davis Cup contests since 1931. Austin’s Davis Cup record is even finer than that of Perry.