LAWN TENNIS NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 294, 13 December 1939, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS NOTES

HANDICAPPING SIMPLIFIED COMMENT ON INTER-CLUB FIXTURES

(By A. N. Campbell). Most players are ignorant of the handicapping system in tennis and i shall try and set it nut as simply as possible. Odds are “received” in each group of six games of a set, in the first place, in the earliest possible even games; that is to say, a receiver of one sixth receives a stroke in the second game of each group of six. A receiver of two sixths in the second and fourth games and a receiver of three sixths in the second, fourth, and sixth games. When the even games are exhausted odds are then received in the earliest of the odds games; that is to say. a receiver of four sixths receives a is strokes, over and above a receiver of three sixths, in the first game of each group of six; and a receiver of live sixtns, in the first and third games. An example would be: A receiving four sixths of 15 takes them in the first, second, fourth, and sixth games o£ a set. Odds are owed in each group of six games of a set, in the first place in the latest possible odd games. That is to say a player owing one sixth owes a stroke in the tilth games of each group of six. An ower of two sixths in the fifth and third games and three sixths in the filth, third, and hist. When the odd games are exhausted odds are then owed in the latest possible even games. That is to say, an ower of four sb.ihs owes them on the fifth, third first and sixth games, and an ower of five sixths in the fifth, third, first, sixth and fourth games. For example, A owes two sixths of 15 would owe them on the fifth and third games. Where a player is receiving or owing other odds such as 15 thirty or ioity these are added on. For example, A (receiving 15 4-6) lakes his odds as follows: First game receive 30, second receive 30, third game receive 15. fourth receive 30, .Tth receive 15, sixth game receive 30. R 'owing 30 4-6) owes his odds as follows: First game owe 30, second ov • 30, third owe 40. fourth owe 40, fifth owe 40. sixth owe 40. If players count this table to memory they will be able to check up their handicaps in forthcoming club events. Receiving odds: 1-6 (second game), 2-6 'fourth game). 3-6 (sixth game), 4-6 ' first game’, 5-6 'third game). Owing odds: 1-6 (fifth game), 2-6 (third game). 3-6 (first game), 4-6 xth game*. 5-6 'fourth game;. Other odds: Fifteen is one stroke owed or received in every game. Thirty is two strokes ow°d or re-j ceived in every game. Forty is three strokes owed or r*-i ceivcd in every game. In i esponse to inquiries 1 am giving | the measurements of a tennis court [ with a suggestion as to the best way . to mark it. out. As a double court practically in-' eludes every line to be found in a 1 single court, first take the measure-1 ments of the latter. Determine the! position of the net and fix the line . chosen two pegs 27 feet apart (at the points A and B>. Then take tvvol measures and attach their respective I ends the pegs A and B on the first.]

which will measure the diagonal of the court, take a length of 47ft sin. and on the other 39ft. Pull both taut so that at these distances they meet a point C. This gives one corner of the court at a distance 21ft. from B put in a peg F to mark the end of the service line. The other corner of the court D and the other end of the service line G may be found by repeating the process. The same measurements the .other side of the net line will complete the boundaries of the court. By prolonging the base lines 4ft 6in. in each direction and joining the four new points obtained, the side lines of the doubles, court are obtained. The centre line is marked by joining the centre of the service lines. The net at the posts is 3ft. 6in. high and 3ft. high in the centre, and the posts 'are placed three feet out from the i side lines. ] When a singles game is played on ; <i doubles court “single sticks” 3ft. 6in. high are placed three feet out from 'the side line to lift up lhe net. Lines I must be two inches wide and the base fines may be four inches wide. When playing handicap matches the server always starts serving from lhe right hand side whether he starts on an even or odd handicap. For example, if he is love he starts from the ! right hand side, and at .15 from tne ; left hand. If he starts at 15 he starts 'from lhe light hand court and 30 J would be from the left hand court, or I the opposite from the usual service , court. ( Service must be always tossed for ■ whether in championship or handicap i events and it is erroneous to think ' that the back marker in handicap i matches always serves first. In tournaments the controller usually decides [the toss before making out the score I sheets. . When both players are receiving odds or - owing odds a reduction table iis used until the new handicap is! found. For example A receiver 30 3-6 ! plays B receive 15 1-6. They do not. [start on these odds, but the even hanI dicop found by using the table is that I B gives A 15 4-6. It is not possible to subtract the difference and a handi- , cap chart must be utilised. ' F. Thompson is the St. John’s No. 1 player at present, having defeated [M. L. Lampe 9-7 in a recent ladder I match. Lampe will play J. Kearney in the next series and an interesting I match should result. The positions at present are F. Thompson I, M. L. [ Lampe 2, J. Kearney 3, J. Connett* 4. M. Adamson 5, C. Beadle 6. The [ ladies are: Misses M. Clark 1, O. j . Glover 2. I. Glover 3. M. Fitches 4, D. [ Winter 5. F. James 6. • The B grade match between St. i John’s and Wanganui East resulted in I the former club having a lead of eight [matches Io four when rain curtailed i play. The match will be resumed next I Saturday where it left off, not re- ' played as ’he St. John’s team contend, ’it would be a good idea if players [tried to conclude their matches durpng the week and so leave themselves ■ free lor duh events during the week- 1 j end. (St. John's and Wanganui East lied with eight matches all in their C grade fixture, but St. John’s won on i ia count bac-K in games. All grade; matches appear to be very popuiai I ; t'nis season, but the vagaries of the I [weather arc most upsetting.

Wet. weather is seriously interfering [with Wanganui Club events and unless a fine week-end prevails on Sat(urday, matches w ill be very much reI Larded. D. G. O’Toole and R. Broad had a marathon in the men’s singles, I Broad annexing the third set. at 9-7. [O’Toole has not played much tennis this season as he has become a convert to golf. However, against Broad he was able to keep the ball in play | [and slow down Broad’s game to his ■ ■ own liking. Lampe and J. Kidd defeated N. B. Barkman and T. F. .Latham in an unint crest ing exhibition. [Latham made jar too many silly misJakes and Barkman did not appear to /he sighting the ball owing to had Hight. Kidd was the best "i the four, j •but conditions ruling at the time oil I play, dull light, drizzling rain and! slippery courts, were not conducive to ’ (good tennis. [ Players will regret m hear that E. [ [Ogier is an inmale at. the Public Hos-I ' pit al, having had his appendix removed. He is re’portcd to be doing fairly jwelL but he nearly left it too late and [the operation was not. an easy one. [This set. hack will not allow nim to I play any tennis this season, whicn [indeed a pity, as he was playing vety well and was in the running top rei presenlative honours. j I have been accused of being 100 [personal in these notes and my reply! is that I put. my name to everything! [published an<* do not hide my critiiclaims under a nom de plume. Sporting .notes to be of any interest have to I contain a certain amount of personality and the following type of tennis note is far too common in New Zealand papers: “Miss Smith played well, Miss Brown hit her shots very nicely, and Mr. Jones was well on his game. A dainty afternoon tea was handed around and an enjoyable time was had by all.” i The foregoing probably referred to I a C grade match in which the standard iof play was shocking and Mr. Jones, [Misses Brown and Smith could hardly hit a ball decently, it. is not. a criticism of a tennis match at all, but a printed falsehood placating all concerned. In Australia, U.S.A., and England, critics of sporting events arc very highly paid men and their printed efforts are personal to a. deigree. They would not be appreciated . in New Zealand.