TABLE TENNIS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 8 September 1937, Page 5

TABLE TENNIS

CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNEY.

THE FINALS.

WELLINGTON, This Day. The table tennis championship finals resulted: —

Men’s singles.—Cantlay (Auckland) beat Boniface (Wellington).

Women’s singles.—Miss Wilkinson (Auckland) beat Miss Dove (Auckland). Men’s doubles. —Paton and Drabble (Auckland) beat Boniface (Wellington) Burke (Auckland). uhtWomen’s doubles. —Miss Wilkinson -ind McAdam (Auckland) beat Miss Hughes (Manawatu) and Miss Bennett (Otago). • Mixed doubles. —Drabble and Miss McAdam (Auckland) beat Hughes and Miss Justin (Wellington). Bo jtSL singles.—Corbett (Hutt ValGosling (Wellington). Girls’ singles.—Miss Croxton (Wellington) beat Miss Schmitt (Wellington). —(P.A.)

TO-NIGHT’S MATCH. To-night the team from Auckland, Which is to play a team representing Wairarapa, will be a particularly strong one. Included in the team are the following:—Cantlay, N.Z. men’s champion, who successfully defended his title last night, after a wonderful exhibition of table tennis; Miss Wilkinson, N.Z., North Island and' Auckland champion; Swift, North Island men’s champion; Cheale, ex-N.Z. champion; Paton, ex-N.Z. champion; and Miss Dove, ex-N.Z. lady’s champion. The team will undoubtedly be one with the highest standard of table tennis ever to have visited the Wairarapa. Cantlay alone is >a player well worth while seeing; he has quite an unorthdox tennis style, and has a terrific back-hand smash. In defending his titMp in the championships last night hWwas brilliant, picking up shots from • almost impossible positions. Instead of chopping a fore-hand drive, he completely baffles his opponent by driving the ball back even harder than it was received. The rest of the team are all prominent New Zealand players, and although it is very unlikely that the Wairarapa team will win, spectators are assured of a good evening’s entertainment.

Exhibition matches will most likely be played between some of the Auckland players, and all table tennis enthusiasts will be well rewarded by their attendance. This match will give the Wairarapa players practice for their coming match with Hutt Valley on the 25th, also to those players who may qualify to play Szabodos and Helen, the world-famous Hungarian players, on that night.

LOCAL PLAY. INTERESTING NOTES. (Contributed.) Last Saturday night the Catholic Club pi*ed the Winter Sports Club in the “B” grade, and although Catholic Club only won two games in each section, some of the games were very evenly contested, going to advantage. * * * *

Mannell, a. young Catholic Club player, shows signs of promise. He has an easy style, and with practice will improve. Miss Wlckcns impressed most among the Catholic ladies. She plaj s a good, straightforward game. Perhaps her chief fault is not being able to play spin. * * * *

The Winter Sports Club A 1 team defeated the A2 team fairly easily.

F. Jolly is not playing up to the standard of his last season’s game. He will have to improve if he wants to have a chance in the Wairarapa championships.

R. Clarke has improved; his defence particularly so. He has a good forehand smash when he gets it on, but his fault is giving too many away ljr hitting the ball into the net when attempting this shot.

I. Coleman is not playing as. well as last season, although his defence is improving, but he plays too much on the defensive. He has a good backhand flick and should make use of it.

N. Myers has improved greatly since he changed over to tennis style. His defence is well above what it used to be. Making the change-over certainly handicapped him for a time, but he is beginning to reap the benefit of this wise move.

J. Nichols is still playing a straightforward wooden game, but his chief fault is receiving a “chop.” Although for a time he may be handicapped, it would eventually improve his game by changing over to rubber.

WORLD CHAMPIONS. TO VISIT MASTERTON. The worid-famous Hungarian table tennis-players, Messrs. Szabadoz and Kelenjlffe to be seen in action in the Mastefton Municipal Hall on Saturday, 25th September, in the course of a Dominion tour. The appearance of these notable players wall be of wide interest. They will play exhibition matches between themselves and will also meet local players. •Szabados won the men’s singles in the world championships in 1931 and has to his credit a long list of other international and national victories. Helen, who won the mixed doubles world championship in 1929 and 1931, also has a distinguished record of successes.