LAWN TENNIS.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17586, 15 December 1928, Page 21 (Supplement)

LAWN TENNIS.

HAMILTON CLUB DOINGS. THE LATEST ACTIVITIES. ITEMS OP INTEREST. The club's "B" team visited Taupiri on Saturday to try conclusions with the Lower Waikato team in the first round of the Banner competition. Heavy rain at 5 o'clock necessitated the match being abandoned, but Lower Waikato had by that time secured a margin of games which entitled them to the match. The club was represented by L. Hobbs, R. D. McFarland . (captain), W. Horton, H. Babbage, J. G. Lucas, and B. Cox, while the lady members of the team were:—Misses G. Clevely, Nutsford, J. Morrison, V. Collier, R. Sorby and P. Sorby. The captain was the only member of the team to win a singles, while only one doubles and one combined match went to Hamilton. The team spent a most enjoyable afternoon, being most hospitably entertained by the Taupiri Club. Several of the younger members of the team experienced their first match play, and will no doubt derive much benefit. This is the first Banner match of the season. The club's "A" team was to have met Waipa West, but that Association was unfortunately compelled to default. Most of the Waipa West Association's members are farmers, and of course are experiencing a busy time just now. The "A" team has now to play the winner of Taumarunui and Te Kuiti. These two clubs have already met, but the match resulted in a draw. There is, I believe, (writes the club's correspondent) some question of an appeal, and until the Waikato Association has considered this, and decided what is to be done, our club's "A" team will not definitely know who is its next opponent.

VISIT TO MATAMATA. A team also travelled to Matamata on Saturday to play a friendly game against that olub. It was not a Banner iTTatch, but was nevertheless looked forward to by both clubs with much enthusiasm. There is a healthy 'rivalry between these two clubs, and a meeting always creates considerable interest. Unfortunately, Sims was not available for Hamilton, nor Dr. Laurenson for Matamata. There was nevertheless an excellent display of the game, as some of our club's leading players made the trip. The men who represented the club were:— G. Brough, A. T. James, D. Seymour (captain), J. Sanders, A. Stubbs, and A. Hayes, while the lady members were:—Mrs Waters and Mrs Pearson, and the Misses E, Newell, Madeley, McMicken and Campbell. Match play did not finish until about 7 pjn. The Men's Singles. Of the six men's singles, Hamilton won only one event —James steadily, won from Green, who was inaccurate, but who showed improved form in the doubles. Brough was defeated by Bassett —two sets to one —after a game full of hard hitting on both sides. Brough's service was unreliable, and he fell back on a weak second service which was rightly punished by his opponent. In such circumstances, the best course is to ■ persist even with double faults until control is regained, as severe punishment of a weak service disorganises 1 one's own game, and gives confidence ! to the opponent. Brough has a sound and forceful stroke game with which to oppose a net attack, but he would improve it by dashing In to smash a weak upward return—to allow a ball to bounce when a smash is possible gives the opponent time to recover his position. Brough also prefers to finish off a rally from the ground instead of coming into volley as soon as an opening occurs—his reluctance being due to his difficulty in making a winning volley, as he places himself too much in the line of flight of the ball to be able to volley freely to either side of ' the court. Games played steadily again Green, who made too many mistakes in trying to force the pace at the net. Seymour was not strong enough in his ground strokes to succeed in a net game against Ward, who brought off some excellent passing shots and who specialises in the art of recovering smashes. Stubbs and Sanders both rely on hard hitting which needs to be under excellent control, if it is to succeed against steady defence and this .was hardly to be expected in unaccustomed conditions which Hayes also found difficult.

The Lady Players. Mrs Waters, playing a well-con-trolled and aggressive game, thoroughly deserved her win against Miss Beverley, whose method' of attack was seriously upset by the vigour of the opposition. Miss Beverley relies on her capable volleying and smashing but she was not well enough equipped to deal with Mrs Waters' severe ground strokes, both forehand and backhand. Her tentative advances to the. net were met with well directed drives to the corners and her opponent did not hesitate to follow them to a conclusion with a well placed volley. Miss Beverley also failed to realise that Mrs Waters is sounder on : the backhand, than on her forehand—the latter she takes too low with a racquet more vertical then horizontal. Miss Newell lost to Miss M. Beverley by the odd game in a match of protracted rillies. Miss Newell has the speed and quickness of eye to reach the best work, but she is sadly handicapped by a faulty grip of her racquet and bad foot work. She plays her forehand with her racquet too nearly vertical and with herself facing the net. This position makes it necessary to meet the ball as soon as it comes within range and any effort at a fast return is disastrous. For a sound forehand, the essentials are: (a) A line through the feet at the moment of contact should be parallel with the direction in which the ball is to be driven. (b) The handle of the racquet should be horizontal at the moment of contact (and as long before it is possible). Given these conditions a player can hit with confidence.

Miss Madeley's cut returns and volleying with her severe services were too much for Mrs Wallis, while Miss McMicken was just beaten by Miss Bell in a close struggle. Mrs Pearson and Miss Campbell both won fairly easily.

A FEW OBSERVATIONS. One or two observations might perhaps appropriately bo made Owing to the popularity of tho Hamilton Club's courts many players are short of singles practico and tho committee might now consider setting aside a separate evening each week for men and another evening for lady players.

Hard courts in country centres, are commonly graded from the net to the base line, at which there is a drop of perhaps two inches. As the height of the net is measured at the net, the latter is usually set some two inches too high as regards the base line, and this disorganises the game of those unused to the courts. Country clubs can (and should) adjust this by ascertaining the difference in levels of the court at 'the net and at the base line, and allowing correspondingly in fixing the heights *of the nets. A Battle of Lobs. In ladies' doubles a tandem formation (one at the net and one on the base line) is frequently adopted and the game then develops into a battle of lobs. In these circumstances (and especially on a hard court) it is most important that the base line player should allow no lob to bounce that can be taken on the full, where it can be dealt with easily and effectively. This means that lady players should learn to deal with lobs —this art is not difficult to acquire, and is invaluable in ladies' doubles. It is excellent practice for one player to aim at tossing everything to the baseline and for the other to aim, firstly, at returning everything on the full, and secondly placing the return deep ; to the corners. In dealing with a. lob, the contact is made in approxi- : mately the same position as that of an j overhead service.

DRAW FOR CLUB EVENTS.

The draw for the ten club events is now posted, and considerable interest is being displayed in it. ft

I will now be advisable for members to abandon ladder matches and to can- I centrate on the club events. In some cases there are very few in the first round, and in these cases the match committee hopes that both the flrsi and second rounds will be completed by the end of the month. There is no reason why players should not be able to play their matches off-immediately. There are many matches to be played, and unless members play their matches as early as possible, there is some doubt as to whether all the events will be completed by the end of the season. It must not be overlooked that it will be impossible to devote every Saturday to match play, as there will be visiting teams, and : as it is not fair to members of the ! club who are not playing in the club's | events, that the courts should be oc- j cupied every Saturday with match play. The matches should, as far as ! possible, be played during the week, j Members who arc playing in club's | events should remember that their fees should be paid before actually commencing play.