BADMINTON

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20887, 19 August 1939, Page 22 (Supplement)

BADMINTON

CHAMPIONSHIPS START HAWKSWORTH NOT COMPETING MANY TOURNEYS AHEAD (By "Spectator”) With inter-club competitions in the Waikato practically completed, the iui tcrcst of badminton enthusiasts will be concentrated on the numerous tournaments which will be decided over the next few weeks. A great deal of interest will centre, of course, 011 the New Zealand Badminton Gharn- ‘ pionships, particularly in view of th£ fact that the championships were held in Hamilton last year. The New Zealand players, who recently toured Australia, returned this week in time for the meeting but it is doubtful whether they will all play, in the Waikato besides the interest in this tournament players will be practising for the Auckland championships which will be held immediately after the Dominion meeting and the Waikato championships which will be held in Bledisloe Hall in I the second week in September. Inter-club Matches i A rather surprising big victory by ! the Hamilton club over West End this week, lias made the Hamilton club's position secure in the A grade compeLitton. The games were much more evenly contested than the margin of 11 games to i would indicate but West End definitely did not produce all the form that has made their play such a feature of the competition. Only a young side they have done very well and next year should prove an even greater stumbling block to the success of any team. The final of the B and G grade sections will be played tonight when the zone finalists will meet. In the B grade Waihou will meet Tauranga and in the G grade Tainui will play Matangi, On Thursday evening a number of players from the Hamilton club journeyed to Rotorua and assisted the Rotorua club by playing exhibition matches and coaching some of the Rotorua players. Impressions of Australia Mr H. H. Fow, who returned from Australia this week and who saw all the games on the first night of the Test match between New Zealand and

Australia, said this week that the Test was very exciting. He confirmed the opinion expressed last week that if llawkworih had been fit New Zealand would probably have won the Whyle Trophy. As it was there was very little between the teams and the most exciting game he saw was the men’s doubles between Roussell and Spedding and Harpur and Tonkin. Commenting upon the ga-me generally in Australia Mr Fow said that the standard was not as uniformly high as in New Zealand. There was a much bigger drop in the standards of the few tap liners in Australia to the other players than in New Zealand and this was proved by New Zealand’s overwhelming victories in the country centres. In Tasmania and Melbourne the game was rapidly making progress but it was not so strong in Sydney though the recent visit of the New Zealand team was expected to give the game added impetus in New South Wales.

Hawksworth’s Injury it is understood that the physical injury received by Hawksworth while in Australia will prevent him from playing again this year and that he therefore will not be competing in the New Zealand championships next week. As he is the holder of three Titles it will give other players a chance of gaining this high honour and competition will be keen. The ex-Waikato player, R. Lewis, who was runner-up to Hawksworth in the men's singles in Hamilton last year, and who is now' in Auckland, will he making the trip and he looks the logical favourite. Few Waikato players will be participating but if H. 11. Fow competes he also must he given a great chance as his last match against Lewis was again very evenly contested.

Prospects for B Grade Waikato will be represented in the B Grade by R. Cann and Williams and the way these two have been playing of late they should have very bright prospects of bringing the title to Hamilton. In the women’s division Miss M. Edmondson, New Zealand singles title-holder in 1936, will be the Waikato's strongest card and in view of the fact that she has been able to secure a bit more practice of late she should have an excellent chance. Last year she was one of the semi-finalists but was beaten by Miss Fleming, the ultimate winner. Mrs Yendell and Miss Cox are two other Hamiltonians who will be competing but Miss Clough’s knee injury may prohibit her from participating.