Some Good Talent Came To Light In Tennis Tournament

Chronicle (Levin), 17 March 1949, Page 7

Some Good Talent Came To Light In Tennis Tournament

"Volley")

(By

The south Manawatu tennis tournament, held in Levin last weekend, was from many points of view a great success. The average standard of tennis was not high, though some players showed quality which would not have been out of place in a much bigger meeting. The fact that it was a "closed" tournament limited the entries to the area concerned, but players from Foxton, Shannon, Ohau, Manakau and Otaki provided interest and divided the honours.

! _ Mrs. Bell's win in the women's singles was well deserved. She is an outstanding p ayer with good Physique and a fme variety oi shots, and she plays with her head and her feet as well as her racquet. She would not be disgraee'd in any company and I should like to see her competing in some of the •bigger to urnaments. Miss M. Karauti, whom Mrs. Befi •buat ratner easily in the final, aia •not do herse.f justiee. She played 'for openings, but, having made them, iound her usual accuracy had deserted her; time and again (■he w-uiid miss shots wnich would normally be "sitters." However, ■that is the iuek of the game. In the men's Singies, Maurice Smith and Don White had a great battle. It was a tnree-set match in which the stamina and resourcs of the veteran prevaiied over the less experienced but brilliant junior. White made the mistakf- of

, trying to p-'ay Smith at his own j game of trick shots, and this sr-em-ed to bring a Joss of conifdence in the shots at which he excels. Go for the shot, Don, and when y,.u have a ball, if you can slam to the corners or down the sideline — slam it! Don't poke about because your opponent. is doing so. He does it because you are on top. ' With Smith and White paired.for the men's doubles, the result wcs almost a foregone conclusion, although * in the final they had Ching, of Koputaroa, as one of their opponents. He is a wi.y and j experience'd player. It i,s regrettabie that there wos joniy one ent-ry for the girls' chamIpionsnips. Does this moan that there are no girls piaying tennis in ! the district from which Evelyn 'Attwood carrie? I The boys' junior events were one I of the features of the meeting and 'it louks as if some future champions are in the district. Txiough

the junior age limit is 18, the competitors were moscly aged from 11 to 12 or up to 14 years, and all gave really good exhibitions. The footwork of some of these boys was much better than that of many of tne seniors wh'o, because they are not in position, have to push the l ball instead of hitting it. ! The steadiness of these young players was good to see. Long rallies were freauent an'd, for the size of the competitors, fairly fast. There were few kiliing snots. Three sets on end is a lot for such young p ayers, and it is little wonder that Warren Travers, who had played two hard and long matches, was beaten by his younger brother, Peter, wno had had an easier time.1 The final, which Peter Travers won from D. Murray, was well worth seelng. They were set all when Peter discovered that a left hander's backhand is wnere a right hander's forehand is, and, piaying shrewdiy on his opponent's backhand, brought nim over to the right side of the court, and then made l'requent winners by cross court shots on to the left hand sideline. Muiray, so iong &s Peter. fe'd him on his forehand, was exceptionally steady, returning everything with good pace and slamming very accurately from the high bounce of iobbs. Another promising young player was the diminutive Graham Palmer, who, by good footwork and accuracy, took Warren Travers to three sets before being beaten. Such good tennis is worth encouraging and the competition should have brougnt all these boys something to carry on with. A special word of praise must be given to the committee an'd its) energetic secretary, "Mr. R. Antclift',1 who carried the tournament j tlirough without a hitch, and to! the women who provided tea. J