NUNNELEY CASKET

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 107, 30 January 1935, Page 11

NUNNELEY CASKET

Wellington Match With Canterbury RECORDS OF THE PLAYERS The second challenge lawn tennis match to be played in Wellington this year will be the women’s Nuuneley Casket conieot this week-end. The rules are identical with those of the Wilding Shield series, exeunt that it is the cream of the women of tiu.* various provinces who do battle.. The casket was instituted by Miss Kathleen Nunnelcy, and is decorated with the New Zealand medals won by her. She had the unprecedented record of having won this title thirteen jeats in succession. . Contests have been held since JO-.J, and have been continuously won by Wellington. Canterbury all but won tlie match and the casket last year, being equal in rubbers and sets with (Wellington, but Wellington won 130 games to Canterbury’s 120. Canterbury's team this year is practically identical with tnat of last year,, the only alteration being that Miss Marjorie Sherris, the present Canterbury singles champion, has replaced Miss Wake. Miss Sherris has won the Canterbury University College championship several, times, has been a university representative fol four or five years, and is considered unfortunate not to have represented the province before. This year she has come into her own. and heal her chief rival and team-mate, Miss Thelma Poole, in the final, 6-3. 6-1. Her game is built, mainly from the baseline, Miss Sherris waitiiu; till she has forced her opponent out of position before advancing to the net to win the point there. Essentially a Net Player.

Miss T. Poole is quite well known iu Wellington. She was seen two years ago in the New Zealand championships when they were held at Miramar, and again last year she was in the New Zealand team which played the Australian women in the test match. Her game is the reverse of Miss Sherris's. She is essentially a net player, who takes every . opportunity to force the pace by volleying and smashing. She is one of the most attractive players New Zealand has produced, and should go far, as she even yet is little more than a girl. Miss Edna Rudkin, Canterbury’s number threes has also represented her province for three years. She, too, is a baseliner, with a terrific service, which would do credit to many a man, ami she has a very severe forehand drive. In this year’s New Zealand championships, Miss Rudkin reached the semi-finals, and only bowed, to Miss Nicholls, Wellington and New Zealand's number one. She was last year’s Canterbury singles champion.

Miss Irene Poole, for business reasons, finds" difficulty in playing outside Canterbury, but in her home province she has built up a sound reputation. In the casket matches last year she won three out of her four matches —both singles and one doubles. It is in her doubles play, however, that Miss Poole shines. Partnered with her sister, she holds the Canterbury and South' Island doubles title, mid in the present New Zealand championships it is reported that they “darned their way” through the first rounds. and also “that sparkling pair, the Poole sisters, met stiff opposition in the more experienced Misses Nicholls and Beverley, in one of the brightest doubles of the tdurnftinent.” New Zealand’s Best.

Of the Wellington team, Missi Nicholls is, of course, outstanding. She has been New Zealand’s No. 1 plnyer for the past three years, and shows no sign of vacating that position. Armed with a service that need' Miss Lyle, of England, a month Or so ago, time after time, and a forehand drive and chop of which any man might be proud, she is practically invincible. x

Miss Doris, Howe, Wellington’s No. 2, is the present Wellington champion, having defeated Miss Nicholls at Christmas by. deep mid accurately placed drives, yKjch prevented her opponent from settling down. She has also played with Miss NTeholls in the women’s doubles for some years, and this pair has twice won the New Zealand . oubles championship. Miss Howe did not compete in the recent New Zealand championships, so tlie casket doubles, Misses Nichollg and Howe v. the Misses Poole, should be one o£ the highlights of women’s tennis in the Dominion.

Miss Fernic, the Wellington No. 3, is the Wellington counterpart of Miss Poole. She is the first of Wellington’s “young set” to reach provincial honours,, and is armed with very fine ground strokes, beautifully produced which won for her the Wellington singles title last Easter. Playing as she does a very attractive game, she is a certainty for casket teams for years to come. Miss F. North relies on spi(i and placement rather than on speed or a net attack to disconcert her opponents. Her game inay not be as spectacular as"" that of some of her team-mates, but her distinguished records shows that she is a player to be seriously reckoned with. She has represented Wellington in casket matches already, having played in 1929-30 and 1930-31.

Of the eight women playing at the week-end, no less than six were ranked by the New Zealand Association last vear, the list comprising: Miss D. Nicholls No. 1 • Miss T. Poole. 5; Miss E. Rudkin 6: Miss D. Howe, 8; Miss F. Ferine, 10; and Miss I. Poole, 12. Miss North and Miss Sherris were not included, on account of lack of performances in New Zealand competitions.